River Park split the difference with local giants
River Park beat David Lloyd 6-2
Winchester A beat River Park 7-1
In fixtures four and five River Park took on rival megaplexes David Lloyd A and Winchester A. With our male and female number ones still unavailable we feared the worst, but both games were at home and we were determined to keep River Park as a fortress!
Against David Lloyd, Simon and Miranda battled gamely in the top mixed but went down in straight sets against talented opposition. A swiped single-handed backhand pass down the line from the top woman left Dr Robert declaring his love for her from the sidelines!
There was better news in the other games though. Rob and Kirsty, Kevin and Sarah, and Jamie and Emma all came through to bag us a 3-1 lead at the halfway stage. Kevin and Sarah’s battling win at three, in a tough three setter, was particularly worthy of note in their first game together.
I think the records will show that River Park always go on to win if they take a lead in the mixed.
Simon got a chance to redeem himself in the top men’s doubles with Rob. They delivered a performance of surgical precision to dismantle the David Lloyd firsts 6-1 6-1.
Unfortunately the David Lloyd top women did a similar job on our first ladies so we were 4-2 up and relying on our second pairs to wrap up the win.
So a fine 6-2 win for River Park and a 100% record at the season’s halfway mark.
Next up were Winchester A. Oz was keen for the place to look spotless in advance of their arrival and, sad to say, stooped to using child labour to achieve it. The young girl involved did a superb job in exchange for her few pennies, which she struggled to hold in her sore swollen hands.
There’s actually a bit of match report history with the Winchester A team. The story goes that a match report written in high spirits, following our win against them in 2006 that set us on the way to the title, ended up on their club noticeboard before the following year’s match to get their players motivated!
Just in case they should read this one too - they’re not done by Oz! Please don’t blame him for their many flaws.
Anyway, to the action. Unlike 2006, this time Winchester showed up with a team that represented the high end of their membership. Four strong men, including one of their coaches, and solid women too. Two of their younger women hit the ball around harder than most of the men we’ve come across so far!
Jamie and Janine had the unenviable task of taking on their firsts. It looked like a cracking game but they ultimately went down in straight sets.
Rob and Kirsty, who have been an imperious second pair, were finally beaten in another cracking game. I saw one point with both standing firm at the net while the young Winchester woman battered the ball at them time and again.
Oz, stepping in at late notice after Froggie’s Bar refused to give Kevin the afternoon off (Xmas dinner there cancelled!), played with Emma at four. They had a close game but went down. Emma was not feeling too well, apparently with a case of food poisoning that displayed similar symptoms to a hangover.
Simon and Miranda, playing at three, dropped the first set 6-2 but clawed back into the game to take it to a third set. With everyone else finished this match went on and on. Things looked bleak at 4-1 down in the final set but some big forehands from Miranda and good serving from Simon (both enjoying the benefits of recent coaching and video analysis from Oz!) saw them come back for an excellent 6-4 in the third win. Fine effort from Miranda who had risen from her sick bed to play.
But still, 3-1 down after the mixed!
Sadly the match rapidly slipped away in the second round. Miranda had to retire after dropping the first set with Emma against their second women. Kirsty and Janine put up spirited opposition against the top women but went down, with Kirsty grinding her teeth over the number of soft balls she had to deal with!
Oz and Jamie were in with a good shout against the second men but lost out in two close sets. Our first men’s doubles defeat of the season!
With all else finished, and only pride left to play for, the top men’s doubles was turning into an epic. A very tight first set saw Simon and Rob recover from 6-3 down in the tie-break to take the lead. The lead was rapidly squandered with a 6-0 loss of the second set. Rob then wisely took a toilet/stimulant break before the final set kicked off.
A series of close and edgy games saw River Park go 4-3 up and then get a vital break for 5-3 and the chance to serve it out. At 30-15 up victory was just two points away but sadly the chance went by and we were back on serve. There were no further breaks so we went to a final set tie-break, where the Winchester pair played some excellent tennis to close it out. An excellent match overall with the River Park pair inevitiably disappointed to have got so close but failed to take their chance.
With half the team retiring to their sick beds, or at least for an early night, the survivors made it out into town for consolation drinks where they met up with absent stars Kevin and ‘Big Emma’. Much fun had by all and we finally wandered home in the early hours, discussing faux pas and twinkly eyes.
