Okehampton Tennis Club

It's the season for tennis! Great to see Rusty rackets session so busy this morning. If you want to get back into tennis, or looking for people to play with, come along Mondays at 10am, balls and good company provided, rackets if you need.

Okehampton mixed B team have finished all their summer matches, and set to be placed 2nd, with a move up to division 5 at the end of the season. Many clubs have matches still to play, but having won 8 out of 12, with 65 points, we’re in a strong position. Mixed B was a new team this year, and have held their own despite the strongest players being in A, so great work by captain Graham, and everyone who played.

Winter season starts in September, anyone interested in playing league games do come along to a club session and make yourself known.

Massive congratulations to our mens team who have planned, practiced and worked hard this season. They won their last summer match last night, guaranteeing 2nd place in the division, and a move up to division 5 next year. They won 12 of their 14 matches, 88 points, and lost only to Chagford. Well done team!

Thursday (30th July) evening saw the final match of the summer season for okehampton mixed B when we entertained new entrants to the league, torquay, who, currently have won 9 out of 9 matches (including thrashing us 8-0 at their place a few weeks back). They are destined for much higher things while we await the results of our main contender for promotion, Lympstone. Fingers crossed!

On a sunny evening, ideal for tennis, our A pair of Penny and Graham had a tight 1st set against the opposition A pair but ran out 6-4 winners, we went one better in the 2nd set winning 6-3.
Our B pair of Sumiyo and Dave struggled against a very strong opposing B pair, being blown out of the water 6-0. A much closer 2nd set (despite the 6-1 scoreline!) saw many deuces but to no avail.
After that scoreline, Sumiyo and Dave faced the opposition A pair with great trepidation and probably an early finish on the cards, but played some tenacious tennis, only to falter on the most important points, going down 6-4, 6-4.
Meanwhile on the adjacent court, a right old battle was going on, with the home pair going down 7-6 in the 1st set but coming back to win the 2nd set 6-4 before losing the championship tie break.

A 6-3 defeat on the night but 3 points gained against the strongest side in the group can be seen as a good result. We now await results elsewhere to see if we get promoted to division 5 for next summer season. Thanks to all of you out there who read these reports. Onwards and hopefully upwards!

CORRECTION to Okehampton College post of July 16th. Okehampton tennis club has scheduled club sessions as per our website, on all four of Okey tennis courts, on Monday 10-11.25am, Tues 6-9pm, Sat 2-5pm. The club pays for this use and always has done. For those who wish to book courts, courts 3 and 4 can be booked using OCRA - Okehampton Community Recreation Association online booking system, for a small fee, up to 1 week in advance. Floodlighting is provided on booked courts at specified times. The club is not aware of any funding provided for free public use, though hopes that this will be the case!

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Okehampton Tennis Club
OCRA - Okehampton Community Recreation Association
LTA - Tennis For Britain
Wimbledon

Last night (15th July) the okehampton mixed B team didn't quite travel to the seaside as intimated in the last post, but a little up river to Sidford. On a hot and humid evening and also missing out on England's semi final World Cup match ( we heard the roar that greeted England's lead but were disappointed when phones were checked at the end of the match) a very competitive match was played out against our hospitable hosts.

Our A pair of Graham and Penny were in top gear against the Sidford A pair, running out 6-2, 6-1 winners. After a lengthy break due to the ongoing exploits of the B pair match, our A pair had quite a shock to be 3-0 to the home B pair but a lengthy fightback ensued to make the 1st set into a tie break, which the hosts won 7-6. Poise was reclaimed by the Okes who went on to win the next set 6-1, and then also the championship tie break.

Our B pair of Dave and Sumiyo raced ahead against the home B pair and found themselves 4-1 up before the jitters set in, but recovered in time to take the 1st set 6-4. The next keenly contested set saw the hosts win 6-4 and with momentum in their favour took the championship tie break. It was a case of Dèja vu for the Okes when playing the A pair of Sidford. Playing some excellent tennis, the Okes ran out 6-2 winners in the 1st set only to lose the 2nd set 6-3 and the championship tie break thereafter.

All in all an excellent evening's tennis despite the heat and humidity and an unprecedented 3 championship tie breaks. The Okes running out 6-5 winners on the night. Next up another road trip, on a Saturday to Cary Park, torquay.

On a hot early evening on Thursday (9th July) the okehampton mixed B team travelled to an unbeaten Lympstone side just one place below us at 3rd in the table. We were greatly surprised to see a long queue of people outside of the courts and only managed to grab the final parking slot. I know it was 2nd against 3rd and after watching Wimbledon, perhaps these people wanted to see the real deal ..... alas, we were the secondary attraction, with a school play taking centre stage indoors! Fun playing against a background of singing and foot stamping though.

Our A pair of Penny and Pete played some great tennis dispatching the home A pair 6-3, 6-2, and after winning the 1st set 6-3 against the home B pair, began to find things more difficult in the 2nd set, going down 7-5. Things looked pretty grim in the championship tie break at 6-1 down, but with a tenacious attitude, fought back to win the tie break!

Our B pair of Sumiyo and Dave found life very difficult against the home B pair, blown away 6-0 in the 1st set, but recovered some dignity in the 2nd, but still losing by 6-3. The match against the home A pair was much more competitive, despite the scoreline of 6-1, 6-3 to the home pair.

All in all despite the narrow loss (5-4) and the heat, it was a good evening's tennis against welcoming hosts. A pitstop at the Saddlers pub (other pubs are apparently available) for further refreshments rounded off an enjoyable evening.

The B team take to the road again on Wed (15th) when we take a trip to the seaside to play sidmouth.

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