Honours even for Melton Mowbray in local men's veterans tennis match

The honours were even when Melton Mowbray Tennis Clubs Men’s Over Forty Vets team entertained local rivals Hamilton Tennis Club in a recent 2A fixture.

First couple of skipper Mark Ashman and Craig Tracey collected three sets and the visitors seemed to be well placed to steal the points with Stuart Bartram and Tim Smith snatching a set from the Melton pair.

Then Hamilton’s second pair of Graham Brown took the first set off Melton’s second pairing of Rob Grant and Wayne Mogg and sailing into a final set four nil lead looked totally in command until the home pair produced an absolutely spectacular recovery taking the final set and guaranteeing the home side a share of the points and leaving the visitors in shock.

M.ASHMAN & C.TRACEY Won 6.26.2 Drew 6.21.6; R.GRANT & W.MOGG Drew 3.6 6.1 Lost1.6 0.6.

The team rounded off their season with a 6.2 away win at Ashby Castle with Craig Tracey and Steve Thompson and Mark Ashman and Giles Constant notching the points but painfully falling one point short of safety so will be looking forward to 2026 in a division lower.

The Mixed first team travelled to Charnwood Tennis Club for their Division 1A fixture and returned with the points after a close 5-4 win.

Ryan Parmar and Ellie Sorsky proved the cornerstone of this win by collecting three wins which included a close tie break win with second pairing of Tom Rowe and Jess Rowe and third pairing of Ben Simpkin and Maia Dunn collecting a single win each.

R.PARMAR & ELLIE SORSKY Won 8.7Won 8.4 Won 8.2; T.ROWE & J.ROWE Won 8.2Lost 2.8 Lost7.8; B.SIMPKIN & M.DUNN Won 8.4 Lost4.8 Lost 1.8

The mixed third team travelled to Gynsill 3 for their Division 5A fixture and kept up their promotion drive by notching a 6.3 win.

Liam Morrison and partner Danielle Wells were in cracking form and notched a deserved three wins with second pairing of Mark Ashman and Sarah Medcalf collecting two wins and third pair of Jarrod Durrance and Jess Simpkin collecting one win.

L.MORRISON & D.WELLS Won 8.2Won 8.5 Won8.3; M.ASHMAN & S.MEDCALF Won8.3 Won 8.5 Lost3.8; J.DURRANCE & J.SIMPKIN Won 8.4Lost 6.8 Lost 3.8.