The champions! Melton Mowbray Tennis Club ladies claim Winter League title

Melton Mowbray Tennis Club ladies’ first team made it a Happy Christmas when they clinched the Division One Winter League title following an emphatic win over visitors Roundhill firsts.

The win once again highlights the strength of the club’s ladies and, following their tremendous efforts to get their previous match played during a snow blizzard, this latest win is the icing on the cake for the ladies and the club.

Winter skipper Jess Gadsby was full of praise for her team and pointed out how significant this title was as the team were without county star Charlie Griffin who has been sidelined with illness until recently.

The team were helped somewhat by the visitors who had late withdrawals so arrived with just one pair and the Melton ladies duly recorded a convincing 8-0 win to clinch the league.

The players involved in this campaign were Jess Gadsby, Ellie Jenkins, Sarah Diver, Laura Cooper, Charlie Griffin, Maia Dunn, Kim Stratford, Jess Simpkin, Samantha Tinsley and Sarah Medcalf.

Results: J. Gadsby & M. Dunb beat A. Ison & B. Poultney 6-2, 6-2, W/O 6-0, 6-0; E. Jenkins & S. Diver beat A. Ison & B. Poultney 6-1, 6-2, W/O 6-0, 6-0.

Club coach Brent Horobin was full of praise for the ladies and the tremendous spirit they bring to the club in general.

“Their continued efforts both on and off court are a credit and it brings the total of titles won by the ladies to eight, plus involvement in six mixed titles to date in the brief four seasons of league campaigns,” he said.

“In total the club as a whole have collected 29 titles and cups plus seven runners-up spots that gained promotions.

“It’s a magnificent effort by our young club, the newest in the county and incredibly born and built during a pandemic which is testament to the support the club have received from members, the public and local businesses with Samworth Brothers being really supportive to our efforts.

“And the ladies’ second team are still in contention for their league title - so not finished just yet.”

Club chairman Justin Horobin, project manager Jason Wheatley and vice-chairman Peter Lovegrove have put in untold hours in driving the club forward and Justin commented that he was delighted that the club had made such giant strides in establishing a new club based on a mantra of fun, friendships and fitness, but added that ‘we are still pushing forward’.

“We have fantastic new courts, a club house, electricity but main project is now the supply of water and toilets, we plan for this to happen in 2022,” he added.