A new tournament hits the scene – the Moore Family Office Summer Challenge! The top 12 real tennis professionals in the country battle it out for a £20k prize pot at the Oratory School. However, there is a twist – matches will be played off half-handicaps, increasing the tension for the fans as everyone has a shot at winning
Sponsored by Moore Family Office
Welcome back to the Oratory School. My name is Ben Gatenbeek and you are watching the More Family Office summer challenge. The top 12 professionals in the United Kingdom fighting it out for their share of a 20,000 prize purse. This is the second of our semi-finals to be played between Vaughn Hamilton and Ben Taylor Matthews. We already had our first finalist determined just minutes ago. That was Darren Long taking down Robert Fay. Um, and just a reminder, we do play half handicaps here at the Moore Family Office summer challenge. So, if you’re wondering why did Long beat Fay, well, Fay had to give him some points. [Music] So, Vaughn Hamilton came through his work colleague Levi Gale in the quarterfinals. the young stars of the UK professionals down in the low single figures and looking to improve from there. And to think just three years ago he was playing in the category B’s. Has had an excellent run since then. made the uh final of the US Pro recently over in Newport where he lost to Josh Dodgson who himself had a fantastic tournament taking down Steve Vagona. Another person who had a fantastic US Pro singles was this man Ben Taylor Matthews currently playing out of Bristol but about to make the move to Washington the Westwood Country Club. and he reached his first uh opened final on US soil at the US Pro Singles in Newport uh last month where he lost to Robert Fay in straight sets. I had a fantastic win over John Lumley. Definitely worth the rewatch there. Head-to-head doesn’t really count for too much in this format because we’re playing the half handicaps. The headto-head only shows the level matches, but one did give Ben a scare at that Jasmine Dean Cup semiinal. Sorry, the Disney Dean Cup final, my apologies, back in 2024. That was Taylor Matthews first uh level singles victory in about 13 years going back to the cat A’s in 2009 or so and has had two further wins over Vaughn since then. But we are playing handicap tennis tonight and the handicap will be 05. So Taylor Matthews just to have to get one extra point every game. There’ll be tennis for you all week as well. Um we will have coverage of the Van Allen George Lim and Cloia Cups coming for you this week starting from tomorrow with the Under 26ers Invitational. That’s all happening down at Seourt. But in the meantime, we’ll have a finalist to sort out. And well, who will be playing in tomorrow’s final? That’ll be at 6:00 here at the Oretry School. Do get your tickets and come down. There’ll be a champagne reception as well for a best of five set final off half handicaps. What a spectacle that’s going to be. Looks like we’re just about to get underway here at the oretry. What awaits us in this match? What drama will there be? What twists and turns? Not quite as severe of a handicap as FA had to give away just the 015. It’s definitely more doable for for Taylor Matthews. Hamilton can’t afford to be quite as attacking if he was as if he was receiving the full handicap which would have been 150 half. So you would suggest that the half handicap favors Taylor Matthews, but one would also suggest that it would have favored Fay in the the early round the early semi-final tonight and that turned out not to be so. Just watching Vaughn there taking the balls out of the out of the bucket. Lot of courts built with buckets for balls, but most people these days prefer to have them just sitting in the tray. of the Moore family challenge. Introducing the players Steven.
We have from Bristol and Taylor Matthews. [Applause] All
the way from Essex, we have Von Hamilton. This match is the best of three sets and will be played 05 love. [Applause] 155. First blood to Hamilton. 16. Definitely early advantage Hamilton here. Matthew’s not quite warmed up yet. Hamilton’s definitely got the game to be receiving a handicap. plays very aggressive tennis himself into all sorts of strange positions but can get himself out of them too. This Taylor Matthews is the kind of player designed to be giving a handicap consistent measured calm but question for you in the live chat. Should we fill in the buckets in the dead-on trays and just have the balls sit in the tray or should we encourage people to put balls in the ball buckets and not just leave them sitting around in the tray or in the netting? That’s a question for you in the live chat. We’d love to hear what you think. Tell Matthews to serve for the first time in the match. Going to be a railroad to start. First game.
So, first game goes the way of Hamilton. Now, we can see the high serves from Taylor Matthews. Timmy PK is the second serve. [Music] That’s the handicap neutralized. Excellent length on the high serve. Unlucky that rest ended in the last gallery. Back to the railroad. Thanks a lot for a ball to go out of court here. Very bit high ceilings here at the oratory. High and square as well. Three chases. Not quite sure who’s got the early advantage here. Still very finely poised. Well, still early stages really. You
couldn’t really say that either player has
pressed on for the strongest start yet. Great serve from Hamilton. Perfectly tucked up against that side wall, especially on the last gallery chase. Doesn’t have too much margin for error on that one. 4030. What’s that? And that one’s just kicked a bit awkwardly out of the back wall. So, Tenner Matthews on the boards. [Applause] 1505. That first point is going to be so critical in each of these games. Get to 1505. 3015 you start to build the pressure whereas love all and Taylor Matthews can play normally [Music] 151 chase Love Betty. definitely taking advantage of this time at the service end. Builds a 40 love lead here in this game. Y chase isn’t the best to be attacking, but he’s got enough buffer there that shouldn’t be too difficult for him. such a young star in terms of his time on this on the at the top level of real tennis too. Doesn’t really know the meaning of failure yet. straight down the middle. That’s what he did so much
against Levi Gale in the quarterfinals to great effect. 15 [Music] as a 25-year-old professional, he’s not eligible eligible to play in the under 26ers team events over the course of the next week. Strictly for amateurs only sort of disadvantages the UK a little bit because it tends to produce a lot more young professionals than the other uh countries. [Music] Taylor Matthews might miss the first one, but he’s never going to miss that second in this match still. [Music] It’s definitely been a battle over the service end so far. What’s the last 150? Another straight force from Hamilton. More of a drive really, but still gets the job done. [Applause] Very calm from Taylor Matthews as he finishes that point off. He’s watching me faces. So Hamilton comes down the service end. Couple of chases to his name. Could be a chance for a bit of a buffer in this first set. I don’t think he’ll ever feel really comfortable with this handicap. So, anytime he can convert games, points into games is going to be key. Matthews read the first two well but didn’t pick up the second. That big wide tambber now has to attack a worse than a yard to save the game. Not going to do it with that shot, I’m afraid. The two game buffer does come for Hamilton. Ready to go. [Music] [Applause] Definitely an uphill battle now for Taylor Matthews. Two games down with the handicap always against him and an opponent not afraid to really attack the ball. strips.
Anytime he’s being given the opening, he’s kind of going straight down the middle with a lot of pace and hitting it more times than he misses. Tight serve from Taylor Matthews. It’s the last gallery. Didn’t give Hamilton any room on that side wall. Great defensive play from Tan Matthews there just keeping it touch with the rally until he gets the chance with that winner. Five left. So Hamilton coming down the service end here. Two chases in the numbers just and he has been looking good from the service end so far. Can he convert these two? Serve was good. Made them made the return tricky. Hamilton able to get that great angle. Real and that one’s gone through the net point against Taylor Matthews. And once again, Hamilton with the lead in the game. 40 See there on the foot there? So Fay saw it as a as a chase, but Hamilton just owning up to hitting it his foot. Matthews happy to go along with that one. 3040 games for one. Couple of tricky bounces out of the backhand corner, but Hamilton is up for the challenge. Yes, another grill. So lazy. Love 15. Literally
is all to do for Talent. Matthew’s here now. 4-1 down. The handicap against him. could argue perhaps he’s been a little too koi. Hasn’t really played his shots. Just been letting Hamilton be in control. Argue that perhaps needs a few more gallery chases. Not easy when Vaughn serving like that to get gallery chases, however. But that yeah that point serve stat three to two in the favor of Hamilton for points for Taylor Matthews when he’s giving away a handicap. He can’t really afford to let that particular statistic stand. Come on. That is forcing from Taylor Matthews, though. Just taking the game on a little bit. It’s not too much of a handicap that you have to be extremely defensive up until just this last little passage of play. He hasn’t really been taking on those shots. So, now that he is, that’s a good sign. Good omen. So tell Matthews back with the serve. 4015 up. 405 second go. That will do to beat the chase. Any hazard gallery will do. And the one that’s out of reach is the best. So two four now. Tyler Matthews right back in this. Serving has been really tight from both players. He’s given away that third shot of the rally way too easily. Really at both ends of the court. It’s good play by Hamilton. Get that last gallery chase in the bank. just I don’t like how how um Tanner Matthews just gives away that chase way too easily for me. I think he’s just a bit too content to spend a lot of time up that hazard end. Yes, he’s already conceded a chase, but it just doesn’t sit well that he’s just letting Hamilton have a chase three, especially when he’s too four down in the first set. love to chase worse than three.
I think Tel Taylor Tel Matthews is also one of the pros most liable to leap in that short chase. Really doesn’t like the look of the ball, but that’s how it’s turned out. He’s not won the point because of it. He’s now stuck down the hazard end. Just
to me it’s just go for it when it’s still in play and keep that service end for another few points.
As such he’s 30 love down 4-2 down against a player who is serving magnificently and Taylor Matthews isn’t able to get really too much away off the return of serve. That’s fallen. Second bounce into the ball tray. Hamilton was there waiting to try and play it, but didn’t really bounce high enough to get him any width over the net. Hands up as chased the line, but so 40 love to Hamilton. Chase the line. Love to lead. taste the line. Great defense at the straight force the second time around and Hamilton is up five games to two here in this Moore Family Office summer challenge semi-final. always [Applause] turn up. That service points one statistic that came on the screen just before both players up at around 2/3 service points one. That just kind of suggests why Tan Matthews is shouldn’t be keeping away so many chases and should be looking for them more
from that hazard end. I was like does well kind of rolled out. Just manages to get a racket underneath it. can’t quite afford to be a deer in the headlights. Hamilton played so well already today. Just needs to not get carried away. It’s half bounce off the back penthouse. Tanner Matthews does not let that one go to the back penthouse and he will go down the receiving end with a 40 love advantage. So Hamilton has been looking, as I say, it’s been looking really good from the service end. Both of them have been absolutely nailing their railroads tonight. The receiver hasn’t had a lot of options for what to do with the ball next. Again, really good finding those hazard galleries to win the chase from Hamilton. See, I wonder is the strategic play from Hamilton there to let the game go and start the next game at the service end. As it is, he’s let the chase go and um more likely not start the next game at the receiving end. Given that we’re playing at about twothird service points one, it sometimes feels like it might be more advantageous to have the service end and restrict chases being set than than games. I know it’s a pretty bold statement, but when you’re a five top and you have that little bit of luxury, maybe maybe it is the case or he could bring me more and win this game and take the set. [Applause] Bit of a slip from Taylor Matthews there. Check his shoes, but that change of direction that could have got nasty. So Hamilton has brought it back to Ford and it is his first set point. Draft serve from Taylor Matthews eats the eats the force straight down the middle and Hamilton takes the set six games to two. Excellent performance from the young professional. So we have the first full PK go in from Taylor Matthews. Didn’t really work out for him. See more range of seven. Now the drag, long drag. And again that serve hasn’t really worked out well either.
15 Loose underarm twist. [Applause] Love 15.
Still haven’t found the middle yet. better from Taylor Matthews picks up the winning gallery. I think we’ll settle back down into the railroad game. I don’t think those other serving experiments have quite worked out. Jason
Hamilton looking for that straight one. So first set summary just under half an hour. Hamilton winning more points despite the handicap. That is the key thing you need to understand about that set. serves one up at 65% for the press dead professional and hitting plenty of chases as well. Targets not being recorded by FA
the marker so can’t comment on those
better than two better than six. He’s found the hazard gallery as well tonight. Hamilton
405 now with a 40-15 lead. or less off. [Applause] Can’t say that point was clean, but Taylor Matthew will take the result as he slots the dead on. Much better from Taylor Matthews as he looks to get a little lead into this game. Hamilton still with the advantage, but just think attack those corners. try and
take the game away from Malin because he’s
kind of got it on easy mode at the moment. To the chase. That’s one the chase. Great result there from Vaughn Hamilton.
First game set. Takes the first game of the set. So, five more games needed for him to lock in a final against Darren Long. [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] Almost got there too. Crowd gives that rally a muchdeserved round of applause. After all that, it’s still just
love. Sherry after [Music] [Applause] Hamilton looking for that straight force and walk away with the chase which is not a terrible outcome from there. [Music] [Applause] 15 left. [Music] [Applause] I think the crowd’s applauding because the bell rang, but it was in the hands of second. Hamilton still with the advantage here in the game. Comes down the serving end with two long chases to defend. Like that Taylor Matthews has switched up the serve a little bit now. There’s some more of those high serves and Hamilton hasn’t been able to get quite that pace on the return. Chase working [Applause] second go just perfectly from Taylor Matthews there on the boast has a chase now. That’s a bad miss. Really needs to put that away. Hazard second guy. Didn’t quite have as much option as he would have liked. Great idea.
Smart 15 last measured and controlled from Taylor Matthews. this last little game kind of that’s been at the that right balance that he struggled to find so far in this match between that attack and that defense. I think on the whole he’s been just that little bit too defensive. Fair enough if you got the handicap against you but it’s kind of let Hamilton walk all over him. is worse than last gallery. [Applause] First one was well dug out but couldn’t get the second one. [Music] has been really good on that volley as well tonight. All the things have been clicking as part of his game. Really looks like he is going to go on and have the ability to to push late into the opens. He’s uh we saw him get to the the final of the uh US Pro Satellite. That’s not a tournament you want to be in the final of too many times. And I don’t think he will be if he continues improving like this. Hasn’t yet made a singles semi singles quarterfinal at an open if I correctly. might have met the British last year though. I’m not 100% on that. It’s not the result you want on game points. My my my Yeah. So he didn’t get through the British Open quarterfinal last time he fell at the hands of Camden Rivier. So just don’t feel like the quarterfinal is that far away from him. Really upset a seed in the first round. Great race there from Taylor Matthews on the short chase. Long way to go to save this match though. Can they continue with the high serve? Great finish into the winning gallery from Taylor Matthews. This is just means Hamilton hasn’t quite been able to be as attacking on that return as he was off the railroad like that. And Hamilton continues to be able to pick up chases at will. Did make the quarterfinals of the doubles playing with John Woodwards Casey. French this year. Last year rather actually made a semi-finals of the doubles I think. [Applause] First round there is the quarterfinals. So just was moving the wrong way on that last ball. Love worse than last gallery. Same chase again. [Music] 150.
That’s the sort of error he can’t really afford to make. You don’t think? [Applause] Very loose couple of returns from Taylor Matthews. 40. Takes a second or two to compose himself. needs to find a chase from somewhere. Dead on will do for the moment though. Hamilton looking for the finish. Couldn’t quite find it on a couple of occasions. Ter Matthews brings it back to game point. just misses the grill low and that’s a racket on the floor from Hamilton inches away from the grill from taking that 2-1 lead as it is the Bristol professional has Are we in for a three setter? Will Ham Hamilton take it into Still early days in this second set. Plenty of tennis to play out. No strokes. Chase five. [Applause] Hasn’t heard that call out of court just above the out of play line. No high windows here that make funky noises to let you know that’s out of play. You just go see it with your eyes. That one’s been launched. Throws that one. Hamilton’s over the net. I think he will lose the point for that one. I’ve seen people slide into the net. I’ve never seen them go completely over it. You’re not allowed to touch the floor in the other side of the court. Love 15.
You don’t see that every day. Not sure that one’s going to make it to real tennis flare. did well not to um injure himself doing it though. Get his knee caught on it or something. Not very graceful though. Ready 15. That’s that absolutely fantastic cut volley he’s been ripping in all night. What a weapon to have in your arsenal. 4030. Tyler Matthews doesn’t want to seem to touch the floor between a a yard and the back wall. reaching out and grabbing the balls out of the tray from quite a distance. Don’t know why kind of doing it a lot tonight. Just reaching out as far as he possibly can to pick up those balls from the ball tray. I mean, it’s something he would have done millions of times in his life, but In
any case, Hamilton here with the chance to level up. 4037. It’s worse than last gallery. [Music] Seb’s good cut volley was even better. Taylor Matthews eventually taking the the the point. But game point here in the the fourth game. It’s just going to sneak over. Couldn’t quite find his targets earlier in the rally. And I think from where he ended up, I think he’ll take that hazard chase on a 40 all You’ve got a lot of options to win this point. It’s been very hard to defend hazard chasers on this court. Audio hazard worry. Looking for those galleries. I back wall on the volley. Taylor Matthews two. That’s a shot we like to see.
Pretty agricultural high back wall volley. Wins the hazard chase. So Telmat is up now 3-1. Much better than he did in the first set. Worse than last. This is a part of Hamilton’s game that you see reaching out. Reaching out doesn’t want touch better than better than one. Um part of Hamilton’s game needs to improve just when he’s behind in the set staying composed and fighting his way back into it. It’s
a little bit prone to an allout collapse. as we saw at the US Pro Final uh the satellite final needs to trust his game a little bit more in order to fight his way back in. Not easy to do, but it will help having the handicap behind him. Jake says happy yard. Great play from Hamilton looking for the hazard galleries. Then the
tambber still can’t quite
be content with the grip on offer here at the oratory. [Applause] Great defense from Hamilton.
15.
First one was a bullet on target. Did really well to control it. 3005 up now. Oh, double fault called. Don’t see those all too often here. [Applause] worse than that. Very few players have opted for second serve bubbles here at the oratory these last three weeks. Been seeing second serve rail roads and demi PKs and so on. Very few bubbles. [Music] Stayed in. That one’s hit the perspects. 1530 is more than he had. has to get right back in this set now for Hamilton. Good run at the service end completed. Now just needs to do the business from the receiving end. Tanner Matthew still always having to fight back into these games.
40 receiver leads chased more than a yard worse than last. That’s what makes it so difficult receiving a handicap. Uh
giving a handicap. Sorry. receiver. [Applause] Two games to three.
So Hamilton takes the game back to a oneame deficit. That one called down. I think Hamilton minded [Music] 150 15.
This has kind of been Ty Matthew’s problem is he’s found himself 150 down just a little bit too much. Sorry, let me say that again with words. He’s found himself 1505 down a little bit too much in this match. Instead of winning those first couple of points of the game, getting himself 15 love up. These guys are used to playing much handicapped tennis. Don’t see it much outside of this and the the court silver racket or an exhibition here or there. much more common at the amateur game than here in the professional game. 150 better than two. [Music] That’s not going to do it.
3815 chase one and two.
I’m not going to do it on the short chase. Another short chase to follow. [Applause] Excellent defensive volleying from Hamilton who trains that every day receiving that from Levi Gale. And then the very brave leave to follow. So he goes back down the receiving end looking to make this three all plenty of opportunity to do so. Again, this is the kind of point where you wonder,
do you throw away this point and try and get this chase off the next point? Start the next game at service end if you can [Music] chase. He has won the chase. Matthew didn’t challenge him for it. Three now. Back even [Music] level. Can’t quite believe he’s done that. You love [Music] [Applause] Oh, the no look volley not quite paying off. Very almost did though again. Not a shot you see all that often. That’s really been his bread and butter shot. Hamilton straight ball into the dead on. [Music] Talamatus never misses those 30 or one chase pending. It’s [Applause] all just been a little bit too loose from Hamilton as Tanner Matthews happy to mop up whatever mess Hamilton leaves for him. need to get his shots much more under control if he’s going to win this set. He’s done everything right in this game. Great finish from Hamilton point. That defensive volley is such a strength of his. So game point at 3 in the second set. Last gallery for you.
How apt into the last gallery it goes. Surf was good, but the response just cramped Hamilton up for him a little bit. Couldn’t play the shot he wanted to play. So, still 40 all. No juices here. And
the last gallery chase. 40 chase. The last gallery. Not the serve he would have liked to start with. Threatened to go over but it did not. Hamilton with the excellent cut volley once again. Four games to three. Good. Thank you. Level [Applause] [Music] My apologies. We’ve just had a scoreboard glitch. The marker has exited the app. Um, just had to get him back on track again. [Music] [Applause] That’s Hamilton looking to close this out quickly. Oh, that’s an annoying miss. It’s very hard when you’ve got an opponent who’s just thrashing at everything to try and play that consistent tennis. Oh, we’re going to have a caterpillar. Damn good caterpillar, too. [Music] Oh, and it was just open. He didn’t even go for it. 53 now for Hamilton. One game away from a final against Darren Long here at the Mo family office summer challenge. come down the serving end looking for just one more game. Hey, ignore that service points one stat. That’s a function of the fact that I had to get the scoreboard back working for our marker tonight. So, we won’t have any useful statistics for the rest of the match unfortunately. No strokes and two.
So 53 now to Hamilton. Two chases at the serving end. Can he finish it off at the door? Termat showing he’s got that cut volley of his own. Has of the door now. Oh, great attack from Tanny Matthews. Just lent into that ball. 15 left.
Absolutely creamed it. No chance for Hamilton to get on top of that. [Music] [Applause] [Music] looking good in this particular game. Now, Taylor Matthews just staying alive in this match. Nope.
Oh, get off.
Three. One chase. All right.
1530. fortunate uh fall for for Hamilton. Again, that statistic doesn’t mean anything because we’ve had to reset the scoreboard. Another let off. It’s the kind of thing you can’t really afford to do in handicap tennis. 300 now. That’s much better from Taylor Matthews as Hamilton dives in and cries in despair. So he will come down the serving end looking to bring this back to four five and really take that one step closer to saving this set. Hamilton still with a couple of chances to close out the match. hasn’t received a match point yet though. That won’t do. game.
Tanner Matthews still refusing to touch the floor between the wall and chase one. Back to 45 with the serve. Nasty bounce off the tambber level. [Music] worth it. We’re Yeah. So, Tanner Matthews going for the winning gallery there. Missing high. That’s why he says not worth it. That one’s just rolled. He had it covered, but just never came up to be hit. Two short chases for Hamilton coming down the service end. Defending these would go a long way towards winning the match and getting to that final. It’s worse than a yard. Worse than the yard. The first chase. [Applause] serve was deep and don’t know if you chase two and three could have done a lot better with that ruing missing that volley but I think really shouldn’t have given given the force as the option off the server in the first place second uh second chase two and Much better from Hamilton. Takes the winning gallery. Found the hazard chasers playing off the chase as well tonight. [Applause] Great angles. Two points away now. And that brings up the first match point. Second serve railroad on match point. Almost had the periscope volley. Couldn’t quite middle it. Second match point. Just come came off the penthouse too early. Another match point saved by Taylor Matthews into the third one. Game point. Oh, and he’s done really well. Picked that off nicely. And Hamilton is through. 6264. [Applause] [Music] What a great finish to the match.
Will be Darren Long. So he moves in through to tomorrow’s final. That will be a best of five set match. I think the players only be a small handicap difference between them as well. Taylor Matthews goes home back to Bristol. Um not quite empty-handed cuz he’ll have a nice check. um to go with it. Uh but that brings us the end of our coverage here at the Moore Family Office summer challenge for tonight. Do join us tomorrow. We will have the final for you between Darren Long and Vaughn Hamilton. Make your way down to the oratory. There’ll be a champagne reception. Get your tickets. Just contact the pro shop here at the oratory via email. Uh if you can’t wait that long then we’ll have the start of the under 26’s coverage from Court starting tomorrow and running all through the week. First with the invitational um singles and then with the Van Allen Cloia and George Lim Cups as well as France making their debut in that particular competition France versus a rest of the world team. Um that’s all for us tonight. My name’s been Ben Gay. It’s been a pleasure to have you with us and until tomorrow. Goodbye. Yes. Your face was a bit intense.
