Another rare result for Warsash’s Martin Wilkinson – Portsmouth Summer Tennis League round-up

But not so. Teaming up with Georgie Bartholomew to play against Lee on one of the hottest days of the summer, the pair finished up playing no fewer than 68 games - just 10 fewer than the maximum possible in a three-set match!

They did win both rubbers, however, and with Warsash’s other pair, Matt Pond and Lauren Richards, also being required to play 43 games to win their two rubbers a total of 111 games were played. Not a league record, but very nearly.

Ventnor had a rather easier afternoon against JEM Tennis, conceding just six games in their Division 2 match. In division 4, Southsea’s one-game victory over Avenue 4ths was enough for them to see off a late challenge from Rowlands Castle, who drubbed Fishbourne 4-0.

CourtX 3 visited Lee 3rds in men’s Division 3 knowing that a three-point win would almost certainly secure them the title. But Lee were not going to let them have an easy ride, Dave Walker and Alwyn Lewis beating CourtX’s Robin Ellison and Simon Troke in the first round of rubbers.

Ellison and Troke then played out a long three-setter in the reverse rubber, winning the first set but losing the next two to ensure they could not win all three points – and hence would leave the title race open.

In fact, the countback gave the winning draw points to Lee, by just a single game, leaving the door wide open for Chichester to snatch the title from their grasp.

But Chichester knew they would have no easy task taking on Avenue on the Havant club’s grass courts. Two convincing rubber wins for Siva Pillai and Andrew Newton set the Sussex outfit on their way, but Avenue won both rubbers against Chichester’s second pair.

The games countback came out in Avenue’s favour by just a single game, enough to kill off Chichester’s title hopes and rescue CourtX’s.

Stubbington ladies set up a grandstand finish to Division 3 after a comfortable 3-1 victory over Southsea, Sandra Turner and Jean Carty winning both their rubbers.

The result leaves Stubbington level with Rowlands Castle on points, two and a half points ahead of Fishbourne who have to play both of these teams to round up the season.

In Ladies 4, Abshott took on Lee 3rds knowing they required a three-point win to overhaul Alverstoke for the title.

Two match tie break wins in the opening round of rubbers set them on their way, but Deana Tarrant and Steph Evans fought back for Lee, beating Steph Martin and Ros Kamaryc.

So when Sarah Pearse and Jen Lake shared the first two sets with Gwen Isaacs and Cheryl Goater, the title was truly on the line.

A tie break win for the former pair would restrict Abshott to a maximum of two points, and would hand the title to Alverstoke.

But Isaacs and Goater have played in many such tight situations and their experience prevailed, giving them the tie break, the three points for the match win and the title.

In the midweek ladies masters league, a late run of three 4-0 wins in successive weeks, the last one of these against Chichester – the long-time table-toppers - enabled Avenue to clinch the title.

The final match in that division saw Ryde Lawn finish off their season by claiming a winning draw against CourtX by a margin of 39 games to 31.

Ladies 2 also concluded with wins for Warsash, 4-0 against Ryde Lawn 2nds, and Avenue, 3-1 against Rowlands Castle.

Avenue’s midweek men’s masters travelled to Lee knowing they needed all three points to overhaul Chichester for the title.

Lee gave them a mighty scare before they secured the win.

Lee’s Jim Clarke and Martin Doyle took the first set off Adrian Drummond and Maurice Young 6-1, but the latter paier fought back to win the rubber on a match tie break.

Clarke and Doyle then took Avenue’s top pair, Rob Mort and Paul Whittenham, to a tie break in the first set before losing 6-7 4-6.

Paul Woodley and Ian Wilkie only went down narrowly to Drummond and Young, but Avenue emerged with a 4-0 win and the title.