Fewer draws than usual as weather relaxes its stranglehold on Portsmouth Winter Tennis League

However, the extended break appears to have affected some players more than others.

In a normal week, around 50 per cent of the matches finish up with the rubbers shared 2-2, indicative of a close contest. This week just three matches out of 18 finished that way, the highlight being the midweek ladies masters contest between Lee and Wickham.

The scene was set in the opening round of rubbers, when both top pairs comfortably overcame the respective second pairs, each conceding just four games.

But that was just the appetiser. Rachel Hanney and Yvonne Richardson beat Wendy Hadfield and Alison Grant after a tense match tie break, giving Wickham a slender lead. In the meantime, Maggie Allan and Rhona Thurston came from 3-5 down to take the first set against Lee’s Susan Pearce and Deanna Tarrant 7-6.

They then contrived to lose the second set from 5-1 up, before losing the deciding match tie break, enabling Lee to claim the winning draw points by just two games.

The other two drawn matches were also in the midweek masters competition. Avenue’s men hosted Warsash 2nds, whose top pair, Syd Quinn and Jon Tims, won both their rubbers. But they dropped a set against Avenue’s second pair and that extra set was enough to give Avenue the points by 5 sets to 4, keeping their outside title hopes alive.

Swanmore visited Ryde Lawn in a top-quality contest in mixed masters Division 1, the experience of their two men, David Cartwright and Richard Hutchins, steering them home after the rubbers were shared.

The men’s Division 1 matches between Lee/ CourtX and Ventnor/ Avenue might not have finished with the rubbers shared, but they were certainly competitive.

The opening rubbers in the Lee match went to match tie breaks, with Lee edging them both. CourtX forced their way back into the reckoning when Alfie Reynolds and Ollie Neal took the 1s v 1s rubber in straight sets, but Connor Doyle and Josh Maitland wrapped up the final rubber, giving Lee a 3-1 win.

Avenue travelled to Ventnor, whose young team recorded a 4-0 victory which was much closer than the score might suggest.

The top two teams in men’s Division 3 both notched up comfortable 4-0 wins, Ryde at Southsea and Chichester at Avenue 3.

These results leave the way open for a shoot-out for the championship between the two teams in late February.

Chichester’s mixed 1 team were also in action, beating leaders Active Academy 4-0 to throw that division wide open. Fishbourne continued their storming season in mixed Division 4 with a resounding win over Alverstoke 2nds.

Two ladies matches survived, Avenue 3rds wrapping up warmly on a freezing Saturday to ease past Stubbington 4-0. Southsea beat Denmead by the same margin.

Chichester midweek ladies masters team continued the club’s good run when they beat CourtX 4-0, moving to the top of the division in doing so, while Rowlands Castle’s 4-0 win over Warsash took them to the top of Division 2.

Ryde Lawn 2nds produced their best form of the season, taking the opening set against Avenue 2. They also forced two championship tie breaks, but were unable to win either, allowing Avenue to return home with a 3-1 win.

Teams from Ryde Lawn played three mixed masters matches during the week, the 2nds beating Wellow in Division 1, while the 3rds played twice in Division 2, beating Warsash 2nds but losing to Warsash.

Ryde Mead were also in Division 2 action, losing at home to Fishbourne, whose men’s masters team completed a good week for the club with an impressive 3-1 against CourtX, Gerry Savage and Dick Nicholson setting up the victory with two rubber wins.