An overcast and windy bank holiday did not deter a full and enthusiastic line-up for the prestigious May bank holiday doubles tournament. With the grass courts open, the day was well placed to be a warm up event for Wimbledon!
Full line-up:
Group 1
Lynn Oliver + Sam Oliver Cecily Matthews + John Krol Liz Ward + Ron de Jong Amy Tsao + Giles Corby Jenna Treat + Tarquin Strickland Rosemary Maxfield + Mark Bekiat
Group 2
Susanne Hallquist + Rob Haynes Linda Shaw + Ray Hart Rita Payne + Stephen Cole Jenny Parish + Giles Harris Sue Goodman + Russell Harding
Group 1 was a combat zone with several close matches taking place. Lynn + Sam won the group with 23 games and Amy + Giles battled through to take second place with 19 games.
Group 2 saw some equally gruelling matches, worthy of any Pro Tour event! Linda + Ray fought hard for their win against Sue + Russell in a match that could have gone either way. Susanne + Rob won the group with 19 games, while Jenny + Giles came a very close second with 17 games.
The semi-finals was an enticing line-up with Susanne + Rob taking on Amy + Giles, whilst Jenny + Giles faced reigning champs Lynn + Sam. Windy conditions meant that the semi-finalists had to bring their A-game if they were to be victorious. Susanne + Rob didn't get off to the best of starts with Rob dropping serve and Amy + Giles seemingly in cruise control mode. Finding themselves 3-1 down Susanne + Rob made a gritty comeback to 3-3. Amy was serving for the match and a taste of the final ensured a great service game to see Amy + Giles through to the final.
The second semi-final saw the reigning champs take on Jenny + Giles. A fantastic start from Jenny + Giles saw them take a 3-2 lead. It looked like the pressure may have finally got to Lynn + Sam, but their experience guided them to a 4-3 victory and a chance to defend their title.
A raucous crowd had gathered for the final and they were demanding a spectacle! Playing a full set, Amy + Giles got off to a flying start by taking an early 3-0 lead. Just as Amy + Giles were getting a sniff of the trophy, Lynn + Sam showed that they would be no push over. At 3-3 and a few drinks down, the crowd really stepped up a gear! There was some cheering, a lot of heckling and even a Mexican Wave. We had a final on our hands! Despite the early lead from Amy + Giles, Lynn + Sam showed their worth of previous experience and closed out the set 6-4 to take home the trophy.
It was a fantastic day, enjoyed by all who took part and congratulations go to the winners; Lynn + Sam.
A big thank you must got to Linda for providing lunch and to Janice for organising a great day's tennis.
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