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Tees Valley saw its first ever touchtennis fun adult competition Sunday December 9 at Durham University Queens Campus Sports Centre.
The competition was launched by Durham University following a number of 'rusty racket' sessions throughout the summer months in partnership with the local NHS and Tees Valley Sport.
Rusty rackets / touchtennis is a modified version of tennis using smaller rackets and courts with sponge balls. It was great to watch the players enjoying the event. Some of the players had not picked up a tennis racket since school and got back into the swing in no time at all!
Peri Anderson and Jo Cunliffe helped run the first event and were buzzing with how it went. The great thing about the competition was the social, friendly and fun atmosphere that the players created, with plenty of banter from everyone!
The competition itself involved singles, which was followed by doubles. The singles saw two groups of 4, with Gemma, 'Judge Judy,' Natalia and Geoff in one group and 'Tennis Dennis,' Stuart, Liam and Duncan in the other. The matches were played in great spirit and the rallies were fantastic to watch. In fact both Jo and Peri commented that you would have paid to watch some of the type of rallies they witnessed!
The doubles followed the singles and wow there were some close matches! One match went to 16-14 and then a further three were 15-13....as Nicole Scherzinger would have said it was 'Schmazing!'
The winners of the singles were,
Gemma Neasham and 'Tennis Dennis.'
The doubles winners were Stuart and Judy with the other three pairings all finishing on equal wins proving how close it had been!
So well done to everyone who took part and we are looking forward to the next one in January. The proposed date is Sunday 20th and time to be confirmed. If you would like to enter please contact Jo.Cunliffe@LTA.org.uk who will send you the entry form!
Please see some videos from the event below,
Gemma v Natalia.
Stuart and Liam v Tennis Dennis and Duncan.
Judge Judy v Natalia.