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TENNIS

All the up-to-date news from Boston Tennis Club

April 2006

News for week ending Sunday April 23

There were mixed fortunes for Boston Tennis Club’s men’s teams over the weekend.

In the KIA NCL the team were away to David Lloyd Derby. After this the third match of the season, the men are still in search of a win. The team of Sam Kemp, Andrew Cook, Mike Burnett and Chris Herbert lost out 6-0 to strong opposition. Both men and ladies are away to Lady Bay and Radlett respectively in the next fixture on May 4.

The good news for the men was a 5-4 win in the Lincolnshire League against Grimsby Tennis Centre. The second win of the season and valuable because it was a close match for Andrew Cook, Richard Cook, James Geelhoed, Sam Kemp, Chris Herbert and Matthew Deane.

The men’s fifth team lost out to Pilgrim Tennis Club by a score of 7-2. The team on the day was Peter Elphick, Tony Beswick, Sushil Kumar, Phil Cosgriff, Charles Cottrell and Nathan Cook. For Charles it was only his second Lincolnshire League match whereas it was the first appearance for Nathan and for Tony his return after a substantial lay-off. During the afternoon there were five third set championship tie-breaks and only one of these was won by the fifth team.

In the club singles league Callum Simmons is currently clear at the top of the leader board. Will Mason and Ray Frankish are in second and third place with Phil Cosgriff in fourth position.

In the junior league Ben Mills is narrowly ahead of a group of seven players with only four points separating the top player in the group and the bottom player.

The ladies at Boston Tennis Club gained the upper hand against a side from Cambridge in the KIA National League. A welcome win for the team was achieved on Sunday in their second match in Division Two.

The first match of the season was a 4-2 loss for the girls against Ashby Castle. However, the result here was 4-2 to Boston in the fixture with Cambridge. The team of Emma Tomlinson, Helen Povah, Kelly Thomson and Sam Green had an even round of singles with the score standing at 2-2. Although the first doubles court was won by Boston there were some tense moments when, having won the first set, the remaining doubles pair faltered during the second set. This was, however, a temporary setback and Boston Ladies won the final rubber.

News for week ending Sunday April 16

All bar one of the Boston Tennis Club teams playing in the Lincolnshire League have now embarked on their various league campaigns. On Saturday it was the turn of the ladies first team to begin defending the title they won last year. Also in action were the men’s third, fourth, fifth and sixth teams. The only team yet to take to the courts is the ladies fifth team.

As is customary at the beginning of the season, the ladies played the Boston Tennis Club second team also in the First Division. The first team of Samantha Green, Kelly Thomson, Emma Tomlinson, Sue Beesley, Helen Povah and Helen Cook began the season in fine style, registering a 9-0 win over the second team. Playing for the seconds were Catherine Ellis, Danielle Frankish, Jenny McGarel, Lucy Fowler, Ashleigh Frankish and Mary Smura.

The fixture in Division Two of the Lincolnshire League between Boston Tennis Club’s third and fourth men’s teams was a tightly contested match. The third team comprised John Gibson, Ray Frankish, Tom Brooks, Matthew Gibson, Callum Simmons and Clive Green. Geoff Short, the fourth team captain led his team on the day, the other players being Kevin Hawkesworth, Richard Tupper, James Gregory, John Fisher and James Shacklock. They recorded a 5-4 win over the third team.

It was a similar reversal of fortune for the fifth team in their match against the sixth team also played this weekend. The fifth team of Peter Elphick, Chris Cook, Michael Audus, Chris Mepham, Jonathan Cheer and Charles Cottrell had a near miss. The sixth team of Mike Sweeney, James Sweeney, Sam Kemp, Sev Smura, George Read and Sam Cooper were 2-1 up after the first round. A good performance came from Charles Cottrell, playing in his first Lincolnshire League match alongside Jonathan Cheer gave the fifth team the rubber in this round. At 3-3 after the second round, the match again drew level at 4-4 during the final round. George Read and Sam Cooper, playing in their first Lincolnshire League match, added the final rubber for the sixth team to give them a 5-4 win.

The men lost out 6-0 to a strong team from Lancashire. Up against Holcombe Brook in the Kia National Club League, the team of Sam Kemp, James Wrisdale, Andrew Cook and Mike Burnett found it difficult to make an impact on the opposition. The next match will be an away fixture against David Lloyd Derby on Sunday April 23.

News for week ending Sunday April 9

There was a bad start for the men’s second team at Boston Tennis Club in the National Club League on Saturday. In awful conditions at Grimsby Tennis Centre, the opposition was not the only obstacle to be overcome when the players found themselves battling against a gale, hail and heavy rain. The team of Simon Bush, James Thompson, Richard Cook and Mickey Audus lost out in all four singles. James Thompson was the only one to win a set but missed out in the third set. The doubles results also went to Grimsby leaving the team with a 6-0 loss.

There was a better beginning for the Boston Men’s NCL third team on Sunday against Ruston Marconi’s second team. Boston won 6-0 with the team of James Thompson, Michael Emery, Michael Audus and Matthew Gibson all winning the singles rubbers and then adding the two doubles.

In the Lincolnshire Doubles League, the First Division fixture between Boston men first and second teams has been played. Playing for the first team were Andrew Cook, Simon Bush, Mike Burnett, Sam Kemp, James Geelhoed and John Gibson. Out for the second team were Chris Herbert, James Povah, Matthew Deane, Steven Green, Callum Simmons and Matthew Gibson. The result was a 7-2 to the first team.

Also in the Lincolnshire Doubles League, Boston Ladies third team (winners of Division Two last season) were playing against newly promoted Boston Ladies fourth team. Boston Ladies fourth won Division Three last summer and have gone up in to the Second Division to join the thirds. It was a 6-3 result for Boston ladies third team of Rachel Atkinson and Andrew Jackson, Helen cook and Hilary Calvert, Sandra White and Rachel Brook. The fourth team of Lyn Capes and Victoria Posey, Annette Jakeman and Liz Hewitt and Denise Priestley and Ailsa Linnell took an early lead of 2-1 after the first round. All three rubbers went to the third team in the second round and the final score was 6-3 to the thirds with every pair winning two rubbers.

The girls under-12s A team played their second match in the KIA Junior NCL League when travelling to Tennis Buddies. It was the second win of the season for Kathie Dawson, Elizabeth Hall and Sophie Hawkesworth. The girls had the match sewn up after the singles round. It was an exciting match for Sophie who recovered after losing the first set to win the second and win a third set tie-break 10-2. The doubles was the icing on the cake when Kathie and Sophie paired up to win 7-5, 6-1.

The Boston girls’under-12 B team won their match against Grantham without the loss of a rubber. The team of Emily Hawkesworth, Madeline Verdegaal and Charlotte Harness-Knowles won all three singles rubbers and then Emily and Charlotte joined forces to add the doubles rubber.

A mini-tennis red tournament between Boston, Deeping/Bourne and Spalding held at Deeping leisure Centre was a success for the team from Boston who came away with gold medals. Victoria Needham, Lewis Wyatt, Samuel Felipe, William Holmes and Luke Cocks finished in first place.

A free adult beginner session is to be held on Thursday April 13 from 7pm to 8.30pm at Boston Tennis Club. For anyone enjoying this session, a five-week course will follow from Thursday April 27 at a cost of £20. Free supervised junior tennis and coaching is also available at the club on April 13 from 11am until 1pm.

News for week ending Sunday April 2

It was a busy weekend for Boston men as on April 2 it was the first match in the Lincolnshire Doubles League. With two club teams in Division One, the teams always play each other at the beginning of the season. Playing for the first team were Andrew Cook, Simon Bush, Mike Burnett, Sam Kemp, James Geelhoed and John Bison. Out for the second team were Chris Herbert, James Povah, Matthew Deane, Steven Green, Callum Simmons and Matthew Gibson. The result was a win for the first team.

On the junior scene, the girls under-12s A team played their second match in the KIA Junior NCL travelling to Tennis Buddies. It was the second win of the season for Kathie Dawson, Elizabeth Hall and Sophie Hawkesworth. The girls had the match sewn up after the singles round. Sophie recovered after losing the first set to win the second and win a third set tie-break 10-2. The double success was the icing on the cake when Kathie and Sophie paired up to win 7-5, 6-1.

Youngsters from the club took part in a mini-tennis orange tournament organised by Lincolnshire LTA and held in the indoor centre at Boston. Players from Boston who took part were Rebecca Beardsley, David Cheer, Jessica Frankish, Jack Lawrence, Katie McDonnell-Woods, Zach McDonnell-Woods, Oliver Street, Alice Tetther and Pippa Wilson.

The Boston ladies’ veteran team was eliminated from the national knockout competition at the weekend. A strong team from the Hallamshire Club in Sheffield put an end to Boston ladies’ aspirations in this competition. The team was Hilary Calvert, Helen Cook, Jenny McGarel and Mary Smura and the result was 4-0 to the Hallamshire ladies.

The previous day, the first fixture of the season for Boston Tennis Club in the KIA National Club League took place on Saturday. It was a home tie for Boston men against David Lloyd, West Bridgford in the National Division One. On the day, weather conditions proved awkward for all players with blustery winds and play was severely disrupted at one stage by a heavy shower. The team for Boston was Sam Kemp, James Wrisdale, Mike Burnett and Andrew Cook. Sam Kemp won his singles rubber and therefore the match was kept alive as the doubles was approached. Although Boston stood 1-3 down, the singles had been close and James Wrisdale had lost his game in three sets. The Nottingham team won both of the doubles rubbers giving the team a 5-1 win. The next match for the men is on Sunday April 9 at home against Holcombe Brook.

The date is getting closer for would-be tennis players to seek out their rackets and give it a go. A free adult beginners session is to be held on Thursday April 13 from 7pm to 8.30pm. Then a five-week course will follow from Thursday April 27 at a cost of £20. Free supervised junior tennis and coaching is also on Thursday April 13, 11am until 1pm. If finding the racket proves difficult, there are loan rackets available.