Veterans grab narrow victory

Tennis

Herne Bay Tennis Club had mixed fortunes in the latest round of Kent Winter League matches. The ladies’ vets 1sts played host to Sevenoaks 2 in Division 1B and won by the odd set after tying 2-2 in rubbers. Bay’s first pair of Anne Gibbs and Nicola Mileham beat both Sevenoaks pairs with the loss of only five games. Their second pair, Sue Toye and Debbie Holden, took the visitors’ 2nd pair to an all-important third set tie-break, ensuring the home side took maximum points to maintain their second place in the division. Herne Bay’s mixed 4ths had a more comfortable victory at Frindsbury 3rds in Division 8C. Bryan Packham and Sarah Pout and Jason Hollingsworth and Anja Stileman won all their rubbers and having completed their fixtures, have finished mid-table. The club’s men’s vets 1sts fared less well, with a 3-1 loss at home to Park Langley 1sts in Division 1B. Graham Miles and Ian Cooke beat the visitors’ 1sts in straight sets but that was as good as it got with Eddie Fisher and Gary Smith losing both their rubbers after tight opening sets and Miles and Cooke losing to Park Langley’s 2nd pair. The ladies’ over-60s had a similar result at home to Canterbury in Division 1. Bay’s pairing of Sarah Pout and Pauline Pierce beat Canterbury’s 2nd pair but lost to the visitors’ 1st pair, while Diana High and Anja Stileman lost both their rubbers. The ladies will hope to improve their lowly position with several matches still to play. There were better fortunes for the ladies’ 3rds at home to Gravesham 2nds in Division 8A, with a hard-fought victory for Denise Parrett and Sarah Pout and a win for Diana High/helen Lipyeat by one set. Parrett and Pout got the decisive winning set by taking the visitors’ 1st pair to a third set tie break. Elsewhere, the men’s 1st team had a narrow loss in the Deal Indoor League against title favourites Deal 1sts by the odd set. Bay’s 1st pairing, of Graham Miles and Ben Keighley, narrowly lost to a strong Deal 1st pair before beating their 2nd pair. Mark Kennard and Matt Newman overcame Deal’s 2nd pair in a third set tie-break but lost out to the home side’s 1st pair after a close first set.

Play continues at the club through the winter for both juniors and adults. Details can be found at www. hernebaytennis.co.uk or by contacting the club coach, Nicola Mileham, on just.tennisnic@yahoo. co.uk.