Melton Tennis Club's Charlie Griffin leads the county to promotion

Melton Mowbray Tennis Club’s ladies’ captain Charlie Griffin led the Leicestershire County Ladies team to promotion at London’s Raynes Park Tennis Club.

Competing in Group Three of the National County Championships, the team finished as runners-up to Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Both teams finished on four wins and one defeat over the week and were level on eight points apiece, but Hampshire took the honours with a better rubbers average.

However, the Leicestershire team will take heart from not only gaining promotion to Group Two for next year but that they also beat the winners earlier in the week by a 5-4 score.

The county started the week confidently with a 7-2 win over Derbyshire and followed this with the 5-4 win over Hampshire & IOW.

Next up was Warwickshire and the team once again came out on top of a narrow 5-4 win.

The Thursday saw The East of Scotland as their opponents and, with the team knowing that promotion was in their sights, Charlie and partner Tabitha Holmes from Oadby TC led the way with a maximum three wins to secure a 6-3 win and guarantee promotion.

Friday found the team fatigued and the loss of several players contributed to a 6-3 loss to Berkshire, but they had already achieved their success.

Charlie and Tabitha proved the backbone of the success, winning 12 out of 15 rubbers with Anna Michelle Chesca and Charlotte Pollard backing them up winning  eight out of 12 rubbers.

Melton team mate Amy Eastman turned out in two matches and picked up two vital rubbers.

Charlie was delighted with her young team’s performances and is already looking forward to 2027 and Group Two.

The squad was : Charlie Griffin (captain), Tabitha Holmes, Amy Eastman, Isabella Cockrell, Charlotte Pollard, Anna Michelle Chesca, Lottie Adcock, Rachel Hall and Emily Rodbourne.