The Annual Essex Tennis Leo-Lyle Trophy Men’s Doubles Invitation Tournament was held successfully at Thorpe Bay LTC, the home of the event for the 8th successive year, over the weekend of Saturday and Sunday 11th & 12th July 2015.
Pictured above are the competitors together with Steve Wynn, referee
The event was organised by the now familiar team of Jamie Willson the Essex Tennis Senior Men’s Captain and Graham Ray, and refereed, as usual, by Steve Wynn the Essex Tennis Competitions Chairman. The Leo-Lyle Trophy Doubles Tournament provides a high level spectacle of unique Men’s Doubles Tennis and is used as an important lead up event to the forthcoming National Event, namely the Summer Inter-County Grass Courts Doubles Championships being held later this month. This year the Essex Tennis Men’s Team will be competing at the Havant LTC venue.
A slightly reduced compliment of twelve players participated in this year’s competition, Players were divided into two box groups consisting of three pairs played in an initial ‘Round Robin’ format. All matches were played over the best of two tie-break sets with a ‘Champions Tie-Break’ as the third deciding set if required. It was pleasing to see a mixture of established Senior Players blending in with our talented younger players who responded competitively at the opportunity of playing against their experienced Senior Peers. This year Alex Curuba and Alex Dodd from Harlow LTC, Edward Pudney from Thorpe Bay LTC, James Caddies from Gidea Park LTC, Darien Lamb from Westcliff Hardcourts and Ajay Modhwadia from Redbridge Sports Centre made up the contingent of Junior Players. They were not overawed at the prospect of competing against their illustrious Senior opponents.
Other local player involvement included Harry Randle and David Tubbs from Thorpe Bay LTC together with the ageless Richard Barham from Westcliff Hardcourts and Peter French from Clearview.
Saturday saw the group stages being competed for and completed,
Group ‘A’ consisted of Richard Barham and David Wright, James Caddies and Lewis Thompson and Darien Lamb partnered by Edward Pudney.
Group ‘B’ consisted of Harry Randle and David Tubbs, Peter French and Mark Klein and the two Alex’s, Dodd and Curuba.
In Group ‘A’, Richard Barham partnered by substitute player Ajay Modhwadia proved just a little too strong for their opposition and in a closely fought group stage, proved just too consistent for the their opposition and ran out the winners. In Group ‘B’, Thorpe Bay’s own Harry Randle and David Tubbs were the winners after Mark Klein had to withdraw, feeling unwell probably caused by the heat of the day. A high standard and quality of doubles play was matched by the entertainment delivered by all players involved.
The Sunday saw the positional Semi-Finals and Finals taking place.
The first Semi-Final involved Richard Barham and David Wright pitched in battle with Alex Dodd and Alex Curuba, the young boys from Harlow LTC. The two boys gave their established Senior opposition a great game but after an extremely close first set they narrowly lost out to their experienced Senior peers, 7-6, 6-2. The second Semi-Final saw Harry Randle and David Tubbs play James Caddies and Lewis Thompson. The local pairing of Harry and David used their local knowledge and mastered the very windy conditions to run out convincing winners, 6-2, 6-4.
On to the final, which as usual, proved to be the best match of the event. A highly competitive match added to by some marvellous doubles play from all players, saw the spectators treated to some great doubles play. A mix of power and aggression coupled with some exquisite and deft touch play, saw Harry Randle and David Tubbs take the first set 6-2. This jolted Richard Barham and David Wright into immediate action, and after a great second set, saw them shade it in a highly competitive set by 6-3. Into the Final Set Champions Tie Breaker, with Harry Randle and David Tubbs proving just too good for Richard Barham and David Wright to win the match. This delighted the home crowd viewing gallery of Thorpe Bay LTC who gave both doubles teams a standing ovation having being treated to a fine display of Men’s Doubles Competition.
The Third and Fourth Place Play-off event proved an equally entertaining affair with James Caddies and Lewis Thompson proving just a little too strong for the talented young pairing of Alex Curuba and Alex Dodd, 4-6, 6-2 and tantalisingly losing out in the Final Set Champions Tie Break.
The consolation event saw Darien Lamb and Edward Pudney shade victory against Peter French and Ajay Modhwadia, 6-3, 6-3. Again, some superb Mens Doubles Play saw the shot of the Tournament being produced by Edward Pudney, a ‘NUTMEG’, between the legs winner resulting in a standing ovation from all the on-court players and spectators alike.
The Event was superbly refereed by Steve Wynn, Club Captain of Westcliff Lawn Tennis Club. Steve presented the Trophy and Prizes to the winning players.
Thorpe Bay LTC were most generous hosts in allowing the use of their facilities, on what was a great day for quality Men’s Doubles Tennis.
Finally, we wish the Essex Tennis Men’s Team playing at Havant LTC later this month, every success in their efforts to get back to the top flight of National Tennis.
Graham Ray
ECLTA Selector & Organiser.