Tennis round-up

6:44pm Tuesday 6th May 2008

SOUTHMINSTER TENNIS CLUB

It was a relatively quiet week for Southminster Tennis Club in the Chelmsford and District League, with only one fixture to contest after rain forced the cancellation of the Mens 2nds fixture against Grove. And it was the Mixed I that were looking to continue their successful start to the season, with an away fixture against Basildon I. Building on their 7-1 defeat of Stock, the team once again got off to a formidable start, as Philip Anderson and Michelle Sutcliffe swept through their first match 6-1, 6-2, a promising opener by any standard. Jeff Burditt and Sheila Clarke once again proved a reliable pairing as they, despite fierce, hard-hitting opposition, fought hard to take their first set on a tie-break, which seemed to be enough to break their opponents, as they then cruised through the second set 6-1. With a 4 set lead, the pairs then swapped opponents, hoping to finish Basildon off and seal the match. But Basildon were far from finished, as despite the troublesome start, they fought back, and overcame Anderson and Sutcliffe 1-6, 2-6, though this was not enough to save them, as Burditt and Clarke proved to be in a different class to their opponents as they stormed through winning 6-0, 6-0, to claim the night for Southminster by 6 sets to 2.

Maldon suffered their first defeat of the season to a very strong New Hall team in the Essex Junior Tennis League by 4 sets to 2 in a match of high quality tennis.

Adam Harris the ex Danbury starlet was brought in at number one there bye moving there remaining players down one position. This meant their talented young Essex player Richard Barber played at number 4.

It was Barber whose training is at least 12 hours a week proved too reliable in inflicting a 6-2 defeat on the previously unbeaten Ben Dodd.

Oliver Harris enthralled a small band of watchers with his Marvel action hero like performance against the physically intimidating Tristan Mosen. Against a barrage of big serves and ground shots it looked as if Harris was going to be overwhelmed but with resilient play, bringing his opponent in to the net followed by deep lobs earned Harris a tie break which he went on to win by 9 points to 7.

Daniel Wentworth lost narrowly 6-4 to Michael Anderle. Long body torturing rallies were the order of the day in this set. At 4-4 Wentworth looked as if he was getting the upper hand with a series of brilliant point winning set ups, only to frustratingly net the ball.

Anthony Gunn was disappointing in his 6-2 defeat against Adam Harris, by allowing himself to get involved in pointless rallies where bye a more attacking style would have paid dividends.

Dodd and Gunn were superb in their 6-2 defeat of Harris and Mosey while Harris and Wentworth went down 6-4 to Anderle and Barber.

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