The Lisvane Tennis Club Championships took place on Sunday 18th September 2022 and once again the day was blessed with sunny and warm weather.
With a total of nine titles up for grabs on the day and the matches taking place under the eyes of the enthusiastic crowd watching from the club house veranda it was quite a long day for the dedicated tennis fans who stayed there for the full seven hours. All matches were scheduled to take place on the three excellent clay courts to ensure every match had space for family and friends to watch from the elevated position overlooking each court.
The club has five main trophies to contest each year but there is also a consolation competition in each category that allows those knocked out in the earliest rounds to continue to play for consolation honours right through to Finals Day.
This ensures a wide variety of members of varying abilities have a chance of making it to a competitive final with the age range of the competitors in the Finals stretching from mid teens to sixty something!
Out on Court 1 the morning session started with the Men’s Doubles Final which saw Tony Symons- Hicks and Diluka Karunaratne triumph over Tom Jones and Will Lawson 6-2 and 6-2. This was the third time Tony had won this particular title but each time with a different partner.
Tony and Diluka Will and Tom
On Court 3 Andrew Dodd and Mike Shipman saw off the challenge from Greg Jones and Pete Littlechild to clinch the Mens Doubles Consolation title winning 6-1 and 6-3.
Mike and Andrew Pete, Mike, Andrew and Greg.
Whilst Court 2 saw the Mens Singles Consolation final with an inspired Rob Thomas battling through to overcome Sam Coles via a tie break 10-2 to resolve the one set all deadlock (6-4 and 1-6).
Rob receives the Trophy from Jim Allen Rob and Sam
The lunchtime session brought out a selection of fantastic cakes baked by talented club members- the proceeds of the sale of cakes and drinks all contributing to club funds.
Suitably replenished the crowd were then able to focus on an intriguing battle of the generations in the Ladies Doubles Final where the experienced pairing of Carmen Smart and Helga Eckart took on the younger pairing of Caitlin Piper and Robyn Davies. After the first set ended 6-2 for the young generation the battle became more tense in Set 2 but the younger pairing prevailed and took set 2 - 7-5 to clinch the Ladies Doubles trophy. A fourth ladies double title win for Caitlin and a second for Robyn.
Caitlin and Robyn Helga and Carmen
Out on Court 2 the Ladies Singles Consolation Final saw the livewire Christy Heiberg battle through to beat the dynamic Lauren Yeung through a another tense tie break 10-6 after each player took one set (4-6 and 7-6)
Lauren and Christy
Court 3 hosted the Mixed Doubles Consolation Final with the family pairing of J. J. Lynn and his mother Cath Lynn edging out the enthusiastic pairing of Rob Thomas and Cath Symons-Hicks 6-4 and 7-6.
JJ and Cath Lynn Rob and Cath facing JJ and Cath
There followed a quick break for additional tea and coffee with optional cakes before the afternoon session began. The Mens Singles Final served up a classic battle with Diluka Karunaratne taking the first set 6-4 before Tom Jones powered through the second set winning it 6-1. A very tense tie break followed with Tom Jones taking the trophy on a 10-8 win. A quick check of the Club Honours Board showed its not unusual for a member of the Jones family to hold this trophy – Tom winning it in 2010 and his brother Oliver winning it in 2011 and 2013!
Tom receives the trophy from Clive Bolton Diluka
The Ladies Doubles Consolation Final saw the very experienced duo Kate Jowett and Julia Plaut power to a 6-2 and 6-1 victory over the youngest participant Liz Reid-Jones and Cath Symons-Hicks.
Kate and Julia Liz, Cath, Julia and Kate
The Ladies Singles Final had been completed on the Thursday before with Caitlin Piper overcoming the challenge from Eliza Morgan 6-2 and 6-4.
Caitlin and Eliza
This just left the final trophy to be decided with the Mixed Doubles Final contested by a pairing of Robyn Davies and Sam Lynn against the mix of youth and experience personified by Caitlin Piper and Tony Symons-Hicks. Another tense battle resulted with the Symons-Hicks/Piper combination taking the first set 6-2 and Davies/Lynn taking the second set 6-4. Once again the crowd witnessed a titanic battle through a tie break – with Robyn and Sam taking the title winning 11-9.
Robyn, Sam, Tony and Caitlin.
The 2022 Club Championships proved to be a great success with 57 members taking part in the early rounds in August but as every successful activity has a host of volunteers that make it happen, the Committee of the club would like to express its thanks to everyone involved in making the event happen particularly the tournament organisers Tony Symons-Hicks and Alex Welch.
General view of courts and club house.