Magdalen titans battle out tough duel
There was no love lost between Roger Willcocks and Paulo Schmetzer, erstwhile comrades on Magdalen's Vth team, when they clashed in Magdalen's winter league. First, Willcocks scrambled to a first set lead after a nail-biting tiebreak. Then, Schmetzer, girding his loins and prodded by texts of encourage from his latest squeeze, nicked the second 6-2. Willcocks, at pains not to lose out the younger semi-Italian, charged to a 5-2 lead. Serving at 30-love, two points for victory, Willcocks sunk, sunk some more, then plummeted to 5-7 as Schmetzer nicked triumph from the jaws of defeat, indulging in repeated acts of racquet abuse along the way.

"I was gutted," said Roger Willcocks. "Simulated racquet smashing can be very distracting."

"I sodding well deserved it," commented Schmetzer.