Melton Mowbray Tennis Club reflect on success at county awards night

The evening was held at the Leicester Tigers’ Welford Road home, where Peter Fleming, former world number eight and grand slam doubles champion Peter Fleming was special guest.

On the courts the club started by collecting the Loughborough Indoor League title for the third year running, and were delighted to see the prestigious Sports Mercury Cup return.

The ladies’ second team of Jenny Golland, skipper Carol Gilchrist, Laura Hayward, Beth Lowe, Jo Heggs, Ellie Jenkins, Sarah Medcalf, Jill Woods, Alison Stone and Sumitra Fox took the Summer League Division 3B title, with Jenny remaining unbeaten.

Melton’s ladies’ first team finished third in Division One, while the men’s B team took the Division 3A title in the national County Club League with their team of John Sturmey, Justin Horobin, Jake Beagle, Sean O’Regan, Ollie Aley, Alex Horobin, Sam Dryell, Simon Hawthorne, Tom Dryell and Nicholas Davies.

The men’s A team finished third in Division One.

Melton men’s first team finished a creditable runners-up to champions Carisbrooke, and the second team were also runners up in Division 3B.

The mixed first team were runners-up in Division One, the second team finished fourth in Division Two, and the third team were fifth in Division 5A.

* The juniors continued to show improvement in the Summer League, with the 16s and under team of Ben Smart, Liam Morrison, Will Hodder and Matt Gamble collecting the Division Four title.

The 8s and under team were Division Three runners-up, with the B team fourth in Division Four, the 10s and under team third in Division Four, the 12U team fourth in Division Three, and the 14U fourth in Division Four.

* The Winter League saw the ladies’ second team of Lara Haywood, Carol Gilchrist, Jo Heggs, Beth Lowe, Jenny Golland, Jill woods, Alison Stone, Sarah Medcalf and Abi Hickling lead the way again by clinching the Division Six title.

Melton’s ladies’ first team finished fourth in Division One, while the men’s first team finished third in Division One, and the men’s second team were sixth in Division Two.

* On the junior Winter League front, the 12s and under team of Monty Adams and Gus Hagger led the way by taking the Division Two title.

The 8s and under team finished fifth in Division Three, the 9s and under team and 14U were runners-up in their respective third divisions, and the 10s and under team were fourth in Division Two.

Players: Monty, Gus, Harrison Culpan, Ethan Davidson, Joseph Hill, Danny Kettle, Aiden Messina-Dalby, Ben England, Oscar Bates, Adam Thornley, Billy Drewe, Arthur Watson, Evan Watson, Isaac Wooton.

Club coach Brent Horobin said: “It’s hard to grasp the magnitude of what the club has achieved in just three seasons.

“We play on arguably the worst courts in the county, without a clubhouse, and with, sadly, many obstacles to be overcome along the way, but despite this the club has remained positive.

“Thanks to the efforts of our energetic and enthusiastic membership, and the support and encouragement of Melton Borough Council, alongside an overwhelming number of individuals and companies that have supported the club over these past three seasons, we are slowly but surely moving forwards in the right direction.”

A clubhouse is now in place and the club is awaiting the outcome of a Sport England application to support the resurfacing and new fencing of the four courts.