Tennis Club Champs – Round-Up
12th August 2023 was club finals day at Redland Green Club. With 3 ½ months of preliminary competition and over 130 matches played, it was down to the big day!
The day started off in glorious sunshine for the junior finals. The level of tennis was excellent, and all participants involved were very enthusiastic, matches were played in a competitive manner, with great sportsmanship. We have some very exciting juniors coming up through the ranks of the junior programme!
Next on the order of play was the Mens and Ladies doubles finals. Warm-ups were completed; the coin toss was decided; it was time to play. Then the rain came……
We have hardy players here at the club, but even they succumbed to the torrential downpours. As soon as the rain eased off the players were straight back on to court, and the doubles finals were off and running. Alex Matthews and Chris Barton played some scintillating tennis against Finn Hooker and Louis Kirkup, and proved to be too strong in the end. Anna Rolfe and Bella Brown were going head-to-head against Annie Marshall and Emily Morey in the ladies doubles. Both teams were unbeaten in the group stages, but it was Anna and Bella who were victorious after a hard-fought match.
Mens and Ladies singles were up next. The mens doubles champions , Alex and Chris, were now in a fight for the singles title against each other. Emily and Bella were about to compete in a rematch of last year’s final. Would Alex and Chris remain friends at the end…? and would Emily get revenge on Bella (last year’s champion)….?
Both matches were played in the most sportsmanlike manner, with little jokes passed between the players! The standard of tennis was extremely high, and spectacular in parts.
Chris won the mens singles (Alex and Chris are still talking to each other!), and Emily exacted her revenge on Bella (they too are still talking!) and won the ladies singles. Live updates were provided by Brecon and Harry on the social tennis what’s app group!!
While these matches were being played, David Duffett was fighting it out with Ryan Meadows in the mens consolation final. These two DID NOT stop through the rain, they just carried on through in a nail-biting encounter. David came through as champion in an excellent match.
The final match of the day was the mixed doubles. Would Mike East and Bella Brown be crowned champions, or would the experienced partnership of Denes Timar and Viv Wilson show their prowess on the doubles court? This was another highly entertaining and competitive match, with both pairs showing excellent doubles skills and court craft. Ultimately, it was Mike and Bella who won.
Many thanks to everyone who made this years finals day such a great event. With over 100 spectators, you all made it the success it was.
