Woodfield Grove rally late
It was exactly a year to the day, 28 April, since our last encounter with Telford Park, and WGTC was hoping for better weather (it rained constantly) and a less humiliating result (9-0 to Telford Park).
On the weather front, things were certainly looking up with an overcast but, happily, dry day.
First on court was WGTC’s Ali Epton against Telford Park’s Kate Sheehy in the Women’s Over 45 Singles, a rubber that although it started first, ended up finishing last.
Some epic rallies and sheer determination on both sides led to a really entertaining match, which finally went to Telford’s way, 6-2 7-5.
Woodfield’s William Boulanger is new to the Millennium Cup and played a magnificent match in the Boys Under 16s.
His opponent was Zak Lavender, who has played Millennium Cup before, and his greater match experience proved invaluable on the day in what was, again, an excellent match. William will certainly be selected again to play after such a great first outing.
So far, WGTC was 2-0 down, and fears that Telford Park was going to inflict another brutal defeat were starting to enter the head of non-playing Captain Jon Elwes as his doubles pairing of Blaise Marin-Curtoud and David Knott came to the rescue and put in a solid performance to win 6-4 6-1 over James Binny & Paul Beesley and narrow the scoreline to 2-1 to Telford Park at the end of the first round.
Round 2 kicked off with WGTC’s Izzy Marin-Curtoud making her second appearance in the year’s Millennium Cup and, again, she impressed those watching with her ground strokes and net skills.
Her opponent Tilly Reed played extremely well and, in the end, managed to get the better of Izzy, 6-2 6-4, taking the match as things got very close in the second set.
It was now time to introduce another new player to the Millennium Cup team in the form WGTC’s Charles Wainwright in the Men’s Over 40 Singles, and what a debut it was.
Charles was playing Telford Park’s Zak’s father, Keith Lavender, who is known to be a very solid player and a Millennium Cup veteran.
This really was a match where the scoreline does not reflect the quality of play, with magnificent rallies and some particularly fine ground shots, including some lovely backhand passing shots from Charles.
Just at the moment when it was looking like Woodfield would not have to undergo the added stress of a match tiebreak, Mark Jannaway, also new to the Millennium Cup, and Naomi Anderson fought back in the second set against Mark Rothwell & Ellen Hoyle to force another 10 point decider.
So it was 5-1 to Telford Park as we entered round 3.
Woodfield’s Jo Kiernander took on Pru Hodgkinson in the Women’s Open Singles and the first set was a hard-fought battle with Jo finally taking it after trailing, and cruising through the second to score a valuable point, 7-5 6-1.
WGTC’s Tom Cooper and Telford Park’s Stephane Legrand were also battling it out on Court 3 in a rubber that was exhausting to watch, never mind play, and Tom also managed to claw out the win, 6-4 7-5.
Meanwhile an extraordinary doubles match was underway with WGTC’s sister act, Candice & Esme Kyle being overwhelmed in the first set by Jill Pitty & Juliet Griffiths, but fought back well in the second only to lose it by a whisker, 6-0 7-5.
With both Tom and Jo winning their singles matches, the final score was a respectable loss to Telford Park, 6-3.
As always WGTC enjoyed hosting Telford Park and thanks to WGTC’s Blaise’s BBQ chicken and Jo’s baking skills, it was another successful and enjoyable Millennium Cup match.
Report by Jon Elwes, Woodfield Grove Captain
Results
Woodfield Grove TC lost to Telford Park LTC 3-6
[WGTC names first]
Women’s Singles: Jo Kiernander d Pru Hodgkinson, 7-5 6-1; Men’s Singles: Tom Cooper d Stephane Legrand, 6-4 7-5; Women’s Over 40 Singles: Ali Epton lost to Kate Sheehy, 6-2 7-5; Men’s Over 45 Singles: Charles Wainwright lost Keith Lavender, 6-1 6-3; Girls Under 16 Singles: Izzy Marin-Curtoud lost Tilly Reed, 6-2 6-4; Boys Under 16 Singles: William Boulanger lost to Zak Lavender, 6-1 6-0; Women’s Doubles: Candice Kyle & Esme Kyle lost to Jill Pitty & Juliet Griffiths, 6-0 7-5; Men’s Doubles: Blaise Marin-Curtoud & David Knott d James Binny & Paul Beesley, 6-4 6-1; Mixed Doubles: Mark Jannaway & Naomi Anderson lost to Mark Rothwell & Ellen Hoyle, 6-3 4-6 [10-5].