Five-hour marathon in a record-breaking week – Portsmouth Summer Tennis League round-up

Firstly, a highest ever 28 matches were completed in the week. That means 226 players were needed to fulfil these fixtures and, while some people turned out twice, that is still a substantial number of playing opportunities.

The second and third records both involved the same match – a men’s Division 2 encounter between Avenue 2nds and Lee 2nds.

Little did the players think, when they strolled on court at 2pm, that they would still be fighting for a result five hours later. But they were!

It is believed to be the longest match ever played in the leagues, with dew beginning to appear on the grass courts by the time the last shot was played.

And even more remarkably, after five hours – and 12 sets – of tennis, the teams could not be separated at all - rubbers, sets and games all being exactly equal.

Points won and lost are not counted at this level, but there is little doubt that those would have come out level as well!

For the record, the players involved were Colin Airton, Martin Lawrenson, Andy Gilliatt and Phil Broad for Avenue and Jim Clark, Chris Mueller, Gary Lyndon and Chris Cunningham for Lee.

A record 116 games were played in total, with each team winning 58 of them.

While that match was going on, the two clubs’ 3rd men’s teams, playing at Lee, very nearly replicated the result. It was only prevented when George Bentley and Mark Boylett beat Lee’s Dave Walker and Alwyn Lewis in straight sets, with the other three rubbers having already gone to three sets.

That two-set win gave Avenue the winning draw points by 6 sets to 5.

The close theme continued through to the midweek men’s masters, Wellow and Warsash 1sts sharing their rubbers in another 11-set marathon. Wellow pair John Moret and Sheridan Easton saved this one from going the distance by beating David Marsh and Michael Isaacs in straight sets for a hard-fought bonus point.

The draws kept coming. Ryde Lawn men’s 2nds shared the rubbers and the sets with CourtX 2nds, claiming the bonus point by winning 42 games to CourtX’s 40.

Other matches decided on games countback were: Wickham mixed, by five games against Southsea mixed 1sts; Southsea mixed 2nds, by four games against Lee 2nds; Lee mixed 1sts, by nine games against Warsash 2nds; and, finally, Court X midweek masters ladies, by four games against Chichester 1sts.

Warsash’s mixed 1sts also shared the rubbers 4-4 with Ryde Lawn 1sts, but Martin Wilkinson and Laura Jones won a set in their losing rubber to Ryde’s top pair, giving their side the winning draw by 5 sets to 4.

Ryde Lawn’s mixed masters ladies 2nds also lost on sets countback, 5-4 to Rowlands Castle, but their ladies masters 1sts team took the bonus point off Lee 6-4 on sets.

With so many matches played, it is impossible to detail them all. But highlights included two impressive wins for Chichester’s newly-formed 3rds. Intended to be a development team for promising youngsters, it is currently working exactly as planned.

Another team of younger players, Active Academy’s mixed team, are carrying all before them, Warsash 2nds their latest victims. Active’s upcoming match with second-placed CourtX is eagerly awaited.

Another new team, Stubbington mixed, notched up a second win, this one against Avenue 5ths, and sit comfortably top of their division.

Having concentrated on the close matches, a mention also for the 4-0 winners: Chichester ladies

1sts (v CourtX), Ryde Mead ladies (v Warsash 3rds), Ventnor ladies (v CourtX 2nds) Avenue ladies 4ths (v Chichester 3rds) and Alverstoke ladies (v Denmead).