All down to the Mixed Doubles
A cold start to the day on Sunday 28 April meant lots of hot teas and coffees were needed to get things going at Wigmore when they hosted Norbury Park in the Millennium Cup but, at the last, the visitors took the Mixed Doubles to snatch the tie.
Play kicked off with the boys singles and ladies overs but, unfortunately, Norbury’s junior girl had to pull out at the last minute so Wigmore were off the mark with a first, conceded match.
In the Women’s Over 40 Singles, Carole Watson, representing Norbury, took on Wigmore’s Linda Patto and there was some great play from both ladies, with Carole causing Linda some problems with clever backhands and getting the upper-hand to take the match in 2 sets and level up the tie.
The Boys Under 16 Singles rubber saw Luis Rodriguez from Norbury in action against Wigmore’s Billy O’Dwyer.
The teenagers were feeling the early start but managed to power on through some hard fought points, Billy managing to hold on in the second set to win the match, 6-3 7-5 and giving Wigmore their second point of the day.
The Men’s Over 40s saw a re-match from last year, with Marek Strzelichohski from Norbury and Julian Stubbs battling it out.
Marek’s determination, after withdrawing due to injury last year, saw him take the match in a tense match tiebreak, 6-3 6-7 [10-8].
The Men’s Doubles proved to be a very enjoyable and closely fought rubber, with Norbury’s Tony Abell & Terry McGranaghan starting confidently for Norbury and taking the first set.
Wigmore’s Tom Murray & James McLennan fought back to take the second, but narrowly lost in the match tiebreak, 6-3 4-6 [11-9].
The Women’s Open Singles was underway on the next court, with Norbury’s Charmaine Boyd taking on Erika Behling from Wigmore.
Both ladies playing some excellent tennis but Charmaine keep up the momentum after narrowly winning the first set to take the match, 7-6 6-1, giving Norbury a 4-2 lead.
The pressure was now on Wigmore’s ladies doubles team, Jenny Burton & Sarah O’Dwyer, who had unfortunately just narrowly lost the first set against Norbury’s Captain Lisa Patient & Anne-Marie O’Hara.
They came back fighting, though, taking the second and, in an epic match tiebreak, eventually managed to snag the match, 4-6 6-1 [18-16] for a valuable point.
Wigmore’s Matt Kiziltan proved to be too strong for Norbury’s Nikos Tzenos in the Men’s Open Singles, winning in straight sets, 6-0 6-0, to level up the tie score at 4-4, putting the pressure firmly on the Mixed Doubles to decide it.
Wigmore’s Men’s Captain Nick Eastwood and partner Sharon Goulds took on the mother and son team of Helen and Adam Mountain in what proved to be a great match with everything hanging on it.
Excellent doubles play by both sides ended up with Norbury victorious after taking the rubber in 2 sets, 6-2 6-4, and winning the overall tie, 5-4.
It was a really enjoyable day, despite the cold weather, and a big thank you to all the players and supporters from both Norbury and Wigmore.
Report by Clare Sanderson, Wigmore Captain
Results
Wigmore LTC lost to Norbury Park LTC 4-5
[Wigmore names first]
Women’s Singles: Erika Behling lost to Charmaine Boyd, 7-6 6-1; Men’s Singles: Matt Kiziltan d Nikos Tzenas, 6-0 6-0; Women’s Over 40 Singles: Linda Patto lost to Carole Watson, 6-3 6-3; Men’s Over 45 Singles: Julian Stubbs lost to Marek Strzelichohski, 3-6 6-3 [10-8]; Girls Under 16 Singles: Edie O’Dwyer d Yasmine ?, W/O; Boys Under 16 Singles: Billy O’Dwyer d Luis Rodriguez, 6-3 7-5; Women’s Doubles: Sarah O’Dwyer & Jenny Burton d Lisa Patient & Anne-Marie O’Hara, 4-6 6-1 [18-16]; Men’s Doubles: Tom Murray & James McLennan lost to Tony Abell & Terry McGranaghan, 6-3 4-6 [11-9]; Mixed Doubles: Sharon Goulds & Nick Eastwood lost to Helen Mountain & Adam Mountain, 6-2 6-4.