Hamilton Tennis Club ladies ease relegation worries

The ladies’ third team of Lesley Greaves and Cindy Coulter, Jude Plumb and Nicky Herbert, and Jan Jackson with Pat Woolston earned a 6-3 win over Roundhill to alleviate their relegation worries.

Following an afternoon of rain when the match looked set to be postponed, an inspired decision by skipper Jan Jackson led to the match being played in near-perfect conditions.

The decision was rewarded when the pairings of Lesley and Cindy, and Jude and Nicky both scored maximum three-set hauls for victory.

* Hamilton’s ladies’ first team went to the top of the table with a 9-0 win over Roundhill Seconds.

The pairs of Emily Harrison and Margaret Roskell, Tracy White and Jessi Jackson, and Penny Hallam with Rosie Gildove all picked up three sets.

* But the other ladies’ teams narrowly lost, with the second team losing 5-4 to a strong Belvoir first team.

Eileen Merrison and Davina Hughes won two sets, while there was a set each for Rosie Gildove and Polly Dolby, and Sue Harrison with Margaret Shufflebotham.

The ladies’ fourth team of Maggie Saunders and Nikki Newman, Chris Stevens and Jo Draper-Moore, and Suzan Galloway with Helen Preston lost an even closer match against Medbourne Thirds.

Maggie and Nikki, and Chris and Jo both won two sets each, but Maggie and Nikki also lost a tie-break which would have won the match.

* In the men’s league, Hamilton’s second team are having the best results, with an 8-1 win against Gynsill Fourths.

There was a maximum three sets for Mark Ashman and Craig Tracey, and Gio Chimento and Graham Hall, while Edwin Shufflebotham and Fraser Rabbit-Dalby chipped in with two sets for a convincing win.

* The results for the other men’s teams have been disappointing.

Hamilton’s men’s first team, having lost their top two players, are struggling, and the team of Andy Douglas and Joe Jackson, Mike Crane and Andy Stevens, and Gio Chimento with Edwin Shufflebotham lost 7-2 to Market Bosworth Seconds.

Andy and Joe recorded the only wins.

The men’s fourth team of Patrick Whenham-Bossy and Steve Plaistow, Ian Scotland and Joe Cunningham, and Stuart Posnett with John Coleman lost 7-2 to Hinckley Fifths.

Patrick and Steve, and Ian and Joe each won a set.