Portsmouth & District Winter Tennis League: Return of mixed leagues marks another significant step after nationwide lockdown

The Portsmouth & District’s ‘restart’ Winter League – designed to bring grassroots tennis back, as and when Covid restrictions allow – gained further momentum when the mixed leagues got underway again.
Men's players from Lee and Canoe Lake, from left: Dan Eldridge, Tim Clark, Nathan Humphreys, Alfie Reynolds, Stu Gray, Oli Brind, Tom Chattell and Oli PerigoMen's players from Lee and Canoe Lake, from left: Dan Eldridge, Tim Clark, Nathan Humphreys, Alfie Reynolds, Stu Gray, Oli Brind, Tom Chattell and Oli Perigo
Men's players from Lee and Canoe Lake, from left: Dan Eldridge, Tim Clark, Nathan Humphreys, Alfie Reynolds, Stu Gray, Oli Brind, Tom Chattell and Oli Perigo

In normal circumstances, the mixed leagues are the most popular, if not always the most competitive.

The pandemic has prevented teams from the Isle of Wight entering and several other clubs have reduced their number of teams, but the opening weekend saw eight sides enjoy action in Mixed Division 2.

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Avenue 2nds romped to a 4-0 win at Southsea, Vicky White and Paul Whittingham making life for the scorers easy by winning both their rubbers 6-4 6-1.

Helen Watson and Ross McPherson almost matched that feat, their score being 6-3, 7-5 and then 6-4,7-5.

The match between Canoe Lake and Warsash 2nds saw the opening rubbers shared with Lake pair Wendy Evans and Ryan Anders seeing off Mandy Dixon and Malcolm Van Rooyen in straight sets.

But with Frair Burgess and Mike Harold edging past both the Lake pairings, Dixon and Van Rooyen won their second rubber to clinch a 3-1 victory for Warsash.

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Rowlands Castle and Alverstoke 2nds also shared the opening rubbers, with Alverstoke holding a three-game advantage.

Castle’s Lynne Foster and Paul Roux backed up their opening rubber win by beating the visitors’ top pair, Tony Irish and Elena Gander, 6-4, 7-5.

It looked like Alverstoke would claim a winning draw when Graham Figgins and Tara Creasey took the first set against John Marenghi and Lynda Pine, but the latter won the second set and then the match tie break to give them a 3-1 win.

The rubbers in the final mixed match were shared 2-2, Active Academy’s Rachel Head and Matt Grigg taking both of theirs in straight sets.

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Eva Lakey and Dom Iro lost both their rubbers, but took a set off both the Carlton Green pairs and that gave them the winning draw points 6-4 on sets.

The ladies league featured an intra-club match between Avenue’s top two teams. The 2nds produced some scares, winning the opening set in both rubbers before eventually losing on a match tie break prior to the rains arriving.

Lower down the leagues, there is never much to choose between Sarisbury Green and Stubbington and their latest match was no exception.

Salisbury’s Gwen Isaacs and Alison Timms needed two 7-6 sets to get the better of Sandra Turner and Suzanne Johnson while Stubbington’s top pair, Elaine Reed and Karen McCulloch, had a more comfortable straight sets win over Cheryl Goater and Mary Colquhoun.

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The Stubbington pairs were on top in both the reverse rubbers when rain stopped play and their side claimed victory.

All matches in Men’s Division 1 this season have been competitive, and Lee v Canoe Lake was no exception.

Lee took an early advantage when both their pairs won the opening rubbers, though Lake’s Alfie Reynolds and Stu Gray all but levelled things up, losing to Oli Brind and Tom Chattell only on a match tie break.

Tim Clark and Oli Perigo gave Lake hope by beating Brind and Chattell.

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Lee’s top pair, Dan Eldred and Nathan Humphreys, appeared to snuff out that faint chance by winning the first set of the final rubber 6-0, but Reynolds and Gray came storming back. They forced a tie break in the second set, before losing at the final hurdle and allowing Lee to claim a 3-1 success.

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