No doubt spurred on by the magnificent efforts of Wimbledon Champion Andy Murray, Suffolk tennis players of all ages have combined to make 2013 a sizzling Summer of success.
Pride of place must go to our Senior County teams who performed superbly in July, the Men comfortably retaining their Group 2 status for the 2nd year running, and the Ladies promoted with ease at Felixstowe and now in with a great chance of moving swiftly up the divisions. Our promoted Ladies’ 35.Over team also added to the overall success.
The Felixstowe Club also had a Summer to remember, being awarded a Challenger event at the start of the grasscourt season in addition to their traditional events, and attracting a large number of young, promising players to the county. The tournament scene was once again vibrant and well supported, Framlingham leading the way in early August with another smoothly run and highly successful event for all the family. Junior Ryan Lambert did well to reach the Suffolk Men’s Final, maintaining this form throughout the Summer and capturing the Inter-Club Doubles for David Lloyd with fellow junior Henry Patten.
Newmarket Ladies deserve a special mention for capturing the Inter-Club Doubles for the 3rd year running, defeating luckless Roundwood again in the final. Our Veteran (Senior !) teams also made a major contribution to the overall success, producing a number of fine results after many long journeys up and down the country. Sadly we said a fond farewell to both Pam Rogers and Peter Andreasen, two stalwarts of the game who both made remarkable and memorable contributions to tennis in Suffolk over many, many years.
Looking at the juniors there has been an impressive catalogue of success, the Sports Club’s Maddie McLoughlin wining her first Grade 2 national title at Bath and finishing 3rd on the 9U national leaderboard, and Isabelle Eaton finishing 7th on the 10U national leaderboard, having won a number of Grade 3 tournaments around the country. Travis Ireland finished in the top 30 11U national leaderboard, with both Joshua Stokes, the 9U Closed Champion and Kayleigh Hale awarded national player status for their age-group.
12U Ashlie Hale was also awarded national player status, and Justice Hall won 4 Grade 3 9U competitions including Framlingham, Felixstowe and the Suffolk Closed, becoming the number one player in the East Region for her age-group. Not surprisingly, the county mini tennis teams have excelled with wins at 8U and 9U at the annual Eastern Region County Cup event. Suffolk Girls’ 10U team also put up a memorable performance in the County Cup, finishing a creditable 2nd to a strong Hertfordshire team.
This overall picture of success is as much about enthusiastic officials as good players, and Suffolk are so lucky to have the likes of Sheelagh Watts, Keith Flewitt, Alan Reeve and Janet Hambling working so hard year after year. The younger players in particular need inspiring leadership, and it may have gone unnoticed that Holbrook Primary’s Mrs Andrews was named the Suffolk Teacher of the Year by the Suffolk Schools’ Tennis Association. Mrs Andrews put in hours of dedicated work, organizing fixtures, writing to children and parents, arranging transport and umpiring, to mention just a few duties.
Finally, a positive note on which to end, as Wortham Tennis Club teams took to the courts in the wind and the rain last week for a Ladies’ Charity Doubles Tournament, sponsored by the Boutique Lily + Rose in Diss. The event raised a magnificent £700-00 for Parkinson’s UK and local charity Musical Keys, Cromer’s Heather Bottomley and Cheryl Buck beating Wortham’s Jenny Barton + Sara Worley in an entertaining decider. Many thanks to Weavers’ Wine Bar, Skinsense, Larter + Ford, Leisure Sport Diss, Park Flowers + Wortham Tea Shop for their support.