How tennis festival bounced back from 12-month lay-off
37 EVENTS PLAYED OVER FIVE NIGHTS AND TWO WEEKENDS
CLOSED Championships and Tennis Festival made a successful return after a year off due to the pandemic, writes John Bryson.
As well as the five County Championships draws of men’s singles and doubles, ladies’ singles and doubles and mixed doubles, there were events in various age groups, making a total of 37 events played all day over two weekends and five midweek nights between 5.30pm and 10pm.
In contrast to the rain-lashed 2019 event, which struggled to finish on time, only 40 minutes were lost this year, due to a thunderstorm.
The event was centred on Leicestershire Tennis and Squash Club, with Carisbrooke Tennis Club, Oadby Tennis Club and Roundhill Tennis Club all hosting matches.
Finals Saturday at Leicestershire Tennis and Squash Club saw top seed Anna Michelle Chesca, of Loughborough Lawn Tennis Club, take on number six seed Maisie Smith, of the home club, in the ladies’ singles.
Runner-up to Emily Pollard last year, Chesca went one better this year, overcoming an uncertain start to win 3-6, 7-6, 6-2 and claim her fourth Leicestershire singles title.
On the same day, the men’s doubles finals featured the top two seeded pairs.
Number two seeds Oliver Burt, of Leicester Forest East Tennis Club, and Matthew House, of Oadby Tennis Club, overcame the top seeds, brothers Aaron and Alex Jinks, of Market Bosworth Tennis Club, 6-1 6-4.
On Sunday it was time for the men’s singles, ladies’ doubles and mixed doubles finals, with the men’s singles opening proceedings.
Top seed Matthew House saw off defending champion Alex Solonenko, of Carisbrooke Tennis Club, 6-4 7-6, in an hour-and-a-half of entertaining tennis.
A day after her singles triumph, Chesca was in action with fellow Loughborough Lawn Tennis Club member Lilia Boukikova in the ladies’ doubles final.
But the top-seeded pair were undone 4-6 6-2 6-2 by number four seeds Charlotte Griffin, of Melton Mowbray Tennis Club, and Emily Rodbourne of Charnwood Lawn Tennis Club.
The mixed doubles final was between number four seeds Matthew Richmond, of Carisbrooke Tennis Club, and Charlotte Griffin, in her second doubles final this year, and number three seeds Sam Preston, of Carisbrooke, and Beccy Scrivins, of Loughborough Lawn Tennis Club.
Preston and Scrivins had the better of the early exchanges and pressed home their advantage to take the title 6-3 6-1.
Saturday also featured an exhibition of wheelchair tennis organised by the tournament committee and wheelchair tennis coach and player Mark Langeveld. This was a round robin affair involving Langeveld, Philip Fielding and Joshua Johns.
Looking back on a successful return from lockdown, tournament committee chairman Alison Ison said: “We were concerned there would be a considerable drop in players taking part after last year’s event had to be cancelled.
“I’m glad to say this was not the case, and it was great to see both fresh faces and familiar ones all taking part in what was a successful tournament.
“A total of 387 matches were played across 37 events by more than 270 players, ensuring we remain one of the largest and most popular county tennis events in the country.
“We were really pleased to have a wheelchair tennis exhibition, and many thanks to Mark, Philip and Joshua for making such a contribution to the tournament.
“We are hoping to see a growth in wheelchair tennis in this tournament in the future”.