Avenue move away from relegation zone in final Portsmouth Tennis League games before season is halted due to coronavirus crisis

Blissfully unaware of the forthcoming changes to the sporting world, the eight adults played an enjoyable - if slightly one-sided - match with Avenue, strolling to a 4-0 victory.

By the time the weekend fixtures had come around, league organisers had been forced to issue guidance to the effect that teams were no longer obliged to play their matches if they felt uncomfortable in doing so, with no penalties being applied for unplayed matches.

Understandably some teams declined to play, but a number of matches went ahead as planned.

Avenue’s weekend Men’s 2nds entertained Lee 3rds, winning all four rubbers to move them away from the Division 2 relegation zone.

In Division 5 Alverstoke’s father and son combination, Chris and Carl Titterington, recorded two rubber wins to set up the team’s 3-1 victory over JEM Tennis 3rds.

With most of the matches involving Isle of Wight-based teams being cancelled to avoid using public transport, there was at least one match played on the island - a mixed doubles contest between Ryde Mead and Ryde Lawn 2nds.

Mead, whose season has been badly disrupted by the weather, ran out comfortable 4-0 winners.

There was also action in Mixed 3, where promotion-challenging Carlton Green face leaders Rowlands Castle.

The 4-0 winning scoreline for Carlton suggests they had an easy time, but all the rubbers were closely contested and victory was anything but easy.

In the Ladies competition, Stubbington rounded off a stunning comeback from a 4-0 defeat against promotion rivals Rowlands Castle when they beat Lee 4ths 3-1.

In doing so, they overtook Castle by a solitary point to claim the second promotion place.

There was also one match in ladies 5, Avenue 4ths squeezing

past Southsea 2nds in very close match in which five of the eight normal length sets went to seven games before being decided.

Both Avenue pairs also won match tie breaks in the opening round of rubbers, and that was enough to give them a 3-1 rubbers victory.

By the time it came to play the midweek programme, the overall sporting picture had deteriorated further, with almost every sporting event in the world having been cancelled.

But Canoe Lake and Warsash played their Ladies masters match, Lake winning 4-0.

And finally, having been postponed originally by bad weather and then secondly because of the coronavirus scare, Fishbourne and Wellow finally locked swords in a winner takes all contest in mixed masters 2.

The two mixed rubbers were closely contested, with Wellow edging them both after tie break first sets.

Fishbourne gave themselves hope when their ladies beat Wellow decisively.

However, Weĺlow’s men crushed those hopes, taking the final rubber 6-1 6-2 to clinch the title.