The weather was the winner on Saturday 22nd causing the postponement of the Ridgeway v Graves opener in the Late Summer men’s League. The match will be re-arranged.

Ridgeway A team beat the B team in the second clash of the teams in the Works League.  Having technically been the away team in he first match it was the A team that played host this time but the result was the same, namely a 4-0 win for the A team.

Rob Mitchell partnered Jamie Macefield and they first of all beat John Hallgarth and Lindy Payling by 9-2 whilst Mick Mason and Tim Robinson were beating Cliff Andrews and Mel Wright by by 9-3.  In the second matches Jamie and Rob beat Cliff and Mel by 9-4 whilst Mick and Tim beat John and Lindy by 9-1.  Final score was Rubbers 4-0 Games 36-10.

The teams celebrated/commiserated with an after match drink in the Queens Head. The teams play their final matches next week with the A team visiting league leaders Welbeck B whilst the B team host Stocksbridge A.

An Active Summer Camp is going to held on the Sports and Social Club grounds again as from Monday the 24th July until Friday 1st September.  This event, for children between and 5 and 14, has been held previously but, like most things, did not run during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.  As part of their activities they will have access to the tennis courts at times but this should not interfere with members.  The organisers are aware that members may come and go unscheduled during the day and are aware of the Ladies social session on Friday afternoons.  There will always be at least one member of staff on courts with the youngsters.

The camp will run from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m each weekday barring Bank Holiday Monday.  Last time they used the top court and sometimes the middle one but  they are not on the courts all the time.  This didn’t interfere with members and the Camp players will move off if required to ensure members can play.  The Active Summer camp is an OFSTED approved event and all staff have met all the relevant safeguarding standards and have had relevany DBS checks.

This Camp brings in substantial revenue for the Sports Club and we may attract new members as a result of it.   It also fits in with the main objective of the Sports and Social Club which is the provision and maintenance of recreational and educational activities for all sections of the community.  It also ensures the club’s facilities generally are used during the relatively quiet school holiday period.

On a blustery afternoon the Men’s team lost by 2-7 to Brentwood C at the Sheffield clubs courts at Nether Edge.  The rubbers scoreline perhaps flattered the home team because 5 of the 9 rubbers were decided on a tie-break after sets were shared at 1 set all and those went 3-2 in favour of the home side.   John Firth and Jamie Macefield had three such rubbers and beat the first couple on the tie break after sets of 7-6, 3-6. They lost to the seconds by on a breaker after sets of 4-6, 6-4 and against the thirds they again lost the breaker after sets of 6-2, 3-6.  Second pair Tim Robinson and Dave Bramhall lost to the second pair first of all on a tie-break after sets of 1-6, 6-3.  They then lost 0-6, 1-6 to the first couple before beating the thirds on a breaker after sets of 6-4, 4-6.  Matt Metcalfe partnered Steve Hill.  They lost 5-7, 4-6 to the thirds, and then by 1-6, 0-6 to the seconds and then to the firsts by 0-6, 1-6..

The final match score was Rubbers 2-7, Sets 5-13, Games 60-101.  John and Jamie’s games were 32-30 which shows how close all of their three rubbers were.

The Works League A team had a convincing win over Moorgate B in a re-arranged game at Ridgeway on the 12th July.  In a difficult wind blowing straight down the courts first couple John Firth and Rob Mitchell beat the first couple by 9-6 and then the seconds by 9-0.  Meanwhile Dave Bramhall and Mick Mason beat the second couple by 9-6 before beating the first by 9-7.  Final match score was Rubbers – 4-0, Games – 36-19.  Just two matches remain for the team, the first being against the B team on the 19th and then a match v Welbeck B which may well decide the title of Division 2.

The men’s team played host to top of the table Abbeydale B on the 8th July in a match which managed to survive the rain.   The rain was never really bad enough to force the players off.  In a long afternoon with play continuing until 6:45 pm it was the visitors who edged the match by taking two of the last three rubbers to claim a 5-4 win.

In the first round Ridgeway got two of the three rubbers. John Firth and Jamie Macefield beat the first Abbeydale pair on a tie -break, 11-9 after sets had been shared at 1-6, 6-4. Mick Mason and Matt Metcalfe beat the thirds by 6-2, 6-2 whilst Harvey marsh and Alin Carnariu lost to the second pair by 2-6, 2-6.  In the second round John and Jamie lost to the seconds by 4-6, 2-6, Harvey and Alin beat the thirds by 7-6, 6-4 and Mick and Matt lost to the firsts by 2-6, 3-6.  At 3-3 after two rounds there was all to play for.  John and Jamie beat the thirds by 6-1, 7-6 but Harvey and Alin lost to the firsts by 4-6, 1-6 and Mick and Matt lost to the seconds by 5-7, 1-6, leaving the final match score at: Rubbers 4-5, Sets  7-11 and Games 72, 92.

The Works League B team suffered a 0-4 defeat at top of the table Welbeck.  Ben Kay and Malcolm Harris partnered each other but lost their rubbers by 1-9 to the firsts and by 0-9 to the seconds in a tough night for them.  Second couple Sheila Goodwin and Lindy Payling fared better but were defeated by 2-9 to the seconds and by 5-9 to the first. This left the final match score at Rubbers 0-4, Games 8-36.

The Works League A team had a convincing win on the 26th by beating Moorgate B at the Rotherham club’s courts.  John Firth and tim Robison beat the first by 9-5 and the seconds by 9-4 whilst Alin Carnariu and Jarek Doroszko beat the the seconds by 9-1 and then beat the first by 9-5.  Final match score  Rubbers  4-0, games 36-15.

The men’s Saturday team carried on from its 8-1 at Barnsley last week with another convincing win, this time at home to Graves C.

In round one John Firth and Tim Robinson beat the visitors first pair by 6-3, 6-4 whilst Mick Mason and Matt Metcalfe beat the seconds by 6-0, 6-1 and Alin Carniriu and Steve Hill beat the thirds by 6-4, 6-4.  In the second round John and Tim beat the seconds by 6-1, 6-2 while Mick and Matt beat the thirds by 6-3, 6-2 but Steve and Alin lost to the firsts by 2-6, 4-6.  That left the match at 5-1 after two rounds so a victory was certain.  John and Tim beat the thirds by 6-2, 6-2 and Alin and Steve beat the seconds by 6-2, 6-2 but Mick and Matt lost to the firsts by 4-6, 2-6.

Final match score Rubbers – 7-2, Sets 14-4 Games 96-56.

The Men’s Late Summer League fixtures have now been released.    Fixtures appear on the Fixtures page and the matches start on Saturday 22nd July with a home fixture against Graves B.  The last match is on Saturday the 23rd September with a home match v Bamford.  Format is four players per team rather then the 6 man format in the current Div 6 fixtures.