Bowman survives Holliday fightback

David Bowman needed to go the full distance to see off leading lady Cecely Holliday 7-5, 4-6, 6-1. Bowman started brilliantly, playing aggressively with the forehand and racing into a 4-0 lead. Holliday, however, found hers and quickly levelled to make it 4-4. Bowman survived breakpoint opportunities to hold for 6-5, and a couple of Holliday errors gave Bowman the set. Bowman started the second well, getting into a 3-1 lead. Again, Holliday fought back, blowing away Bowman off both sides. A double fault from Bowman gave Holliday the break to lead 5-4, and a netted Bowman backhand gave her the second set. Once again, it was Bowman who started brightly in the final set, and although the players traded early breaks, the Bowman forehand once again found its range, allowing Bowman to comfortable wrap up the match. “It was a tough match,” said Bowman afterwards. “You can clearly see why she has held her own for so long. I don’t think I’ve had that many winners put past me for a long time. Drop a ball short and it’s bye-bye!”

Bowman survives shaky start to beat Daza

David Bowman recovered from an early wobble to comfortable beat Alex Daza 6-3, 6-3 at King George’s Park. Daza, who had had a pre match warm-up, started the stronger player, and broke Bowman in his second service game as the trademark (now copyrighted) Bowman forehand failed to fire. Bowman broke straight back, however, and went on to break once more to take the opening set. The players traded early breaks in the second set, but once again Bowman found his rhythm, producing a stunning backhand down the line winner at 1-1 and 0-15. But Daza responded in the next game with a similar backhand, and was starting to fire off both sides. It was Bowman, however, who upped his game in classic style, dominating with the forehand and breaking Daza twice to secure his fourth straight victory of the campaign. “He played well,” said Daza, “and has a good forehand and beautifully light feet.” Both players agreed that the courts were nice. “Why play at Magdalen?” jibed Daza.

Bowman cruises past Willcocks in scrappy affair

David Bowman won his third SLTL match 6-2, 6-4 against danger man Roger Willcocks at Southfields. Bowman and Willcocks, not the type to be put off by rain, started the match in light drizzle, and once again Bowman took the initiative, playing shots more accustomed to Roy Webb. Willcocks clearly had no answer and the first set was wrapped up with the minimum of fuss. The second looked like going much the same way, until when Bowman, serving at 3-2, suddenly lost concentration. Willcocks got a break, and then brought out his trademark first serve, clearly leaving Bowman in total shock as to how that had been produced. Willcocks, then however brought out his other trademark, as he put it, stringing together a series of unforced errors that allowed Bowman to break back and secure the match with Willcocks putting a lob long.

Bowman survives tough affair on the artificial clay

David Bowman notched up his second straight win against big hitter James Roberts 6-4, 7-5 at Wigmore. Bowman, no fan of the slow and slippery courts, made a decisive breakthrough in the first game, breaking Roberts before holding serve to take the first set. Bowman broke early in the second set, but Roberts, not going down without a fight, broke back with some stunning passing shots. It was Bowman, though, who proved to be more consistent and notched up two match points. The first was wasted with a double fault, and a second with a forehand slammed into the tape, in similar style to Andy Murray’s fifth set point against Roger Federer in the Australian Open. Bowman held his nerve, however, and after wasting two more match points when serving at 6-5, he stormed into the net off a serve, clearly worrying Roberts who duly responded by putting the return into the bottom of the net. “I hate the artificial clay,” said Bowman critically. “I’m not in a hurry to play on it again.”

Bowman opens campaign with solid win

David Bowman started his B3 campaign with a comfortable 6-1, 6-4 victory over Sulphuro Burrell at Southfields. Burrell, who had lost to Bowman the last time the pair met, found his serve misfiring in the first set, allowing Bowman to stroll through 6-1, despite facing three break points in his first service game. The second set was a tighter affair, and Burrell once again cracked again at important moments, with him being 4-3 and 40-love up on serve. Bowman, typically gritty, hung in brilliantly to snatch the set 6-4. “It’s always difficult playing Sulphuro,” remarked Bowman afterwards. “I’m glad to have gotten him out of the way.”