Quite busy with the Men’s Vets A team playing Winchester C and the Vets Men’s B at home to David Lloyd B on Wednesday. On Saturday the Apsley A team was at Winchester and Apsley B team was at Lee-on-the-Solent. Sunday the Boy’s 12s finished the season at home to David and the Boy’s 14 & Under was away to Winchester while at Portsmouth Tennis Centre the Orange team played a one day league event. Photo: the Champions Boy’s 14 & Under team this weekend.
Well it was a win on Saturday and Sunday for England – Rugby Union and Football teams so how did our teams manage this week?
To start with the Vets A-Team who played on Tuesday night: would this be yet another win against Winchester? Tim Cook & Jay Kim started off with a solid 6-2, 6-1 win while Pete Colling & Martyn Lucas won 6-0, 3-6, 10-4. In the return doubles Tim & Jay were in a determined mood and won 6-0, 6-0 but Pete & Martyn were determined to have their money’s worth losing in three sets 6-4, 1-6, 2-10. That is 4 league matches played and every one a win - but how long can it go on?
The Vets B team went to David Lloyd on Wednesday for a match that should reinforce their hold at the top of the league. They did that with some honour coming away 3-1 winners. No details available as yet so you will have to put with the overall score.
Saturday was a sunny but blustery day and a perfect day for the Apsley B Team to visit Lee-on-the-Solent. The match was unfortunately abandoned due to a medical emergency. At this stage there is no more news than that but I am sure that news will reach some of you through the club grapevine.
Meanwhile over in Winchester the sun was shining but it was windy and surfaces came into play in the Apsley A team as they met with the Winchester A team. James Blair & Liezl Edom lost 2-, 1-6 as Mats & Summer Colling took a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win. Magda Kornijczuk & John Vinnell won 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 but Anna & Tom Vinnell lost 1-6, 6-1, 1-6. So all square after the mixed doubles. Liezl & Anna lost 3-6, 1-6 but Summer & Magda won 6-1, 6-1 and Tom & John lost 0-6, 2-6 so it was all down to James & Mats – who lost 2-6, 6-3, 4-6! So close but a great match. Playing on astro turf was never Mats & James preferred surface!
Sunday morning at home was sunny and breezy as the Boy’s 12 & Under team greeted David Lloyd for the league decider. David Lloyd had a late player withdrawal so was 2 rubbers down before they started. Freddie Swan and Ben Hatfield won their doubles comfortably 6-4, 6-4 while Sam Ardley and Harry Garton played a visitor & Thornden stand-in (Jacob Allderidge) 6-4, 6-4 which was a purely social match! Sam won his singles in double quick time 6-3, 6-0 as Ben took a bit longer winning 6-2, 6-1. Freddie kept us all waiting losing his first set 2-6, fighting really hard to win the second set 7-5 and then holding his nerve to win the match tie-break 10-8! Super day, super result and great prospects for the future Boys teams with the three players topping the player statistic table – and I managed to go home with the leftovers of Sharon’s Wonderful Chocolate Cake!
Up the road the Boy’s 14 & Under team was having a tussle with Winchester. The usual suspects from Winchester meant our lads faced a big challenge. Leo Gamon had a really good win 6-0, 6-3 while James Overton was rather out-rated as he lost 6-2, 6-1. Raphael Mollison lost a close match 6-4, 6-3 against a much higher rated player but Kevin Winter balanced things up with a 2-6, 6-7, 10-7 win. Leo & James delivered a great 6-3, 2-6, 10-7 win but Rafa & Kevin lost 6-4, 7-6 to set up the shoot -out which we lost 7-10 but the result was a real tribute to our boys effort.
Finally our 9-year old Mixed team had a fun afternoon at Portsmouth in the Aegon competition. We somehow were drawn against Winchester, Portsmouth Tennis Academy, David Lloyd and Hampshire Club. Our boys performed much better but we were still beaten: best result was against Winchester with whom we drew. The players enjoyed their matches. Maybe County consider our kids to be in the same league as the ther top venues so I suppose we should feel flattered!
Next week: Vets A-Team away to Salisbury on Wednesday 15th. The Babolat Men’s A-Team is home to Southsea on Saturday as is the Babolat Ladies team. The Babolat Men’s Cees are away VA Southampton. Sunday morning at 09:00 the Girl’s 16 & Under are at home to Winchester: a win will mean they win the league. Following this the Men’s Elite National Team will entertain West Hampshire: come and support the girls and then our Elite Men. The Boy’s 16 & Under team is at Andover on Sunday as well.
And the final event: Yep the BBQ went OK. I stink of Asda Hamburgers but the kids went home satisfied. Had some of the local vocal talent along to help the proceedings and nobody misbehaved more than me so must be OK. A great home fixture that may be played away next year.
Title: I Get Around: 1964 – Beach Boys: for all our peripatetic teams! No, that is not a swear road: it means travels around a bit/lot like Sharon’s David and our league teams.