Current champions Aynsley Clinton and James Wright retained their singles titles as Lymington Tennis Club hosted their Club Championships finals day and celebrated their Club Centenary last Saturday. Overnight showers gave way to blue skies as over 50 members joined for the day to cheer on the players and toast the club’s 100 years milestone.

Lymington and Pennington Deputy Mayor Simon Smith was guest of honour and presented the trophies to the winners. Cllr Smith praised the enthusiasm and commitment of the membership and club committee in managing the valuable community asset for the benefit of Lymington and Pennington residents. Cllr Smith said “Lymington Tennis Club is so much more than the sum of this facility and its marvellous club house. It’s about the members and your enthusiasm for the sport of tennis, welcoming anyone to the club regardless of ability, and with this I’m sure this will ensure the club continues for at least another 100 years.”

The club became a committee led enterprise in 2019 licenced to run the tennis club on behalf of the council, and this year has boosted membership to more than 150.

Origins of the club started after World War I when in 1919 people began to resume their sporting interests. J P C Shrubb, the owner of the Barfield (or 'Borough Field') Cricket Ground erected the now Lymington Bowls pavilion in 1913, but in 1920 the family decided to sell the site for development. Fortunately, it was purchased by four public spirited men (Dr F H Maturin, E Stone, H C Heppenstall and W I Whitaker) to become Lymington Sports Ground, each were representatives and champions for their respective sports - football, cricket, bowls and tennis. The grounds ownership passed to the town council in 1935

The football and cricket club gained a new clubhouse in the years to come, and in 1970 the bowls club and tennis club’s also separated. The tennis club finally gained it’s own modern clubhouse in May 2013.

The first club championships were in 1922 with the men singles title won by M.J Arnold, fast forward 100 years, the club now celebrates hosting six trophies, mens singles, womens singles, mens doubles, womens doubles, mixed doubles and new to 2022 - a mixed doubles plate.

This years mens singles event, the top 2 seeds James Wright and Stian Buswell reprised their 2021 final. The first game at 10 minutes and 4 deuces set the template for a high-quality match, with Buswell trading his trademark blistering backhands for Wrights assured serve and volley and cross court counter game. The lead changed hands three times alone in the first set, with Buswell eventually taking it 6-4 after 35 minutes. Wright stormed back in the second to win 6-1, to take it to a championship tie break. Wright maintained the ascendency with a double break in the tie break to win the title.

Pippa da Cunha, who actually sees her strength in her double skills, was understandably anxious at facing the reigning champion, Aynsley Clinton.  However the first set saw da Cunha trading game for game, however with one break of serve, Clinton captured the first set.  The second set saw Clinton gain the upper hand with her powerful shots with width and depth to win 6-4 6-2.

In the mens doubles final, Tim Kilsby and Jes Conway met the formidable pairing of top seeds Roger Middle and Richie Pope. In spite of the powerful Conway serve and court savvy Kilsby, the consistency and power of Middle and Pope was too much for them and they powered to a 6-0 6-1 victory.

In the ladies’ doubles, Lucinda Dowson and Sian Frame met Lynne Truell and Jo Hughes in another quality match. Last year’s winner Dowson with new partner Frame ultimately proved too strong for Truell and Hughes and came out 6-1 6-2 victors.

The mixed doubles final saw Lucinda Dowson and Roger Middle bring their winning form to bear to overcome Pippa da Cunha and Gus Scott 6-1 6-1.

Finally, the mixed doubles plate final, that included entries from all event first round losers, saw a really entertaining game in front of a capacity court 3 crowd (standing room only as the bench was full) conclude with Maggie Humphreys and Jes Conway coming back from a set down to win 2-6 7-6 11-9 in a marathon against Bill Porter and Mary Mann.

If you’re interested in playing tennis at the club please join online at www.lymingtontennis.co.uk