Portsmouth tennis players swap Spanish heat for return to Winter League action

Having won the over 50s men’s double title with his partner Charles Durham, he partnered his wife, P.G, to finish runners up in the over 50s mixed doubles.

But last Sunday he was back on club league duty, this time partnering Matt Savage to score a double to help Warsash overcome a strong challenge from CourtX 3-1 in Men’s Division 1.

Alverstoke were unable to call on the services of their top player, Ed Percival, who also competed in Spain but suffered a serious injury during the over-35s singles final.

In Percival’s absence, Warsash 2nds edged past Alverstoke thanks to a match tie break win for Mike Challis and Miles Quinn in the 1s v 1s rubber.

Encounters between two teams from the same club often produce surprise results, but not when Lee men’s 2nds and 3rds met.

The seconds won comfortably and can rest assured that their places will not be under immediate threat.

In Division 3 Ryde Lawn veterans Richard Hutchins and David Cartwright won both their rubbers against CourtX 3 to carry the 2nds to a winning draw.

Southsea won two match tie breaks in the opening round of rubbers to set up their 4-0 over Avenue 3rds.

Chichester 3rds rounded off the men’s matches with a similar 4-0 win over Abshot.

Ryde Lawn ladies 2nds and CourtX 2nds continued their battle at the top of Division 2. Lawn had to win match tie breaks in both their reverse rubbers to overcome Warsash 2nds, while CourtX lost their final rubber tie break to Avenue. But the set won in that rubber enabled them to secure the winning draw points to remain in touch with the leaders.

One division down, Fishbourne extended their winning sequence to four matches with a 4-0 win over Stubbington, while nearest rivals Rowlands Castle were another team to notch up a 4-0 win, this one against Warsash 3rds.

A full programme of midweek masters matches saw the various championship races begin to take shape, though not necessarily so in Ladies 1!

Ryde Lawn played two matches in a week to make up for previous postponements, securing a winning draw against Swanmore but going down 3-1 to Avenue. With Chichester beating Denmead, just two points now separate the top five teams.

In Ladies 2, wins for Wickham, Lee and Rowlands Castle, against Warsash, Warsash 2nds and Ryde Lawn 2nds respectively, leave those three teams as clear championship challengers.

Mixed 1 saw Chichester post a comfortable 3-1 win over a Lee team that has yet to win a point this season, while in Mixed 2 Warsash shared rubbers and sets with Carlton Green. Warsash secured the winning draw points on games countback, despite losing the final set of the final rubber 0-6!

The closest match of the week was the Men’s midweek masters contest between CourtX and Avenue. Martin Jewell and Roger Newman won both their rubbers for CourtX, but Avenue took the other two, with all the rubber wins being in straight sets. Avenue claimed the winning draw points by just a solitary point on games countback.

Warsash fought out a long and competitive match against Fishbourne before securing a 3-1 win, while Chichester matched that scoreline when overcoming Wellow.

Lee remain unbeaten after another comfortable win, over Swanmore, and the New Year clash with Chichester already looks like it might be decisive in deciding the fate of the championship.