Week 4 of the South Warwickshire Summer Tennis League saw little change in the Premier Division. Stratford-on-Avon on 16 points remained at the head of the table maintaining their hundred per cent record by beating Claverdon away 4-0. Second placed Alcester kept up their challenge with a similar 4-0 victory away to Henley-in-Arden. Despite overcoming Chipping Campden 3-1 at Campden, Evesham dropped from equal second to third in the table. Finally, bottom side Shipston-on-Stour drew 2-2 at home to fourth positioned Littleton only to be docked 2 points by the league for failing to send a team for their opening fixture of the season..
Stratford continued a strong defence of their title with another 4-0 win. Callum Bailey & Cameron Malik (Stratford) dropped only three games while beating first James Courier & Pete Thomas (Claverdon) 6-2, 6-0 and then John Turner & Carsten Astheimer (Claverdon) 6-1, 6-0. Tim Page & Simon West (Stratford) beat Turner & Astheimer 6-2, 6-4 and beat Courier & Thomas 6-1, 7-5..
Four points behind the leaders Alcester followed Stratford's 4-0 score as their players Tim Kenneally & Stuart Beach overcame Max Retallack & Brett Mackay (Henley) but only just 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-4) in a championship tie-break. They then beat Fraser Kent & Craig Mander (Henley) 6-0, 5-2. Gareth Price & Tim Price (Alcester) beat Kent & Mander 6-1, 7-5 but again met resistance from the unlucky Retallack & Mackay before finally defeating them in another close score 7-5, 6-7, 1-0 (10-5).
Evesham could manage only a 3-1 victory and so dropped a place to third. John Clarke & Chris Francis (Evesham) beat Ken Dawson & Pete Felton (Campden) 6-0, 6-1 and beat Geoff Vaughan & Ollie Coombes 6-2, 5-1. Simon Wall & Paul Everett (Evesham) lost to Vaughan & Coombes 6-2, 4-6, 0-1 (9-11) in a very close encounter, but then beat Dawson & Felton in another cracking contest 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6).
In the final Premier match Shipston did well to hold fourth side Littleton to a 2-2 draw but remain rooted to the bottom. James England & William Welch (Shipston) lost to Mike Crooks & Charlie Crisp (Littleton) 1-6, 2-6 but beat John Fielder & Mike Schwartz (Littleton) 6-1, 6-2. Hugh Allen & Tom Coyte (Shipston) defeated Fielder & Schwartz 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 on a tie-break but then lost to the all conquering Crooke & Crisp 0-6, 0-6.
Ardencote Manor still top Division One with a maximum 12 points after they again won 4-0 this time at the expense of bottom side Alcester B. Pershore are not far behind on 10 points after they too enjoyed a 4-0 win over equal third side Studley on 7 points . The other team in third position Inkberrow had no match. At the lower end of the table Bidford-on-Avon and Aston Cantlow shared the points in a 2-2 draw.
Division Two leaders on 12 points are Studley B who enjoyed a comfortable 4-0 victory over Whitnash. Campden B lie second on 10 points after they were held to a 2-2 draw at home by third placed Stratford B. Snitterfield A shared equal third spot on 9 points by beating Shipston B 3-1. Claverdon B had no match.
In Division Three Moreton-in-Marsh A go three points clear thanks to a 4-0 walkover FISSC of Stratford who failed to raise a team and have been docked 2 points by the league Ilmington with 10 points lay second after they beat HDA Redditch 3-1. Third spot is retained by Inkberrow B with 8 points despite having no match this week. Finally, Henley B move up to mid table after they left bottom side Littleton B still pointless in a 4-0 defeat.
Division Four saw Ardencote Manor B stay top even without a match on 10 points. This is because second place Wildmoor Spa A were held to a 2-2 draw by mid table Pershore B. Snitterfield B moved up to joint second on 9 points with Wildmoor thanks to a 3-1 defeat of HDA B of Redditch. In the final match Alcester C moved into fourth spot by beating bottom team Claverdon C 3-1.
Finally, in Division Five Chipping Campden C kept a one point lead at the head of the table when they beat bottom club Wildmoor Spa B 3-1. Studley C and Bidford B share second place on 9 points after they drew with each other 2-2. Moreton-in-Marsh B are fourth with 7 but had no match and Inkberrow C come next after they kept just above Henley C by defeating them 3-1.