Storm Eunice can’t stop Portsmouth Tennis League matches from going ahead – round-up

And so, in probably the worst possible conditions for tennis, Lee’s mixed 2nds team set off for Alverstoke for a Portsmouth Winter League fixture, writes ALAN BEST.

They completed the first round of rubbers, following the usual patter of the respective top pairs beating the second pairs, before the winds stepped up a gear, forcing a halt to proceedings.

Lee pair Les Ainley and Saskia Benitez had won their rubber in straight sets, losing just five games, while Alverstoke’s Sue Western and Duncan Robinson also won in straight sets. But they lost eight games, leaving Lee to take the winning draw points on games countback.

In nearby Sarisbury Green, the ladies from the home team played through the start of the gales against Avenue 4ths. Once again, the opening round of rubbers was shared. Sarisbury took the 1’s v 1’s rubber, but Sheila Drummond and Sally Barwood won the second set and that was enough to secure them a winning draw after Mary Robinson and Heulwen Newman won the final rubber.

The hardiness award of the week goes to Rowlands Castle, who turned out both a men’s and a ladies team in the Sunday storms.

The ladies visited Denmead and claimed a comfortable 3-1 win, top pair Jane Mellor and Jane Noble proving to much too strong for both the home pairings.

The men hosted Warsash 4ths and your correspondent watched a few games in this match – from the shelter of a car! On a number of occasions well-hit shots from the baseline were caught by the wind and barely reached the service line at the other side of the court. The players took it all in their stride, Rowlands winning all four rubbers.

At least the courts at Rowlands Castle and Denmead are a few miles inland, unlike those at CourtX, where the home club’s 4ths hosted Southsea. Both clubs are used to seaside winds, but this was something else!

CourtX coped rather better than Southsea, winning both the opening rubbers in straight sets. An injury to one of the players meant the second round of rubbers could not be completed, leaving CourtX 4 as the winners.

Praise is due all round for every team that started at the weekend.

By Tuesday the conditions had improved dramatically and the ladies from both divisions of the midweek masters completed their fixtures.

Avenue managed another unbeaten season in Division 1 when they overcame nearest rivals Chichester for the loss of only 13 games.

The wind was still blowing quite strongly on the Isle of Wight as Ryde Lawn 1sts hosted CourtX, but the home team coped with the conditions better to record a 3-1 win. Christine Harrison and Kahren Barter scored a double, backed up by a match tie break win for Sue George and Emma Dyer.

Avenue 2nds visited Rowlands Castle with a chance of stealing the title from leaders Lee. A winning draw would be enough for them and the opening rubbers suggested they stood a good chance of achieving that, Sarah Long and Denise Simper in sparkling form to recover from 2-4 down to beat Jane Whitaker and Sue Palmer 6-4 6-2.

When both the first sets in the opening rubbers went to 5-5, it was anybody’s match. But the home team took them both by 7-5 and that was enough to break Avenue’s resistance, Jane Mellor and Debbie Tapley taking the crucial top rubber 7-5, 6-2 to clinch the match by 3-1.

Warsash brought the competition to a close when they ended a disappointing season for them with a 3-1 against Ryde Lawn 2nds, their first victory of the campaign.