A quiet week this with the Men’s over 45s were at home to Winchester, the Apsley A Team were at home to Totton & Eling on Saturday and the Men’s Bees team was away to Bassett B. Sunday the Boy’s 14 & Under team was at Swanmore. Photo: Men’s 45 A-Team Jay-less: he went straight home but it was portrait. So here are the Boy's 14 & Under at Swanmore!
Paul complained this week that I didn’t say much that was nice about him in the last News report. Well to be quite honest I have a long held principle to never say anything nice about tennis coaches during any month that does not have “R” in it. I can say nice things about them in January, February, March April but not in May June, July or August. The rest of the year I can say nice things if I feel there is any justification in identifying any particular trait, action, habit or other feature that can be mentioned or if there is a “Q” in the month.
To start we can transport ourselves to that beautiful May evening on Wednesday: who would think that we had been bombarded with hail the Friday before but there they were, Jay Kim, Tim Cook, Pete Colling and Matt Pitman out to continue where the Elite, Boy’s 12s and Men’s County left off last weekend. Pete & Tim stormed off to a 6-1, 6-3 win while Jay & Matt started well 6-3, went down 4-6 in the second and lost the match tie-break 7-10. Now I want you all to remember these numbers as it will be important later. After refreshments Pete & Tim had a stormer in the first set 6-2, lost their way 1-6 but then won the match tie break 10-7. Jay & Matt lost 4-6, 1-6 to level the rubber scores so that is where those numbers come in: if you add things up rubbers were 2-2, sets were 5-5 BUT games were 35-34 to THORNDEN – HOORAY!! Bring on your next contestants Winchester!
Saturday was thankfully not quite as hot as the previous two days but still quite hot for some. At home was the Apsley League Premier team entertaining Totton & Eling. It all started out quite well with Lydia Kelly & Mats Colling winning their rubber 6-2, 6-3, John Vinnell & Frankie Colling losing a tight one 5-7, 4-6, Harry Dunnett & Magda Kornijczuk winning a regulation 6-4, 6-4 and Tom Vinnell & Anne Cole coming through 7-5, 5-7, 6-4. So a 3-1 lead as the Ladies started their matches: Lydia & Anne started well 7-5 but then lost 1-6, 4-6. Frankie & Magda then lost 3-6, 6-2, 4-6 so it was up to the Men to turn things round. Mats and Harry delivered a 6-3, 6-1 win John & Tom doing a little better with a 6-2, 6-1 win to take the match 5-3: close, perhaps a bit too close for comfort. Pete Colling managed to avert his gaze from the proceedings by exercising his new Gas BBQ to provide sausages for all involved – delicious I am told.
Down the road at Bassett the team was given a warm welcome. This is one of our players least favourite clubs to play as their synthetic grass gives irregular bounces and is horrible to play on as you get a load of sand in your shoes. In addition there is a player who uses tactics that have driven even Kees to anger with a wide reputation for being lacking in the normally acceptable standards of behaviour (well that was not quite what I was told!). It was very satisfying that our #1 pair beat him 6-2, 6-3. So what happened: Matt Pitman & Alex Billingham had a comfortable win 6-4, 6-3 against their #3s while Roger Travers & Giacomo Chiarella lost 0-6, 1-6 and Stephen Thompson& Jon Francis lost 3-6, 2-6. Into the second round Matt & Alex won 6-2, 6-3, Roger & Giacomo lost 4-6, 4-6 and Stephen & Jon lost 1-6, 4-6. Yep, there is a pattern here! Last Round had Matt & Alex winning 6-4, 5-7, 1-0, Roger & Giacomo losing 1-6, 4-6 and Stephen & Jon losing 5-7, 5-7. So a 3-6 loss and to top it all, the tea wasn’t up to much either. We had to field some C team players who tried hard and had some close games, but weren't able to get any points on the board.
Sunday our Boy’s 14 & Under trekked to Swanmore for a delayed Aegon match. Freddie Swain lead with a 6-3, 7-5 win, James Overton lost 3-6, 6-2, 3-10, Raphael Mollison won6-3, 6-2 but Adil Chowdhury lost 1-6, 2-6 to tie everything up. Freddie & James lost their doubles 4-6, 3-6 but Raphael & Adil managed to win 6-1, 6-0 to set up the shoot-out and make Adil really smile! Freddie & Raphael then dominated the opposition to win the match 10-5 in the shoot-out to produce a really good win. No news on the tea but Swanmore is usually pretty good to the boys.
Next week: Saturday Men’s A-Team at Kingsgate, Men’s Cees at home to Glebian and Ladies As at home to Avenue. Sunday the Aegon Men’s Elite is away to Milton Keynes and the Boy’s 14s team is at home to David Lloyd while the Aegon County Men’s team is away to Steep.
Title: Laid Back: 1973 - Greg Allman one of the great Rock stars of that era who passed away yesterday.