Avenue and Fishbourne set new record for games in Portsmouth & District Tennis League

Avenue and Fishbourne set a new record in the Portsmouth & District Tennis League beating the previous highest number of games played.
Sue Kitt, fourth from left, with players from Warsash. Picture: Chris MoorhouseSue Kitt, fourth from left, with players from Warsash. Picture: Chris Moorhouse
Sue Kitt, fourth from left, with players from Warsash. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

All four rubbers went to three sets, which is a rarity, writes Alan Best.

In total 123 games were played. 

Fishbourne won one more game overall than Avenue but still lost the match 3-1 on rubbers.

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With the sets and games dead level, 3-3 and 32-32 respectively, Avenue’s Jordon Goff and Jon Smith edged their team ahead with a 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 win over Chris Godsen and John Bone. 

Meanwhile, Fishbourne’s Tom Craddock and Lewis Minnet got the first set off Colin Airton and Neil Crawford 6-0 and the younger Fishbourne pair looked set for victory.

But Airton and Crawford were not done yet. They took the second set 6-3 and then the final set reached 5-5.

After more than four hours of play they held serve and crucially broke for 7-5 – a very hard-earned victory.

Avenue fours were also in action, in division four.

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But they had a much easier time of things, strolling past Canoe Lake fours 4-0.

Chichester’s mixed team, promoted to division two last summer, lost to an experienced Ryde Mead team.

First pair Ileana Melendez and Derek Kingaby took the first set of the day off Kirsty Roberts and Josh Pitak.

But that was their only success.

Rain reduced the ladies’ programme to just one match.

Rowlands Castle extended their lead at the top of division three with a 4-0 win over Avenue seconds.

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Castle’s experienced pair Jane Whitaker and Sue Palmer were backed up by Lane Mellor and Nicky Baker.

The bottom two teams in division one of the ladies’ midweek masters, Canoe Lake and Warsash, faced off with Lake claiming the winning draw points when Clare Keiditsch and Allison Ellison took a set off Helen Rawlinson and Sue Kitt in the final rubber.

Ryde Lawn’s second and third mixed masters teams were both in action, the seconds defeating Warsash 4-0 in the top division while in division two, the thirds beat Glethorn 3-1.

Glethorn’s ladies, Sam Hennessey and Sue Wells teamed up for their success.

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