Latest news on Cambridge Fives successes

12th September 2025

Bob Dolby reports: Since I last reported on light blue Fives successes in July, there have been more!

As already reported, Ed Kay got this new season off to a golden start by beating Ben Beltrami in the South West Open Singles final and then partnering Ben to win the South West Open Doubles title.

Singles and Doubles titles at the South West Open for Ed and Ben

Ed then followed this success up by winning the South East Open Singles and the Yorkshire Open Singles. As a result Ed can boast the impressive and extraordinarily tidy record of winning the South West, South East and Yorkshire Open Singles titles five times each, as well as the Universities, London, West of England and North of England titles three times each. And plenty else.

Ed Kay wins the South East Open Singles ….

…. and the Yorkshire Open Singles

While Ed was winning the South East title Emrys Thursfield was adding a second Challenger Singles title at Horsham to add to the one also won at Christ’s Hospital in 2023. These tournaments are open to anyone ranked nationally outside the top 16; Emrys at present ranks a rather unrepresentative #33.

A second Challenger title for Emrys

And while Ed and Emrys were winning their medals, Rupert Mathieu won the South East Open Doubles, for the second time, playing this year with Penn Chai.

Rupert wins the SE Open Doubles with Penn Chai

Next to come before Christmas are the London Open and the West of England Open Championships. What odds more light blue medalware!

For a fuller selection of photographs go to Photo Gallery 2025-2026

For a full list of Cambridge successes since 1925 see Champions 1925-2025