Warsash’s Portsmouth Tennis League title hopes suffer a blow

Following the previous week’s victory over Lee, Warsash knew a 3-1 success would take them to the top of the table.

And with three of the same players on court, hopes were high - but not for long.

Ryde’s top pair Sarah Hill and Lynn Sandy crushed Warsash’s second pair for the loss of just one game.

That set the scene for a 4-0 whitewash.

A “double header” saw the two respective 2nd teams playing in Division 2 at the same time as the 1sts’ clash.

But this time it was Warsash who damaged Ryde’s title hopes, sharing the rubbers 2-2, the

sets 5-5 and winning by just three games.

Canoe Lake are now three points clear of Ryde at the top after a 4-0 win over Seacourt.

Ventnor couldn’t raise a full team for their trip to Lee 3rds, but they travelled with one pair to try to salvage a point to help their relegation fight.

But Maddie Clewett and Michelle Parker couldn’t match the consistency of the Lee pairs and returned home empty-handed.

JEM ladies kept up the pressure on Division 3 leaders Canoe Lake 2 with a 4-0 success against Fishbourne.

The status quo was maintained in Division 4 as the top three all won.

Avenue 3rds, Stubbington and Rowlands Castle triumphed against Alverstoke, Warsash 3rds and Lee 4ths respectively.

In the ladies leagues, Ryde Lawn 3rds played Chichester 2nds for the second time in two weeks.

In the first game, rubbers were shared 2-2 and sets 5-5, with Chichester winning by four games on countback.

This time the rubbers and sets were also shared 2-2/ 5-5, but Ryde won seven more games on countback.

Only three matches were played in the men’s divisions.

Fishbourne took all four rubbers against Lee 3rds in Division 2, while Seacourt produced a similar 4-0 win against Lee 4ths in Division 3.

Avenue 3rds scraped a 3-1 success in an 11-set thriller against Rowlands Castle, with Avenue’s David Spink and Neil Connah winning both their rubbers on match tie breaks.

With Avenue’s championship hopes dented by the previous week’s defeat to Ryde, Chichester consolidated their top spot in midweek ladies 1 after another 11-set thriller against Canoe Lake.

Dawn de Wilde and Amanda Freeman won both their rubbers for Lake, after match tie breaks, but Chichester won both rubbers against Lake’s second pair.

Sara Smyth and Rose Mary Knivett took the final one on a tie break, securing the winning draw points by six sets to five.

The battle for the midweek mixed 1 title continues.

David Lloyd played two matches in successive days in an attempt to catch up after weather delays, losing to Chichester 3-1 but defeating Warsash by the same margin.

Another team badly affected by weather, Wellow, completed two wins in successive weeks – without any rain interruptions – and they look set for promotion to the top tier.

Fishbourne defeated Canoe Lake to consolidate their position.

Fishbourne’s 2nd team romped to a 4-0 victory against Ryde Mead in Division 3 while Lee and Ryde Lawn 3rds both claimed winning draws after sharing the rubbers with Southsea and Canoe Lake 3rds respectively.

Ryde Mead and Southsea also played two matches in succession to catch up.

Ryde’s efforts were rewarded with a first win of the season, by just two games in a close encounter.

The midweek men’s teams were also in action this week, Canoe Lake easing past Glethorn 4-0, 0 and Lee claiming a fifth straight win with a winning draw against Fishbourne.

Warsash also claimed a winning draw against Chichester.