Udal and Savage claim winning draw for defending champions Warsash against title rivals Havant – Portsmouth Tennis League round-up

But some teams were lucky enough to find some good weather in which to play, while others simply ignored the cold, wind and rain and played through it all.

As a result, 10 of the 25 matches scheduled have been played since the last report, and all teams involved deserve praise for turning out in the prevailing conditions!

And at least one of those matches is likely to prove critical in deciding the Men’s title – and with it the right to represent Portsmouth in the annual “Solent Cup” challenge against the Southampton League champions.

Avenue hosted reigning champions Warsash and mounted a serious challenge to their attempt to retain the silverware. Both the opening rubbers went to match tie breaks and, unusually, the respective second pairs won them, with just a single game separating the teams at this stage.

The 2s v 2s encounter saw Christophe Hardy and Stuart Scott, who had already beaten Warsash’s top pair Ian Udal and Matt Savage, win again, beating Martin Wilkinson and Matt Pond, but only after another match tie break.

That left Udal and Savage having to beat James Rosenthal and David Moakes in straight sets to level the match on rubbers and claim the winning draw points on sets. And win they did, but only after a first set tie break.

Other Men’s 1 challengers, Chichester and CourtX, met on the same day. Both teams were unbeaten and both could still mount a challenge to Warsash, but on a wet and windy day Chichester mastered the conditions better and were on their way to a 4-0 win when a hailstorm finally stopped play. Chichester still took the points, based on the results after the first two completed rubbers.

The only other Men’s match completed saw Alverstoke maintain their challenge in Division 4 with a 4-0 win over Warsash 4,

Two ladies’ matches were played the weekend before Christmas. Defying the wind and rain, Fishbourne hosted Stubbington and maintained their unbeaten record, recording their fifth successive win, taking all four rubbers in straight sets.

The match between Alverstoke and Avenue 4 was somewhat closer. The opening rubbers were shared, with Alverstoke holding a one set advantage at half-time when Jan Norman and Elaine Hannigan took a set off Linda Barber and Claire Bownass.

Nicky Heyworth and Sue Western consolidated that advantage with a straight sets win over Barber and Bownass. Although Zoe Larkin and Sheila Drummond took the last rubber for Avenue to level the rubbers at 2 -2, the extra set won by Alverstoke gave them the winning draw points.

Warsash’s mixed 2 team hosted Chichester in Division 2. The first round of rubbers was completed by playing through the drizzle, Warsash winning both. But by that stage the rain had become much heavier and with standing water on the court it was agreed to abandon, Warsash taking the points.

A rare sunny day on Monday saw Avenue and Chichester meet in a Ladies midweek masters contest. Always competitive, this match was no exception with Chichester’s first pair, Helen Nelson Smith and Fi Machell, winning both their rubbers.

Avenue responded by taking both rubbers against Gill Street and Marika Stafford, but in both rubbers the Chichester pair won a set, enabling their team to claim the winning draw points by 6 sets to 4.

Other midweek matches completed saw Wellow ladies score a creditable win against Ryde Lawn 1, while Avenue 2 ladies edged past Rowlands Castle 3-1 and Castle’s mixed team beat Southsea 4-0 before Christmas.

Southsea played again this week, in another match that was rained off after the opening rubbers, which were shared, Carlton Green taking the points by five games.