Herne Bay Lawn Tennis Club

The mens over 60’s team clinched the division 1 title for the 2nd year with 2 wins during the week.

This year’s wine & wisdom will take place on March 20th at Keith’s club. Sue is organising.

The summer season will start on April 4th with club afternoon and tea from 1pm.

Mixed 1 won the replay of the Kent League division 1 final against Sevenoaks 1 played at Herne Bay on Saturday. Although 3 members of the 1st team were unavailable their replacemants still managed to beat Sevenoaks by a set. Peter & Loiuse won both their rubbers in straight sets and Gill & Martin took a set off the 2nd pair.

Peter Elsden won all 3 titles in the Herne Bay Club Finals held on Saturday at Kent Close. He won the singles against Martin Beckley, then the doubles with Dominic Wood and finally the mixed with Louise Tucker. For more details see the 16/09/08 match report

The mixed 1 team were in the division 1 final away to Sevenoaks 1 on Saturday and had to battle through wind and rain only to end up drawing the match. The teams were tied on rubbers, sets and games and will now have to replay the match at Herne Bay in 3 weeks time. The 1st round of the match was very close with Bay’s 1st pair, Sally Holmes/Dominic Wood finally beating the Sevenoaks youngsters 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 after 2 rain breaks. Meanwhile their 2nd pair, Anne Gibbs/Peter Elsden, went down in 3 sets to the 2nd pair. At the midway point Sevenoaks were ahead by 1 game. In the 2nd round Holmes & Wood again won, this time in straight sets, and Gibbs and Elsden took 7 games off the Sevenoaks 1st pair. When the games were counted it was a tie at 48 games all and according to the league rules the final will have to be replayed.

The last final of the weekend was the mens 3rd team playing Hartley 2 at home in division 9. This was a repeat of last winter’s semi-final which Herne Bay won and they were triumphant again this year by the narrow margin of 5 games. The Bay’s 1st pair were Ben Clacy/Alex Kazakeos and they won both their rubbers 6-4, 6-1 and 6-3, 6-1. The Herne Bay 2nd pair lost both their rubbers but gained enough games when they went down 5-7,6-7 to the Hartley 2nd pair. The total number of games was 40 to 35 and the team will be delighted to have won division 10 and 9 in consecutive years.

To celebrate the longest day of the year we will be running a club tournament, beginning at 6pm tonight. A big turnout of members is expected.

The Barn Dance at The Oddfellows club on Friday 20th June was thoroughly enjoyed by the few club members who came and raised £210 towards club funds.

This much delayed division one final was played at Herne Bay against Bromley LTC 1 and was a close encounter. The Bay’s 1st pair, Martin Beckley/Dominic Wood, won both their rubbers in straight sets while their 2nd pair, Ian Cooke/Graham Miles, lost one rubber in a match tie break and the other in a 2nd set tie break. Overall the score was level on rubbers but Herne Bay were triumphant by 5 sets to 4 and lifted the division shield for the 1st time.

Herne Bay players were well represented and very successful in the KM finals held at Beartsed on Sunday. Sally Holmes won 3 titles 2 in the veterans competitions and one in the main draw – a feat that had not been accomplished before. In the main draw she partnered Dominic Wood in the mixed competition and they beat Giles Davey and Faye Tagg from Tunbridge Wells 7-5, 7-5. She then paired up with Anne Gibbs to win both the ladies doubles and the ladies veteran doubles titles. The pair defeated Theresa Flay and Julie Plamer of Maidstone 6-1, 6-3 and Jane Gentle and Jane Humphrey also of Maidstone 6-1, 6-4. Keith Clark won the over 45 singles title when he defeated Steve Wright of Gillingham 6-1, 6-2.

Three Herne Bay players were also in the Finals of the KM super veterans competition also held at Bearsted. Clark played in 3 finals. In the over 50’s singles he beat Gunther Dergen 6-1, 6-4 and then paired up with Gary Sims for 2 finals. In the mens doubles over 50/60’s they beat Thorneycroft and Thompson 6-3, 6-3 but were defeated in the 50 and over doubles by Milligan and Evans 4-6, 5-7. Sims then teamed up with Lionel Hoskins to win the over 60/70’s doubles against Paul Drane and Phil Pretty 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.