Ladies show their mettle

Tennis

Herne Bay ladies’ 1sts won a title decider at Canterbury to regain their Kent Midweek League Division 1 crown. Both sides were unbeaten going into the final match of the season but Bay triumphed 3-1. Anne Gibbs and Sarah Pout won both their rubbers, while Kay Mileham and Sue Toye had an easy 6-1, 6-3 win against the second pair. The ladies’ 2nds played twice in Division 3, winning 3-1 at Crescent but losing by the same scoreline to DL Kings Hill. Debbie Holden and Denise Parrett won both their rubbers against Crescent, while Sheila Wyver and Christine Hanson took a third-set tiebreak. Holden and Hanson won Bay’s only rubber against Kings Hill, 6-2, 6-1. The midweek mixed team beat Maidstone 4-0 and Canterbury 3-1. Anne Gibbs and Ian Cooke were the top pair in both matches, while Keith Clarke partnered Toye against Maidstone and Kay Mileham in the Canterbury game. Herne Bay mixed 1sts and Sevenoaks 2nds couldn’t be separated. Level on rubbers (2-2) sets (5-5) and games (33-33), the match ended in a tie. Peter Elsden and Gibbs won their two matches as Bay finished third in Division 2. Bay ladies’ 2nds finished second in Division 3 after a 3-1 win at Bromley CC. Caroline Packer and Holden won both rubbers on tiebreaks, with Toye and Kay Mileham beating Bromley’s second pair in straight sets. The East Kent League is under way. The ladies’ 1sts started with a 4-0 win at Deal 2nds in Division 2. Sarah Pout teamed up with Hanson while Anja Stileman partnered Denise Parrett. The men’s 1sts didn’t drop a set in a 4-0 win against Faversham. Matt Newman and Eddie Fisher won 7-5, 6-4 and 6-1 6-0, while Lionel Hoskins and new member Ben Keighley completed 6-1, 6-3 and 7-6, 6-4 victories. The mixed A teams played three matches on the spin in Division 1 of the Dover & District League. They beat Canterbury A 6-2 on sets and Canterbury B 5-3 home and away. Elsden won all his sets with three different partners, Gibbs, Louise Tucker and Danielle Miles.