Hamilton Tennis Club ladies beat leaders to reclaim top spot

The scoreline belies how tight the match was, with three sets being decided on tie-breaks which all went Hamilton’s way.

The pairings of Tracy White and Jessi Jackson, and Emily Harrison with Margaret Roskell each won three sets, while Penny Hallam and Margaret Heggs won one.

* The men’s second team ended Hinckley’s unbeaten start to the season, defeating them by five sets to four.

Doug Hacking and Steve Thompson, and Gio Chimento with Ciaran Boylan both won two sets, while Craig Tracy and Mark Ashman won a set which swung the match in Hamilton’s favour.

* The ladies’ third team of Carolyn Siddall and Jan Jackson, Lesley Greaves and Cindy Coulter, and Jude Plumb with Nicky Herbert won 7-2 against Desford Seconds.

Hamilton looked to be heading for a 9-0 win until Nicky sustained an injury in the second set and had to concede two sets.

* Hamilton’s men’s third team saw off Market Bosworth’s fourth team by six sets to three.

Simon Bligh and Barrie Farnsworth led the team with a maximum three sets, whole Selwyn Carter and Nathan Morgans won two, and Graham Hall with Graham Brown chipped in with one.

* A 6-3 defeat to David Lloyd’s second team left Hamilton’s ladies’ Seconds needing a good result in their next match to avoid relegation.

The pairs of Rosie Gildove and Polly Dolby, Margaret Shufflebotham with Jude Plumb, and Davin Hughes with Eileen Merrison each won a set.

* The men’s first team are finding the going equally tough.

Following a late withdrawal, the team of Andy Douglas and David Hamilton-Palmer, Joe Jackson and Mike Crane, and Andy Stevens with late substitute Ciaran Boylan lost 7-2 to Leicester Forest East Fourths.

Andy with David, and Joe with Mike won one set each.

* Hamilton’s men’s Aegon team of Mike Crane, Joe Jackson, Andy Stevens and Mark Ashman are also struggling and lost 4-2 to Victoria.

Mike and Joe both won their singles, and only lost their doubles on a tie-break.

* In the veterans’ leagues, Hamilton’s ladies’ fourth team of Nikki Newman and Jan Jackson, and Helen Preston with Suzan Galloway narrowly lost 5-3 to David Lloyd Thirds, with Nikki and Jan winning the three sets.

The men’s vets third team of Steve Plaistow and Patrick Whenham-Bossi, and Graham Brown with Joe Cunningham went down 6-2 to Houghton Seconds, with each pair winning a set.