AGM – Thursday 23rd November 2023

The Club’s AGM is being held on Thursday 23rd November 2023 at the Sports Club at 7.30 pm.

Make you are there to contribute to the meeting and to the future of the club.  Have you got skills we could use as a committee member?  Would you offer to take just one job but not be on the committee? One or two of our members have decided to not to stand again after their many years service on the Committee.  Have you any ideas to change what we currently do as a club.

Hope to see you on Thursday.

Presentation night re-arranged for December 1st

The Presentation Night has been re-arranged for Friday the 1st December 2023 same venue same time. Judy Davis has today sent an all member e-mail out to notify members of that date.  The committee hopes that the date doesn’t inconvenience too many people but it is inevitable that some people may not be able to attend although it may some members may be able to make it where they couldn’t before.

2023 coaching sessions now finished

The coaching sessions at Ridgeway have now finished for this year and will not resume until early April 2024.  Details will appear on this site nearer the time.

The club hopes that all those who attended at the junior or adult sessions enjoyed the tennis and the chance to learn such a great game with our enthusiastic coach Alister aided and abetted by Julie. Hope to see you in 2024.

Weather strikes again – Presentation Night cancelled.

Tonight’s Annual Presentation Night has been cancelled due to state of the local roads and the prospect of more prolonged rain through the afternoon and evening.  A new date will be identified and members will be informed via e-mail, What’s App or text as well as through the website.

A number of matches during the season fell victim to the weather and resulted in the last league match being played on the 30th September.

Men’s team win Div 3 of the Late Summer League

The men’s Late Summer team ended the season in great fashion by beating Moorgate C at Ridgeway in wet conditions.

Going into the last two Saturdays the team needed one more win to clinch the title.  Last week saw a narrow home defeat on games to Bamford – by 27-34 games after rubbers and sets had been shared.

In Saturdays final matcb, at home v Moorgate C,  the scores again were very close with 2 rubbers each, five sets each and Ridgeway winning by 51-41 on games.

John Firth and Jamie Macefield had a three setter to start with and won that by 2 sets to 1 – 6-2, 4-6, 6-0,, Harvey Marsh and Matt Metcalfe also had e three setter against the second Moorgate couple but just lost  3- 6-4. 4-6.  John and Jamie then beat the second couple by 6-2, 6-2 whilst Harvey and Matt lost to the first by 4-6, 6-7.  Final match totals were Rubbers 2-2, Sets 5-5 and Games 51-41.

Thanks to everybody who has played. Everyone one has made a valuable contribution as we have won a number of matches on a countback of sets or games.

Brentwood concede to Ridgeway in Late Summer League

Out of the blue Brentwood,, standing third in Div 3 of the Late Summer Men’s League, conceded today’s match to Ridgeway as they couldn’t get a team.  This meant that the 2 points go to Ridgeway and all the sets and games are given to Ridgeway so the result is a 4-0 win on rubbers with 8-0 on sets and 48-0  on games.

This now means the Ridgeway team is top of Div 3 and Bamford are in second place. The teams meet at Ridgeway next Saturday.  A win would be a major step to winning the division.

Social tennis continues despite early darkness

Despite the nights drawing in and it being dark by 7-45 pm, the Tuesday and Thursday social sessions can continue under the floodlights.  It would be a shame not to take advantage of the great new set of LED lights which give a great even coverage across all three courts.  If the weather is fine come down and play.

Great Finals Day enjoyed by all

Wonderful Finals Day for the Club Tournaments.  One hundred years since the first Club Tournament in 1923.
Well done to everyone who played in the Tournament.    Congratulations to the winners and commiserations to the runners-up:
Men’s Singles – Steve Bramhall beat John Firth – 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
Women’s Singles – Lindy Payling beat Mel Wright 6-4, 6-0
Men’s Doubles- Alin Carnariu & Steve Bramhall beat Dave Bramhall and Mick Mason by 6-3, 4-6, 7-6
Women’s Doubles- Lucy Mitchell & Kim Robinson beat Sheila Goodwin and Lindy Payling by 7-6, 6-3
Mixed Doubles – Lindy Payling and Dave Bramhall beat Lucy Mitchell and Malcolm Harris by 6-2, 6-3
Thanks to Mel Wright for a valiant effort running the competition, to Mel and Wendy for the food, and Tim for cooking.
Four seasons of weather in one day and some great tennis.

Men’s team in another narrow win

The Late Summer team had another narrow victory on Saturday in 30 degree heat when the team beat Grove at Ridgeway by a 5-4 count back on sets after rubbers were shared at 2-2.  The real story here was that Jamie Macefield suffered an asthma attack midway through the second set of the first rubber.  Jamie and John Firth had had won the first set but lost the second by 6-4.  Jamie had to retire for the day so they had to conceded the third set of the first rubber and then the second rubber altogether meaning a 6-0, 6-0 win for the Grove second couple.  Meanwhile Rob Mitchell and Matt Metcalfe had won heir first rubber by 6-4, 6-2.  It needed Rob and Matt to win the match against the Grove first couple in two sets to guarantee a win and they duly did that by winning 6-3, 6-2.  This meant the final score was Rubbers 2-2, Sets 5-4 and Games 34-38.  Well done team again!

The good news was that Jamie got home ok and was feeling better after a sleep at home. The team has just three matches left so all to play for at the top of the table.

Men’s team beaten at Chesterfield

The men’s Late Summer League team lost its first match of the season in its away match at Chesterfield on Saturday.  The final score was a 3-1 win to the hosts but it was another tight match.

First couple John Firth and Jamie Macefield lost to the home team’s first couple by 6-7 in a tie break in the third set after the first two sets were shared at 2-6, 6-1.  Second couple Matt Metcalfe and Cliff Andrews also lost to the second pair in three sets – 7-6, 3-6, 1-6,   In the second round of matches John and Jamie beat the second couple by 7-5, 6-3 but Matt and Cliff lost 1-6, 1-6 to the first pair.

Final match score was Rubbers 1-3, Sets 4-6, Games 40-52