Melton Mowbray TC miss out on three Cup wins in a row

However, they fell just short at the semi-final stage, losing out to this year’s joint favourites Loughborough Town TC in a match of high-quality tennis.

It has to be said that Melton gave up their home advantage throughout the competition due to continued discomfort from opposition teams, who were unhappy playing on the badly worn-out courts at Melton, which many of the visitors had regarded now as dangerous.

Skipper Charlie Griffin and the club felt that the only option was to give up home advantage which, as holders of the trophy, Melton would have had throughout the competition.

The team travelled to Oadby for a first round match and returned with a 6-2 win.

Each pairing collected two wins apiece.

Charlie Griffin teamed up with Ben McTaggart to collect their two wins for the loss of just three games (6-0, 6-1; 6-0, 6-2).

The second pairing of Ryan Parmar and Corinne Blythe (6-2, 6-1; 6-3, 6-0; 7-6, 4-6, 11-13) and third pairing of Justin Horobin and Laura Cooper (6-3, 6-3; 6-0, 6-2; 2-6, 2-6) also collected two wins, but both dropped a rubber each on the way to victory for the team.

The quarter final saw them play nearby Rothley Ivanhoe and the team once again were well in control, finishing as 5-1 winners.

Charlie Griffin paired up with debutant Lucas Miller and they got their act together from the off.

The partnership collected two wins for the loss of just five games (6-1, 6-1; 6-2, 6-1).

The second pairing of Ryan Parmar and Jess Gadsby were also in good form and notched two wins (6-1, 6-2; 7-6, 6-3) with third pairing of Justin Horobin and Sumitra Fox collecting a solitary win (6-0. 3-6, 10-5; 4-6, 5-7).

It was then on to the semi-final for a tough fixture at Loughborough TC , considered to be joint favourites with another Loughborough team Charnwod TC.

Melton pushed them all the way to the final round but Loughborough just edged the vital rubbers that hung on a knife edge, none closer than when Tom Rowe and Laura Cooper lost out in a third-set tie-break to Loughborough’s first pair, finally going down 1-6, 6-3, 5-10.

Melton’s three pairs of Charlie Griffin and Ben MacTaggart (6-1, 6-4; 3-6, 3-6; 4-6, 4-6), Ryan Parmar and Corinne Blythe (6-4, 6-4; 2-6, 3-6; 5-7, 1-6) and Tom Rowe and Laura Cooper (6-4, 6-2; 5-7, 4-6, 1-6, 6-3, 5-10) all collected a single win but, despite many tight sets, Loughborough just came out on top by a 6-3 score line.