Reigning champions Lee make winning start in Portsmouth Winter Tennis League

The first round of rubbers in the match against Avenue were shared, both going to match tie breaks, but Lee’s top pair of Chloe Efford and Niamn Cronin just edged a tight match with Natalie Denby and Emma Boucher.

Kate Russell and Bridget Watson backed them up by taking the final rubber after another match tie break.

Lee also defeated their club’s second team in a league game.

Ryde Lawn 2 continued their good start in ladies division 2 with a 4-0 win over Ventnor, while Warsash 2 and Seacourt fought out a match in which every rubber went to a match tie break.

The decisive result came when Warsash’s Karen Downie and Jacky Gregory fought back from a set down to take the tie break against Bev Dodgson and Sue Edwards to secure a 3-1 win.

Canoe Lake 2 started their winter season in ladies 3 with a bang, whitewashing previously unbeaten Fishbourne 4-0 – and allowing them just 16 games in the process.

In ladies 4, Rowlands Castle caned Warsash 3 4-0, and Avenue 3 defeated Lee 4 3-1.

For the second match in succession, Stubbington shared the rubbers 2-2. But having won the extra winning draw point by just three games the previous week, they lost it to Alverstoke by eight games this time.

In division 5, Chichester 2 recorded their second win in a row - 4-0 against Canoe Lake 3.

Only one men’s match was completed, Chichester 1 coasting home against Lee 4

with top pair Matt Worden and Maxwell Gunning conceding just a single game in four sets.

The ever competitive mixed division 1 kicked off Ryde’s 3-1 win against Avenue in a cracking match.

Ryde’s Matt Knights and Lynn Sandy won both their rubbers in straight sets.

They were backed up by David Fothergill and Sarah Hill who won the 1s v 1s rubber against David Mokes and Jenny Smith after a match tie break.

The division 2 match between Fishbourne and Ventnor 2 saw the latter’s teenagers, Mia Gerty and Elliott Jones, winning both their rubbers in straight sets - dropping just four games overall.

Fishbourne won both rubbers against Ventnor’s second pair, but they conceded a set in doing so - handing Ventnor the extra winning draw point.

Another teenager, Grace Saunders, teamed up with father John to steer Canoe Lake to a winning draw against Avenue 2.

The pair won both their rubbers without conceding a set to secure the winning draw points.

Rico and Daisy Harris made an impressive start to their P & D League careers with two rubber victories against Wickham, guiding Active Academy to a 3-1 win in mixed 4.

Midweek action in ladies 1 saw Fishbourne 1 beat Warsash 4-0 and Chichester and Canoe Lake draw 2-2, with the former taking to extra point 5-4 on sets.

In division 2, Avenue 2 beat Ryde Lawn 2 3-1.

In division 2, Lee beat Fishbourne 2 3-1 and in the men’s masters Canoe Lake and Chichester’s close encounter included three match tie breaks.

Canoe Lake claimed the decisive one for a 3-1 victory.