
The competitive season at RPLTC is now well underway with our first finals day of the year taking place on Sunday 2nd June.
The sun was out, the grass courts were in action, and our vets finalists were in excellent form, putting on a great show for everyone who came to watch.
The day started with first-time vet Simon Foster triumphing over Neil Bradshaw after some strong hitting and good net-play from both men, and squash-turned-tennis player Mars Hatari using her excellent slice skills to defeat Magda D’Ingeo. Even head coach Russell was marvelling at the vicious slice backhands on display!
After a short break, Simon Foster returned to the court for the doubles with partner Bill Austin, taking on first-time finalist John Rankin and partner Spencer Tavares. This match provided lots of entertainment with a fumbled catch from umpire Peter and phenomenal running and diving from Spencer and John, but the experience of Simon and Bill enabled them to seal the victory despite the valiant efforts from their opposition.
The ladies’ doubles was a three set thriller, with two established pairs battling it out in a see-saw match full of big hitting from the back of the court, dynamic volleying at the net and excellent teamwork from both sides. Kerry Johnson and Catherine Hartshorn clinched the victory over Lucy Hamilton and Susie Taylor to retain their title from last year.
The last match of the day was even more of a nail-biter, with Kerry and Susie returning to the court to do battle in the mixed, this time with their respective partners Bill Austin and Duncan Hamilton. The crowd were entertained throughout, with Bill and Kerry eventually taking the third set to emerge as champions.
A big thank you to everyone who helped to make the day a success: Francis and Emily on tea duty; Clive & Hywel running the bar; Ann, Roger, Peter, Graham and Hilary for umpiring; everyone who got roped in to help with the bbq; and retiring club captain Tim Austin.
The next finals day will be on Saturday 6th July, the long-range weather forecast looks good, and we look forward to welcoming finalists and supporters for another day of exciting tennis!
Results: Simon Foster bt Neil Bradshaw 6-4 6-0 Mars Hatari bt Magda D’Ingeo 6-2 6-2 Bill Austin & Simon Foster bt John Rankin & Spencer Tavares 6-1 6-4 Catherine Hartshorn & Kerry Johnson bt Lucy Hamilton & Susie Taylor 1-6 6-3 6-3 Bill Austin & Kerry Johnson bt Duncan Hamilton & Susie Taylor 6-7 7-6 6-1
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