Match report Sunday 25th March 2023 from Will Knight

The top 2 teams in division 2B faced off for their final match of the 2022/23 Avon winter league. After 9 fixtures, Somer Valley Tennis were ahead of far rivals Thornbury by 6 points, 4 points required for promotion back to division 1.

On a rainy Sunday morning, under the roof of Dragonfly Leisure, Will Knight, Mandy Baldwin, Francesca Beg and Sam Perryman (order in the picture), represented SVT with the aim of getting back to division 1. 

Despite a slow start with many uncharacteristic errors, Sam and Will took the men’s doubles rubber in straight sets, clinching vital points. The formidable pair of Mandy and Ces too had a slow start, trailing 2-5 in the opening set. Once the gears started to click in, they took the next 5 games, winning the first set 7-5. This momentum carried on in the second, with the duo winning in straight sets. Knowing now we had secured our passage back to division 1,  we wanted to finish off the tie in style. 

The mixed pairing of Mandy and Will breezed past Thornbury’s second pair. Sam and Ces were taken to a third set championship tiebreak, however key gets from Sam and excellent winners from aces secured the victory.