Week 9 of the season for the South Warwickshire Summer Tennis League saw Stratford-on-Avon increase their lead at the top of the Premier Division to 7 points with a 3-1 victory over mid-table Henley-in-Arden, while second placed Littleton were held to a 2-2 draw by the other mid-table team Claverdon. Third placed side Alcester moved up to within a point of Littleton from a 4-0 walkover Chipping Campden who have been fined and deducted 2 points. Evesham stay in fourth after they beat relegation threatened Shipston-on-Stour 3-1. Shipston were only able to field one pair and have been deducted a league point.
Stars for Stratford were Richard Monk & Callum Bailey who won both their rubbers beating first John Hunt & Matt Williams (Henley) 6-3, 6-3, and then Brett Mackay & Max Rettallack (Henley) 6-2, 6-4. Chris Marrow & John Dixon (Stratford) beat Mackay & Rettallack 6-2, 5-7, 1-0 (10-6), but lost to Hunt & Williams 4-6, 6-3, 01 (6-10) in two very close championship tie-breaks deciders.
In the Premier match of the week Littleton had to fight back from two rubbers to nil down and one set down in each of their second matches before recovering to gain an invaluable two points in their 2-2 draw with Claverdon. Simon Blewitt & Chris Elliott (Littleton) went down to James Courier & John Turner (Claverdon) 5-7, 4-6, but fought back to beat Richard Butler & Carsten Astheimer (Claverdon) 0-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8). Jack Philpott & Richard Herborn (Littleton) similarly lost their first rubber to Butler & Astheimer 6-0, 3-6, 0-1 (6-10), but came back to beat Courier & Turner 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-8).
In the final Premier Division match played Andrew Crowther & Tony Butler (Evesham) lost to William Welch & James Hudson 2-6, 6-7, but Evesham had a walkover in two other rubbers as Shipston were only able to field one pair. In the other rubber played Simon Wall & Chris Francis (Evesham) beat Welch and Hudson 6-4, 6-2 to give their Evesham side a 3-1 victory.
In Division One Ardencote Manor lead by four points despite no match this week. Second place Pershore beat bottom placed Alcester B 3-1 and have 21 points one above Inkberrow who hammered Bidford-on-Avon 4-0.pushing them into relegation trouble. Studley stay in fourth on 16 points after being held by fifth placed Aston Cantlow who have 9 points.
Division Two remains unchanged as all three fixtures resulted in 2-2 draws. In top spot with 24 points Studley B were surprisingly held by bottom side Shipston B on only 4 points. Similarly second placed Claverdon B with 17 were held by sixth placed Snitterfield A on 14. Third placed Campden B were also held to a draw by fifth place Whitnash. Stratford B had no match.
Moreton-in-Marsh A are 7 points clear at the top of Division Three with 26 points. However, they were held to a 2-2 draw by second placed HDA Redditch A Team. Inkberrow B now lie in third with 17 points thanks to a 4-0 victory over Henley B (11). Ilmington stay fourth on 16 points but were well beaten 4-0 by fifth placed FISSC who now have 12. Littleton B had no match and still lay bottom with only 5 points.
On to Division Four and Ardencote Manor B, despite only drawing 2-2 with third placed Snitterfield B (19 pts), stay six points clear at the head of the division with 27 points. Wildmoor Spa A lie second after they beat Claverdon C 3-1. The latter are now deeply in the relegation zone. The match between HDA B Redditch and Claverdon C was postponed due to rain and Alcester C had no fixture this week
Finally, In Division Five Studley C remain leaders on 22 points despite having no match this week. However, Campden C join them on 22 after they picked up two points in a 2-2 draw with fifth placed Moreton-in-Marsh B (14). Bidford B hung on to third place with 16 points but are now joined equal by Inkberrow C who thumped them 4-0. The last league fixture saw bottom two sides Henley C and Wildmoor Spa B both on 9 points draw 2-2.