Devizes Mixed Doubles The Triumph
Date: Sunday 24th June
Location: Chippenham Tennis Club
The handicap tournament offers a relatively equal chance for all entering teams to progress and have a chance of winning. For those unfamiliar with the format, the result depends on the number of games won, rather than the number of sets. The match consists of 2 sets of mens and ladies doubles, then 2 sets of mixed doubles (1 set against each opposing pair). There are 8 sets played in total with the magic number of games being 48 to get past the winning post. This is closer or further away for some teams depending on their handicap.
The Mixed A team were taking on Chippenham A in the Cup Final, while the Mixed B team faced Trowbridge B in the Plate Final (the tournament for all teams knocked out in the first round of the Cup). Both teams arrived and warmed up, but it soon became apparent that one of the opposition teams had not shown. It turned out to be Trowbridge who it appeared had merely forgot about the match, thus defaulting and handing the Plate to the Mixed B team. Not the way in which they would have liked to win but they enjoyed a match with each other and cheered on the A team from the sidelines.
The A team's handicap was 2, the lowest available, while Chippenham started on 7, a 5 game lead. The two mens and ladies doubles rubbers produced the same result but for opposing pairs. The mens was lost 2-6, 3-6 with our pair not covering themselves in glory. The ladies meanwhile won 6-2, 6-3 so effectively cancelled out the advantage given away by the men, meaning that at the halfway stage the A team were still 5 games behind.
In the mixed rubbers, some more ground was gained, with the first sets being won 6-1 and lost 3-6 respectively, thus gaining 2 games, leaving the A team now only 3 behind with the last 2 sets of mixed remaining. In the first set of the last rubbers we won 6-3, efffectively drawing the match all square and leaivng the result hanging soley on the outcome of the last set. After a tense finish, the A team won that set 6-4 and in so doing clinched the match by just 2 games, having been behind for the majority of it.
Needless to say there was much celebrating to be had afterwards, with one club taking the unlikely double of both trophies a rare event indeed. Many congratulations to all players involved, not only on the day, but those who played in the rounds leading up to the Finals.