'A' Team
Saturday 17th July v Dunstable (Away) - Won 12-4.
This was an excellent win for Steve and Sam. They won a close doubles set 6-4 which gave them inpetus for the singles to come. They both won the first sets 6-4 and this encouraged Sam to go on and win the next 6-1. Steve's opponent stepped up a gear at this stage though and won the next two sets 6-2 but Steve had done enough to secure the points.
Saturday 10th July v Luton & Vauxhall 'A' (Home) - Lost 14-0.
Steve and Sam played in this one. We always knew it would be hard for them this year - there are some very strong teams in division one and this is probably the strongest! Both our players were below par however and were heavily beaten in singles and doubles. They won't want to dwell on this one too long!
Saturday 3rd July v Flitwick & Ampthill 'A' (Home) - Lost 10-4.
This match was played in the most horrendous conditions with heavy rain showers and extremely strong winds. Steve and James played this one and coped very well. The doubles was very close all the way with the home team leading all the way to the final stages when they were overtaken and beaten 6-4. Despite the conditions, there were some fabulous rallies including excellent close vollies from all players. Steve faced the very stylish Ben Wong in his singles and the visitor was in superb form making winners on both wings almost at will. Steve put in a great display which would have beaten most other players but it just wasn't good enough on this occasion and he lost 6-3, 6-4. James fared much better against a weaker player and always looked comfortable on his way to a 6-1, 6-3 win to earn some welcome points.
Monday 28th June v Luton & Vauxhall 'B' (Away) - Lost 14-0.
Sam and James travelled to Luton for this evening fixture. Facing two good quality opponents on the artificial surface this was always going to be difficult. The pair managed to win two games in the doubles having some close points but not winning most of them! Sam lost his first singles set easily but rallied well in the second, taking it to a tie break which he lost. James had a close first set only going down 6-4 but lost his was in the next losing 6-0.
Saturday 26th June v Leighton Buzzard 'A' (Home) - Won 14-0.
James Tapping was joined by Steve Bostock for this match. They started the doubles well winning the first game to love and looked in complete control but inexplicably lost the next 3 games to put themselves in a spot of bother! They regained their composure well, however, playing good tactics to put the weaker player under constant pressure and never looked back finally winning comfortably 6-3. Steve had to play by far the stronger player in the singles and there was little to chose between them early on. Each enjoyed numerous long base line rallies with both making very few errors. Gradually Steve started to get the upper hand and crucially went ahead in the set for the first time at 5-4. He close out the set in the next game and never looked back, winning the second set 6-1 with his opponent trying to force the play too much. James was never troubled against an obviously intimidated opponent, winning 6-0, 6-0 in record time!
Saturday 15th May v Harlington 'B' (Away) - Lost 10-6.
This was a truely great fixture. A team regulars Sam Thrower and James Tapping were pitted against Steve Bostock and Ollie Giles and you will not see a more competitive match this year! There was little to chose between them in the doubles which was full of incident. The tension was high and there were some fabulous rallies with two in particular taking minutes rather than seconds to conclude! Nobody wanted to be the one to make a mistake. Finally the A team won the set 6-4 but it really could have gone either way. Sam looked very comfortable from the outset of the singles, he kept his cool and looked the fitter of the two. Steve was struggling to compete but he managed to find an extra gear when it mattered and after levelling at 5-5 he went on to take the set 7-5. His confidence now high and he went on to win in straight sets but it must be said that both players gave it their all and they should feel proud of the performances they gave. A match with James against Ollie was always going to be full of long rallies and so it proved. James was his usual consistant self and it was Ollie who was making the unforced errors. Ollie became frustrated at his performance and he lost a close first set but steadied himself well to force a decider. James really struggled with his serve all day, resorting to under arm serves for some of the time but his forehand shots especially cross court were his saviour and he won the final set 6-3. This division will be hard for both teams but they will not have a more competitive match this year!
'B' Team
Saturday 26th June v Dunstable (Home) - Won 10-4
Wills and Ollie turned out for the second week running for this match. Against slightly younger opposition, they were always in control in the doubles, with Wills on particularly good form to win 6-2. Wills should have carried on this good form in his singles but found his opponent very frustrating to play against because he just kept getting everything back! His opponent took heart from this and gradually started to make more winning shots and this was the pattern of the match with Wills going down 6-3, 6-4. Ollie never looked troubled on his way to a 6-0, 6-0 win as his opponent became more and more despairing at his own poor play.
Saturday 19th June v Linslade (Home) - Lost 14-2
Wills Orriss was joined by Ollie Giles for this match. They got off to a very lacklustre start losing the doubles 6-0 and never getting into their stride at all. It was a much different story in the singles however. Against one of the best juniors around, Wills looked really up for it from the word go and showed great movement around the court, chasing down every shot. His tireless approach started to frustrate his opponent forcing more and more mistakes. At 4-4 in the first set it looked like it could go either way but the visitor just did enough to edge it and won the next two games. It was a similar story in the next set and it was to finish with the same scoreline. With performances like this though, Will is not far short of being able to beat anyone! Ollie had a gruelling three set match. Losing the first 6-4 after looking as though he might win, he did well to fight back winning the second set 6-3 with some magnificent play. His opponent was getting more and more annoyed with his own game but this proved to be a positive reaction and he won the decider 6-3. Against a very good team, this was a good display and it could quite easily have been a Harlington victory.
Saturday 12th June v Flitwick & Ampthill 'A' (Away) - Lost 12-2
Wills Orriss and Matt Nolan travelled to this fixture against one of the best young teams around. They soon found themselves 5-1 down in the doubles but amazingly they managed to turn things around, eventually winning 7-5! The singles matches didn't go so well however. Wills always looked to have the measure of his opponent and on numerous occasions made excellent approach shots only to miss the decisive winning shot at the net. This was to be the pattern throughout his match and the 6-2, 6-2 scoreline is not a true reflection of just how close the match was. It was a similar story for Matt but he preferred to have long rallies from the baseline, rarely coming to the net but all too often it was Matt that made an unforced error and this proved to be his undoing.
Saturday 15th May v Harlington 'A' (Home) - Won 10-6
See 'A' team report above.
'C' Team
Saturday 17th July v Edlesborough (Away) - Lost 14-0
Mark and Phil turned out for this one but will probably wish they hadn't! Up against very big opponents who are so far undefeated they were always struggling. They stuck to their task well in the doubles and had some good rallies but the strength of shot against them was too good ultimately. A similar story in the singles. No shortage of effort from either player but the home team were just too good for them and Mark won the only game of the day!
Saturday 3rd July v Luton Co-Op 'A' (Away) - Lost 14-0
This match was played in terrible conditions! Carl Smith and Phil Draycott made the trip to Luton and soon settled down to a closely fought doubles set. There was never much to choose between the two teams and indeed Carl and Phil had a match point at one stage which they couldn't convert. Eventually the home team gained the advantage and won 7-5. Carl was faced with a very tough player in the singles and though he stuck at the task well, he was simply outplayed for much of the time and lost in straight sets. Phil's match was much closer with the first set going to a tie break which he lost followed by a 7-5 defeat in the next. Though he played well, with a little more belief he could have gone one better!
Saturday 19th June v Leighton Buzzard 'B' (Home) - Won Walkover
The rather disorganised Leighton Buzzard team failed to show up for this match so a walkover was claimed.
Saturday 8th May v Flitwick & Ampthill 'B' (Home) - Won 12-4
The weather for this match was poor to start with & deteriorated rapidly! By the end the courts were totally flooded but our players Mark Sproule and James Deakin were undeterred. The got off to a poor start in the doubles going 4-2 down before rallying well to win it on a tie break. Mark put in a strong performance in the singles playing an opponent much taller than himself. He was not fazed by this and kept good control of the ball playing to his strengths. He won the first set 6-3 and despite looking like he was going to lose the second, he battled to a tie break which he won. James got off to a bad start losing his first set 6-1 and his confidence was low. Encouraged by Mark, he gradually got back into the match to win a close second and force a decider. He eventually lost this 6-4 but showed what a gritty competitor he can be. A good first win for the team against the odds.
Under 13's
Saturday 24th July v Linslade (Home) - Lost 14-0
Sanjiv and Jamie Hanley played in this one. Against older and stronger opponents, they were always going to be struggling and so it proved. They each managed to win a couple of games in the singles but whilst there was no shortage of effort, they were just no big enough to make the winning shots they needed. Next year will be a different story but they have not disgraced themselves this year and will probably finish a very creditable mid table.
Saturday 26th June v Edlesborough (Away) - Won 14-0
This match was claimed as Edlesborough were unable to field a team.
Saturday 12th June v Dunstable (Away) - Lost 12-6
Sanjiv Gandecha was partnered by debutant Glen Hartard for this tough away match. Playing on the heavily sanded artificial surface at Dunstable is very different to what our boys are used to but they soon settled down with Glen playing particularly well in the doubles which they eventually lost 6-3. Sanjiv had a tough first singles set which he won 6-4 but the match see-sawed completely in the second which he lost 6-1. He regained the initiative well however and won the decider 6-1! Glen battled hard in the opening set of his match and earned a tie break which he won. Another close set followed which Glen lost 6-4 and his opponent gained strength from this winning the decider 6-0. This was still an excellent result despite the loss and the boys can be very proud of their performance.
Saturday 22nd May v Leighton Buzzard 'A' (Home) - Lost 14-0
Nick and Sanjiv played in this match against very strong and older opposition. Our two were intimidated even in the knock up but to their credit they battled well in the doubles, winning two games. The result was never in doubt however although the visitors were a little taken aback by some of the winners against them! It was a similar story in the singles with Nick having some great rallies which normally he would have won but against this opponent he was always having to play one shot too many. Sanjiv, too, fought well but only managed to win a game in each set. A heavy loss but not a disgrace against the team surely destined to win the league.
Saturday 8th May v Toddington (Home) - Won 14-0
Nick was joined by Phil Draycott for this match. The new partnership soon gelled and comfortably won the doubles 6-1 showing some good teamwork and encouraging each other throughout the set. Phil played the better of the two visitors and while both sets were close, Phil always looked the likely winner as he used his stylish backhand shots to good use. Nick's winning streak continued as he dropped only five games on the way to victory and his confidence is well founded as he continued to beat much older opposition.
Saturday 24th April v Flitwick & Ampthill (Home) - Won 12-4.
This was a truly great match to start off our summer season! Nick Giles and Sanjiv Gandecha were both in fine form against 2 very sporting 13 year olds who we were pleased to welcome to our club. Nick and Sanjiv got off to a flier in the doubles and led 4-1 in no time against their rather shocked opponents but the visitors rallied well to regain the lead before Nick & Sanjiv forced a tie break showing some great teamwork. They were always in control of this and more than deserved their first ever league doubles win! Nick carried on this fine form in the singles, blitzing his opponent who became very disheartened and playing some wonderful angled shots. Nick ran everything down - some quite amazing gets - and despite a bit of a wobble when he realized he was on the verge of victory, he kept himself together well for a fabulous first victory. Sanjiv was playing a much taller player but he kept his composure and forced his opponent into making a lot of volleys which paid dividends. He combined this with some pinpoint lobs which were consistently hitting the baseline to great effect. He lost the first set narrowly before winning the second well. The third went to 6-6 but there is no tie break in the deciding set and they played on needing two clear games to win. Sanjiv saved several match points but finally went down fighting 9-7 to the more experienced player. This was a great effort however and his first win will soon follow on this form!
