Suffolk ladies tennis team competed in group 6b of the AEGON Summer County Cup in Tunbridge Wells. The competition was held over three days this year: Monday 17th July to Tuesday 19th July. The team for the first day consisted of Katie Tassell and Lydia Green playing at first pair, Emma Elsom and Kari Sherington at second pair, and Louise Rogers and Lysette Fulcher at third pair. Laura Mee was reserve for the first day and supported the team fully in all their matches. Suffolk won their opening match against the Isle of Man by 7 rubbers to 2. Katie and Lydia were unbeaten on this first day whilst the other two pairs won two matches each.
Day two was against Bedfordshire and Suffolk was victorious again. All three Suffolk pairs won two out of three of their matches with the Bedfordshire first pair unbeaten. The final score was 6 rubbers to 3. The team’s first and third pairs remained unchanged, but Laura Mee stepped in to play in place of Kari Sherington at second pair. Laura played some brilliant tennis from the net, gained valuable experience at county level and improved with each set that she played.
With two wins from two matches there was everything to play for on the final day. The group 6b winners, and therefore the team to be promoted, would be between Suffolk and Cornwall. It was decided that the team from day 1 would be the team to face Cornwall. Suffolk put up a good fight but was narrowly beaten 5-4. Two of those five rubbers went to three sets but unfortunately were won by Cornwall. The score was exactly even on games which shows just how close the match was! The Suffolk first and second pairs both won two out of three of their matches but it was not quite enough to secure promotion.
The Suffolk team were disappointed to have missed out on promotion by such a small margin but the team spirit, commitment and enthusiasm during the three days was superb. Every member of the team contributed to a very successful County Cup and my job as captain was made very easy.
Emma Elsom