Handicap Finals results 2019

Photo Galleries, Tournaments

Well done to our finalists in the Handicap Finals. This is always a good competition as the handicapping system ensures that everyone has a chance of winning through. Well done especially to Cath Pearson who retained the Mixed Doubles trophy with a new partner and to Wendy Day who competed in all three finals, only just missing out on a clean sweep of the trophies.

Event Winners Runners-up
Ladies Singles Wendy Day Cath Pearson
Mens Singles Harry Bywaters Feredico Ardiles
Ladies Doubles Wendy Day and Zana Fletcher Rachel Grey and Debra Norton
Mens Doubles Mark Hill and Mike Thornley Peter Archer and Nick Ward
Mixed Doubles Cath Pearson and Mark Elliott Wendy Day and Chris Cole

Late May American Tournament : 2019

Tournaments

 

Bank Holidays come thick and fast at this time of year and we had our third of the season on Monday 27th May. Another great turn-out, 10 men and 15 ladies which gave everyone a lot of good tennis. The ladies section had joint winners in Wendy Day (playing an American for the first time) with Gill Stoney. Debra Norton was runner-up. The mens section was won by Andy Cholerton with Mike Thornley and Chris Cole as joint runner-ups. Congratulations to them and especially to Gill and Chris for their third “podium finish” of the season. Many thanks to Cath Pearson and Alison Jameson for providing the lovely tea and a special thanks to Caroline Reid who happened to be the only player sitting out for the round after the tea interval; she quietly got on with all the washing up and clearing away!

Second American Tournament

Tournaments

Public holidays are rather close together at this time of year, so on Monday 6th May we were once again enjoying an American Tournament; 27 people this time, showing how popular they are. Does the photograph of winners look familiar? Gill Stoney was again the best lady with an average of 5.6 from each round of 8 games, just edging out newcomer Sam Rush on 5.5. Cath Pearson was 3rd. Chris Cole was a clear Mens winner with an excellent average of 6. Mark Hill came second on 5.17 with a tie for 3rd place between Steve Dunne and William Carlisle on 5.0. No Andy Cholerton in the winners group this time, for the simple reason that he was the organiser. Thank you Andy for taking that on. Thanks also to Ann Hanson and Joan Jones for supplying a lovely tea.

Easter Monday American Tournament

Tournaments


This Easter was the warmest for many years and gave us an excellent start to the American Tournaments this season – perfect weather and a perfect number of players : 24, 10 men and 14 ladies – which meant nobody had to sit out; we all played the 6 rounds of 8 games each. Andy Cholerton came out as the best male player, beating Mark Hill and Chris Cole by just one game overall. For the ladies, there was little doubt who would win – Gill Stoney returning to the club after a break of a few years because of injury. She only dropped 7 games out of 48 all afternoon – well done, Gill! Katherine Rogers and Susan Gilchrist were second and third in the Ladies respectively.

Gill’s success was one highlight. The other was, of course, the tea – maybe the reason some of us come. Many thanks to Linda Robson and Jackie Staunton for preparing it and to Ann Hanson and Sally Daniels who came to help set it out and more importantly to clear up afterwards.

It was the first American Tournament that I have organised – and it all seemed to go smoothly. Phew!

Family competition : June 1st

Juniors, Tournaments

We are running our Family Competition on the morning of June 1st. (8.45am for 9.15am start. We hope to finish by 1.00pm.)

There are two types of “family pairings” who can enter :

  • Junior, Senior Junior and Student Members with a family member who must be over the age of 18.
  • Senior/Off Peak Members with a young family member, i.e. under the age of 18.

    • (In neither case is the family member required to be a Member of Avondale.)

    The format of Play will depend on the number of entries and variety of ages. There will be a handicap system of sort put in place to make play fairer.

    Entries can be made by emailing zana.fletcher@virginmedia.com (please submit both players names, junior’s age, contact email and phone number) or sign up in the clubhouse

    Deadline for entry
    Sunday 26 May or when all the 16 spaces have been filled (i.e. 32 individual players).

    Entry Fee: £10.00 per pair.

    We look forward to seeing you on the day

    Smiths Cup 2019

    Tournaments,

    Ladies : This attracted 12 pairs, a full house! – and this included 6 pairs playing in the competition for the first time. The club house was buzzing and there was a great atmosphere throughout the afternoon. Debbie Ryder and Rachel Gray were the winners with Cath Pearson and Katherine Rogers as runners up.

    Mens : 7 pairs contested the Mens’ Smiths Cup one day doubles tournament on Sunday 7th April. The round robin format involved each pair playing a short set against each of the other pairs during the course of the afternoon. Most matches were very evenly contested and in the end countback had to be brought into play to determine the overall winners. Chris Cole/Mark Hill and Steve Dunne/Chris Iles both managed to win 5 of the 6 sets they played, but Chris and Mark were crowned champions, having conceded one less game overall. Mark Hill is to be congratulated on successfully retaining the title he won last year, albeit with a different partner this year.

    Thanks to Suzie Greenwood and William Carlisle for organising their events.

    Handicap pairings

    Tournaments

    Check out who is paired with who in our handicap tournaments by following this link : Tournament pairings

    It is great to see new names taking part. Just a reminder that pairings have been chosen at random and each pair will be assigned a handicap score. You will be playing for rally points – first to 31 – and your handicap and that of your opponents will decide the starting score. It does sound a bit complicated. At least one of the players will know all about it, so don’t worry!

    Tournament results 2018

    Tournaments

     
    Well done to everyone who won through to the finals of their competition and who gave the spectators a very enjoyable weekend of tennis. The standard of tennis was very high and it all took place in an atmosphere of friendly but fierce rivalry.It is always great to see the Juniors and Seniors playing at the same event.

    The stand-out individual performances were from Will Jones who repeated his achievement of last year winning the Mens Final and the Mixed Final with Issie Barfoot,also Sam Cawood, aged just 11, who gave a very creditable performance in the U18 Boys final against Will. The best match of the weekend had to be the Mixed Final – so close and such a high standard!

    I thought we must have seen the longest match of the Finals on Saturday, a two-hour marathon in the U18 Girls Final, but this was surpassed in the Ladies Vets Doubles on Sunday, lasting close on 2 1/2 hours! A real contest of “cat and mouse” with many of the rallies lasting 20 – 30 strokes

    Our Chair, Paul Treacy, did receive one complaint : “There are two very good matches going on at once, and I can’t decide which one to watch!” Now that is a nice problem to have!
     

    Event Winners Runners-up
    Mens Singles William Jones Peter Grant
    Mens Vets Singles Peter Grant Daren Carter
    Mens Doubles Peter Grant & Stuart Lamb Paul Kemsley & David Pharo
    Mens Vets Doubles Peter Grant & David Pharo Steve Dunne & Chris Iles
    Event Winners Runners-up
    Ladies Singles Samantha Kurlej sarah Henbrey
    Ladies Vets Singles Sarah Henbrey Cath Pearson
    Ladies Doubles Samantha Kurlej & Isabel Williams Elaine Leitch & Sam Williamson
    Ladies Vets Doubles Debbie Ryder & Jane Vincent Elaine Leitch & Sam Williamson
    Event Winners Runners-up
    Mixed Doubles William Jones & Issie Barfoot Paul Kemsley & Samantha Kurlej
    Mixed Vets Doubles Peter Grant & Jane Vincent Jeff Wollen & Sally Grave
    Mixed Super Vets Doubles Chris Iles & Sally Charlton Derek Carder & Elaine Leitch
    Event Winners Runners-up
    U10 Singles Andre Fripp Ben Slade
    Boys U12 Singles Freddie Schlag Joshua Mortimer
    Boys U14 Singles Sam Cawood Matthew Tarling
    Boys 10.1 – 10.2 Ali Peacock Matthew Reed
    Boys 10.1-10.2 Plate Max Bremner Lucas Buckley
    Boys U18 Singles William Jones Sam Cawood
    Event Winners Runners-up
    Girls U14 Singles Isabel Cann Nina Carter
    Girls U18 Singles Chloe Tarling Georgie Charles
    Girls 10.1 – 10.2 Singles Ciara Cassidy Willow Cockerill
    Girls U18 Doubles Georgie Charles & Chloe Tarling Willow Cockerill & Emily Pagan

     
    For a printable version of the results, click here
    Photos from the weekend are in the next post.

    Season finale – August American tournament

    Tournaments

    A staggering 38 players turned out for the final American Tournament of the summer, which meant that an unprecedented 7th round had to be slipped in to ensure that all entrants played at least 4 rounds. The weather stayed dry throughout and the action was fast and furious all afternoon. With so many mouths to feed, the tea ladies had to pull off something of a five loaves and two fishes performance, but they prevailed, as they always do.

    Roger Barnacle and Mark Hill tied for top male player, both achieving an average of 5.50 games won on the day. The ladies’ competition was just as closely fought, with a three-way tie for first place between Sarah Henbrey, Kath Pearson and Katherine Rogers, all with an average of 5.75 games, with Georgina Riches just behind on 5.25 games.

    A photo of the day’s prize-winners is attached, with apologies to Chris Cole, who should be there as he was in fact joint runner-up with Peter Beyer and Andy Cholerton in the mens’ competition, with an average of 5.25 games. He is owed a bar of chocolate for his efforts.

    Many thanks as always to William Carlisle for organising the afternoon.

    Albany tournament 2018

    Tournaments

    15 players (8 male, 7 female) turned out, in incredibly hot conditions, to contest the Albany Trophy 2018. This was a really awkward number, which the computer programme didn’t like. What a pity there was not just one more lady to make it perfect. Maybe people were put off by the thought that it would be hard work. It was ! Many thanks to all those who did turn up.

    There were winners, as there always is. Peter Beyer powered his way to a barely believable average of 4.8 games across the 5 rounds he played and Ailsa Fraser, who is becoming something of an Albany Trophy specialist, finessed her way to first place again in the ladies’ competition, with a superb average of 5.8 games won.

    The last American Tournament of this year will be held on Monday 27th August. If you want to know what it’s like to be able to smile like Ailsa and Peter, get that date in your diary and be there !