Melton Mowbray Tennis Club ladies hit heights at Carisbrooke

Melton Mowbray Tennis Club’s senior teams had a mixed bag of results in a week of adverse weather more suited to scuba diving than summer sport.
Melton Mowbray Tennis Club opened up their Birch Wood School tennis sessions to Key Stage 3 pupils this year EMN-190618-170738002Melton Mowbray Tennis Club opened up their Birch Wood School tennis sessions to Key Stage 3 pupils this year EMN-190618-170738002
Melton Mowbray Tennis Club opened up their Birch Wood School tennis sessions to Key Stage 3 pupils this year EMN-190618-170738002

The ladies’ first team kept up their recent good form with a 7-2 win at Carisbrooke A in their Division One match.

Skipper Charlie Griffin led the way when she teamed up with regular second teamer Sarah Medcalf and they registered a hat-trick of wins, with Charlie’s court craft and matchplay mentality bringing the best out of her partner who responded brilliantly.

Sarah Diver and Ellie Jenkins, and Georgene Ashmore with Jess Gadsby weighed in with two wins apiece to clinch a superb win.

City Plumbing has sponsored the Birch Wood School tennis sessions EMN-190618-170726002City Plumbing has sponsored the Birch Wood School tennis sessions EMN-190618-170726002
City Plumbing has sponsored the Birch Wood School tennis sessions EMN-190618-170726002

Scores: C. Griffin/S. Medcalf W 8-5, 8-7, 8-6; S. Diver/E. Jenkins L 2-8, W 8-7, 8-4; G. Ashmore/J. Gadsby L 4-8, W 3-8, 8-5.

* The men’s Team Tennis A team returned from Kibworth with the points following a 4-2 win in Division One.

Ryan Parmar set the tone with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 win, and joint skipper Ben Mactaggart with Tom Rowe soon made it 3-0 with convincing singles wins.

Teenager Ollie Aley just lost out in a third-set tie-break, and partnering Ryan Parmar was desperately unlucky to lose out in another third-set tie-break.

Ben and Tom kept their cool and wrapped up the win to keep Melton in the running for promotion to the Regional Division.

Scores: R. Parmar W 6-1, 6-1; B. Mactaggart W 6-0, 6-3; T. Rowe W 6-2, 6-1; O. Aley L 6-4, 2-6 (7-10); R. Parmar/O. Aley L 6-4, 2-6 (6-10); B. Mactaggart/T. Rowe W 6-0, 6-3.

* The men’s B team kept themselves in the running for the Team Tennis League Division 3A with a 5-1 home win over Market Bosworth.

Singles wins for Sean O’Regan, Ollie Aley and the in-form Jake Beagle put the hosts in the driving seat before Bosworth hit back with skipper Jonathan Sturmey losing his singles.

Jon then teamed up with Sean to take their tight doubles 7-5, 6-4 before Jake and Ollie wrapped up the points with a convincing win.

Scores: S. O’Regan W 6-2, 6-0; J. Sturmey L 2-6, 1-6; O. Aley W 6-1, 6-1; J. Beagle W 6-4, 6-1; S. O’Regan/J. Sturmey W 7-5, 6-4; J. Beagle/O. Aley W 6-1, 6-3.

* City Plumbing and their Bathroom Showroom team have stepped in to sponsor the Birch Wood School Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils at their recent tennis sessions at Melton Mowbray Tennis Club.

Manager of the Melton branch, Lee Taylor, presented T-shirts to the 40 youngsters and PE staff, led by Alison Nix.

Lee, a tennis player for many years, also lent a helping hand at a few sessions which cover all aspects of the game of tennis from serving, rallying, volleying, and friendly competition to fun games.

The six-week sessions have been organised by the Melton club, and led by coaches Brent Horobin and Ryan Parmar with support from a team of helpers – Chris Griffin, Louise Smethurst, Michelle Heaton, Jo Anderson, Margaret Scott and Bridget Ingle.

The link-up with the Melton school began last year, with the programme expanded to include Key Stage 3 this year.

Brent said: “It’s been great fun and having the indoor facility available during this spell of bad weather has meant that no sessions were cancelled.

“The project has been a tremendous success to date and we are extremely grateful to the Shires Community Fund, Ragdale Hall, and John and Sumitra Fox for their generous support in helping to promote this worthwhile venture.”