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TENNIS

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

January 2006

News for week ending Sunday January 29

The E team at Boston Tennis Club was the only Winter League side playing on Sunday morning.

A week before the re-scheduled beginning of the Boston and District Winter League the team were catching up on one of their previously postponed matches.

Despite a sharp frost the night before, a late start enabled the match against Louth to be played. Louth are currently in fourth position in the League and the Boston E team are in second place. This had the potential for a tricky match for the current Winter League runners-up. The team of Peter Elphick, Geoff Droy, Mike Burnett and Matthew Dean were poised at 2-2 after the first round but salvaged three points when three sets were won by Boston in the second round. The final score of 2½-1½ consolidates the Boston E team’s standing near the top of the table.

On February 5 the Boston and District Winter League will officially restart. Boston E are away to Pilgrim Tennis Club and the remaining four Boston teams have inter-club fixtures. Boston C team is up against Boston B while Boston D will play Boston A. There are a number of the Lincolnshire Ladies Veterans League matches postponed for one reason or another from the first part of the season. The ladies veteran team has three re-scheduled matches to play.

The first of these was a home tie against North Scarle. Always strong opposition this occasion was to be no different and the team — Rachel Atkinson, Helen Cook, Hilary Calvert and Liz Hewitt managed to win only one set during the afternoon with a final result of 7-1. The remaining two matches are against Bourne first and second teams.

Another competition already drawing to a close is the Lincolnshire Mini-Tennis League. Mini-tennis offers a variety of chances to younger players to play tennis or to compete. Mini-tennis orange contests are played on a slightly smaller court than a full-sized one with balls that are quite soft but good for long rallies. The mini-tennis orange girls’ team completed their league matches last weekend and had a really successful season. The boys’ orange team has to wait until March for their final match.

This weekend it was the turn of the boys and girls green teams to finalise their matches. Green tennis is for children who are bigger and stronger and ready for a faster ball and a full size court.

The girls green team comprising Astrid Preston, Georgia Hyde, Gemma Pimlott and Jessica Frankish had a battle on their hands against Eastgate. Some close-fought matches were the order of the day but ultimately it was a win for Eastgate. The boys’ green team had their last match against St James. They had a good win without the loss of a rubber. The team comprised Jamie Adams, Kieran Evans, Oliver Harrod and Jason Wade.

News for week ending Sunday January 22

Juniors at Boston Tennis Club are looking forward to the first ever presentation of junior awards. Forceshift are the sponsors of a new awards scheme for junior members.

A presentation evening on February 11 will recognise the achievements of juniors at the club during 2005. Any player who has coaching at the club is eligible for an award. The coaches will be choosing players who are most improve, the most pleasurable person to coach and to players who put in the most effort out of coaching time whether it be by playing in the leagues, playing tournaments or by putting time in on court.

There will also be a coach’s special award that can be given for absolutely anything whether it is for attendance, achievements or helpfulness. All of these are for juniors who have made an impact during the year and although it can be it is not necessarily for success on court. Another two categories that this also applies to are the awards for team of the year and junior of the year.

In the Forceshift awards there are other categories relating to playing sessions, the summer and winter leagues, the club tournament, the county championships and the road to Wimbledon. Some of these will be more of an award for success on court and rewarding the individuals that have done well competitively. Recipients of these awards will learn what they have won on the evening of the Forceshift presentation. All juniors who have coaching will receive a certificate in the week leading up to the presentation outlining improvements that each player has made over the last year.

Laura White and Emma Tomlinson are two young players now out of the junior ranks but still keen to forge ahead in the sport. Emma, a student, is ranked 48 nationally and Laura who has chosen a career in tennis is ranked 67 nationally. Both play as many tournaments as possible in a bid to maintain and improve their rankings in order to gain entry in to more prestigious tournaments.

Both girls played recently in a British Tour event at Sheffield and unusually in the qualifying rounds had to play against each other. Emma won the match in there sets 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 putting Laura out of the tournament and then lost in the next round.

Laura trains twice weekly with a national squad based near London. Laura has two strings to her racket, so to speak, in that not only is she a player but also an official. She has the distinction of being the youngest person to line judge at Wimbledon and has gone on to develop her officiating skills and learned to umpire. In fact she will soon have the experience and qualifications to take to the chair at

Wimbledon.

News for week ending Sunday January 15

The Lincolnshire Mini-Tennis League is played indoors at Boston Tennis Club throughout the winter.

Teams of boys and girls at two different levels — orange and green — compete on a league basis. Teams from accredited mini-teams centres are eligible to enter teams in this competition.

Boston Tennis Club’s girls’ orange team played their closest match of the season on Sunday. The team has been successful in the Lincolnshire Mini-Tennis League over the winter but the match last weekend was a strong challenge. The girls dug deep and spectators were entertained as the result between Boston and Bourne/Deeping remained uncertain right up until the last rubber. The team of Megan Edmonds, Jessica Frankish, Hannah MacLeod and Pippa Wilson held the opposition to 4-4 after the singles had been played. The doubles, like the singles were close, and again the results were divided. At 5-5 the result went to Boston on a countback on sets. Rebecca Beardsley joined Jessica, Hannah and Pippa to play Grantham and the team had some close matches but tipped the scales to their advantage to win 8-2.

In the Boston Tennis Club Day League Jeremy George-Jones holds quite a clear lead over his nearest rivals. Jeremy has had an unbeaten record over the winter. He also has the opportunity to extend this lead during January as in his league he is scheduled to play his nearest opposition. In the premier league alongside Jeremy are Richard Tupper, Tim Moorhouse and John Fisher. Youngsters from all over Boston will have the opportunity to enjoy some indoor mini tennis activity on Sunday afternoon. Year 1 pupils from schools in the borough will be taking advantage of a free four-week group-coaching course held at Boston Tennis Club.

These five and six-year-olds have already enjoyed a taster session of mini-tennis red at school, and now the youngsters get the chance to practice the skills that they are learning. The scheme is run by Boston CTP, sponsored by Barclays Brokers Investment Services Ltd and with additional funding this year from Sport Relief.

News for week ending Sunday January 8

Phillida Dawson (10 points) remained in top spot in the Boston Tennis Club Winter Singles League as the New Year dawned. However, as the contests enter their fourth month of play, the gap at the head of affairs are narrowing. Ray Frankish is only one point behind the leader and there is a strong challenge from two young players — Callum Simmons and Will Mason, now both on eight.

In the Junior League Tom Phoenix retains his lead by two points from Thomas Emerson (10 and eight respectively). Following with the two leaders are a group including Lewis Fisher, Callum McCaig (both six points) and Ben Mills (five). The leading girl is Elizabeth Hall (four points).

The Lincolnshire Mini-Tennis Leagues resumed last weekend after the Christmas break and there was a good win for Boston. The mini-tennis orange girls’ tam played Tennis Buddies on Sunday. the team comprising Rebecca Beardsley, Jessica Frankish, Hannah MacLeod and Pippa Wilson was in good form after the Christmas break and won convincingly 9-1.