HERNE BAY TENNIS:

PLENTY OF MATCHES GO RIGHT DOWN TO THE WIRE

Herne Bay men’s 3rds won their penultimate match of the winter in Kent League Division 9B, defeating Beckenham 6ths 3-1 at Beacon Road.

In their opening rubber, Aiden Blackall and Wally Lovett recovered from losing the second set 6-0 to win a third set championship tie-break for victory.

Bay’s second pairing of Mark Roe and Tony Blackall took the first set in a close fought tie-break and the second set 6-2.

In the reverse rubbers A Blackall/lovett won 6-4, 6-3, but Roe/t Blackall were defeated 6-1, 6-1. The men’s 1st team travelled to Hildenborough in Division 4A and cemented their third place in the table with a 4-0 win. Bay’s first pair Alex Kazakeos and Peter Elsden and second pairing of Guy Farmer and Dan Walker did not drop a set.

In the ladies’ section, Herne Bay 2nds completed their last two fixtures with a win and a narrow loss in a competitive Division 3A. At home to Kemsing 1, Bay came through 3-1. Debbie Holden and Denise Parrett won both their rubbers, with the only defeat inflicted by Kemsing’s first pair on Caroline Packer and Sue Toye

Their final match at David Lloyd Kings Hill 2nds proved to be a cliff-hanger. Packer and Toye lost out in a third set championship tie-break.

But Bay levelled in the next rubber when Sarah Pout partnered Holden and the pair win through by taking a third set tie-breaker. With little to choose between the two teams the reverse rubbers followed a similar pattern with Packer/toye coming through again in three sets, while Pout/holden were defeated 7-5, 7-6. With the match tied 2-2 in rubbers, Kings Hill won 6-5 in sets despite Bay winning two more games overall. The ladies’ vets 1sts’ last match was yet another highly competitive encounter, at Sevenoaks 1sts in Division 1B. Anne Gibbs and Nicola Mileham won both their matches, while Packer/ Toye were beaten twice. With the match tied 2-2 in rubbers, 4-4 in sets, Sevenoaks just crept over the line 39 games to 35. Still flying high in first place in Division 1 are Bay ladies’ over-60s midweek 1st team, who brushed aside Blackheath 4-0. Gibbs/toye played consistently well to win both their rubbers in straight sets, while Holden/pout were taken to a third set by the hosts’ first pair.

In line with previous results, another match to slip away at the death was the Division 7A clash between Bay’s mixed 4ths and David Lloyd Dartford mixed team. Despite being level in rubbers and sets, Dartford won this one 40 games to 35.