Week 10 of the season for the South Warwickshire Summer Tennis League saw current champions Stratford-on-Avon maintain their seven point lead in the Premier Division although they were held to a 2-2 draw by an unexpected and impressive performance from bottom side Chipping Campden. Stratford kept their lead because second placed Littleton and third placed Alcester were also held to draws. Littleton stay one point clear of Alcester with their 2-2 draw away to Henley-in-Arden while Alcester drew 2-2 away to Shipston-on-Stour. The only Premier team to win this week was fifth placed Claverdon as they enjoyed an excellent victory over fourth placed Evesham 3-1.
Despite fielding a weakened side Stratford would have hoped for better against a team laying at the bottom of the Premier Division. However Campden gave a good account of themselves and walked away with a deserved draw. Josh Thornson & Ollie Coombes (Campden) did really well to beat the strong pairing of Rob Slatter & Tim Page (Stratford) 4-6, 7-6, 1-0 (10-3). They then beat Chris Marrow & Ed Bosley (Stratford) 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (11-9). Pete Felton & Mark Jepson (Campden) lost to Marrow & Bosley 0-6, 3-6 and lost to Slatter & Page 4-6, 1-6.
Second placed Littleton had an even match against Henley. John Hunt & Matt Williams (Henley) lost to Michael Crooks & Simon Blewitt (Littleton) 1-6, 3-6, but managed to beat Chris Elliott & Ross Patterson (Littleton) 6-1, 6-3. Neil Supperstone & Max Retallack (Henley) beat Elliott & Paterson 6-1, 6-3 but just lost out to Hunt & Williams 0-6, 7-5, 0-1 (9-11).
Third placed Alcester A continued the tendency to draw as Adam Moran & James Hudson (Shipston) beat Stuart Beach & Tim Kenneally (Alcester) 6-2, 6-1, and beat Gareth Price & Tim Price (Alcester) 6-1, 6-3. Brothers Hugh & Ben Allen (Shipston) lost to Gareth & Tim Price 0-6, 1-6, and lost to Beach & Kenneally 3-6, 3-6.
Finally in the Premier Division, Claverdon produced the only win of the Week as James Courier & Pete Thomas (Claverdon) lost their opening rubber to Simon Wall & Paul Everett (Evesham) 4-6, 1-6, but bounced back to beat Ray Foster-Morison & Chris Francis (Evesham) 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6). Meanwhile on the other court captain Richard Butler together with partner Carsten Astheimer (Claverdon) won both their matches beating first Foster-Morison & Francis 6-1, 6-2, and then Wall & Everett 6-3, 7-5.
Division One leaders Ardencote Manor with 29 points stretched their lead to seven points but with the help of a 4-0 walkover bottom team Bidford-on-Avon (7), who are fined and docked two points for failing to field a team. Pershore (22) had no match and are pushed down to third by Inkberrow (21) who take second spot after they gained two valuable points in drawing 2-2 with fourth placed Studley (18). Aston Cantlow on 12 points stay fifth after beating sixth placed Alcester B 3-1 The latter now have 9 points..
Division Two is led by nine points now by Studley B who again emerged victorious 3-1 away to equal second with placed Claverdon B. The other equal second side on 18 points is Snitterfield A. They enjoyed a resounding result 4-0 at the expense of fourth placed Stratford B now with 17 points. Surprise result of the week was a 4-0 win by bottom of the table Shipston B (8) over fifth team Campden B (16). However, they were helped by Campden defaulting on two rubbers having only fielded one pair and as a result are docked a further penalty point. Whitnash had no match and lay in danger of relegation. on 15 points.
The big match in Division Three was between leaders Moreton-in-Marsh A and second placed HDA A of Redditch. It resulted in honours even as they shared a 2-2 draw and meant that Moreton retained their seven point gap at the top on 28 points. Inkberrow B moved up to join HDA in second on 21 points thanks to a resounding 4-0 victory over the penultimate team Henley B (11). FISSC beat Ilmington 4-0 and with that moved up to join them on equal fourth with 16 points. Littleton B with no match stay rooted to the bottom on only 5 points.
Division Four table toppers are Ardencote Manor B who now have a massive 10 point lead thanks to another impressive 4-0 win, this time over fifth placed Pershore B (11), Second placed Wildmoor Spa A had no match and this allowed Snitterfield B to draw level on equal second with 21 points, even though they only managed a 2-2 draw with fourth placed Alcester C (12). The bottom two sides Claverdon C (10) and HDA B Redditch (6) stay put after they shared the points in a 2-2 draw.
Finally in Division Five Studley C opened up a four point gap and now lead the table with 26 points after beating second placed Chipping Campden C 4-0. Inkberrow C on 16 points had no match and drop to fourth after Bidford-on-Avon B beat bottom side Wildmoor Spa B 3-1 and moved up to third with 19 points as a result. The last league fixture saw Henley C (13) move closer to fifth placed Moreton-in-Marsh B (14) when they surprisingly defeated them 4-0.