Carisbrooke Tennis club regained The Mercury Cup with the narrowest of 5-4 victories over the Hamilton club from Melton.
For the second successive year the outcome hinged on the very last match on court after four hours of closely fought mixed doubles With rubbers standing at 4-4 Carisbrooke's second pair of Jack Simpson and Shirvani Patel came back from a 2-5 first set deficit to taking the deciding rubber 7-6, 6-2 over Hamilton's Tom Rowe and Jess Gadsby.
The Knighton club was packed to the rafters as supporters from both clubs cheered every winning point from their respective teams.
Carisbrooke captain Liz Mansell, leading her team in a fourth successive final, refelected afterwards ' The Mercury Cup is very dear to our hearts here at Carisbrooke with the club winning four times in the 1920s when it was first contested and now we have appeared in four successive finals this century. Playing in the final is the highlight of the club's year and the level of support shows just how much it means to us all. I must pay full compliment to Hamilton, however, who have a very talented young side and will surely lift the trophy in the near future.'
Scores (Carisbrooke names first) Mark Jeffreys and Franky Gutteridge lost to James Rowe and Charlie Griffin 0-6 1-6, bt Tom Rowe and Jess Gadsby 6-3 6-2 , bt Ryan Parmar and Amelia Coltman 6-1 6-4
Jack Simpson and Shirvani Patel lost to J Rowe/ Griffin 4-6 3-6 , bt T Rowe and Gadsby 7-6 6-2, bt Parmar/ Coltman 3-6 7-5 10-4 (in match tie break set)
Bobby Brooke and Liz Mansell lost to J Rowe/ Griffin 4-6 6-3 3-10 (in match tie break set), beat T Rowe/ Gadsby 6-3 6-4, lost to Parmar / Coltman 6-4 4-6 8-10 (in match tie break set) .
Neil Phillips
Leics County Tennis