The Wildmoor Spa Tennis League covering the South Warwickshire area and parts of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire got underway for the summer season with the promoted side Ardencote Manor leading the way in the Premier Division.
Ardencote topped the table on games difference after they had two home matches in the opening week enjoying a resounding 4-0 win over Inkberrow before going down to Claverdon 3-1. Claverdon also had two matches and joined Inkberrow at the top with 5 points after drawing 2-2 with Alcester in their other match. The rest only played one fixture each which saw champions Stratford-on-Avon triumph 4-0 over Littleton to go third and Evesham who beat Henley-in-Arden 4-0 slot into fourth place.
Ardencote’s captain Myles Wilcox-Smith & Christian Hardy won both their rubbers against Inkberrow as they beat Gordon Kier & Chris Dixon 6-4, 6-1, then beat Mike Baker & Nick Brookes 6-2, 6-1. Ben Summers & Richard Lucas (Ardencote) beat Baker & Brookes 6-1, 6-0, and beat Kier & Dixon 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, in a more difficult rubber.
In their second match Ardencote came up against a stronger Claverdon team and had a tough opening rubber. Myles Wilcox-Smith & Christian Hardy went down in a lengthy opening encounter 6-4, 4-6, 0-1 (6-10) after a Championship Tie-Break game, to Claverdon’s top pair James Courier & Pete Thomas. The Ardencote pair then lost to Claverdon’s second pair captain Richard Butler & Andy Ashley 2-6, 2-6. Ardencote’s second pair Ben Summers with John Brain beat Butler & Ashley 7-5, 7-5, but lost to Courier & Thomas 5-7, 6-2, 0-1 (6-10) in another tie-breaker which meant that Claverdon triumphed in the match 3-1. Claverdon then went on to draw 2-2 away to Alcester. Alcester pair Tim Kenneally & Stuart Beach won their team’s two rubbers beating Courier & Thomas in a very tight match 6-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7) after a Championship Tie-Break and then beat Butler & Ashley 6-3, 7-5. Alcester’s second pair Peter Bostock & Sam Hawker went down to Butler & Ashley 1-6, 1-6, and lost to Courier & Thomas 2-6, 2-6.
Current champions Stratford had little trouble disposing of Littleton in straight sets. Their first pair Callum Bailey & Cameron Malik beat Andy Reynolds & Sean Witheford (Littleton) 6-0, 6-1, and then beat Chris Elliott & John Fielder (Littleton) 6-0, 6-0. Stratford captain Tim Page & partner Simon West beat Elliott & Fielder 6-1, 6-1, and beat Reynolds & Witheford 6-3, 6-1.
Finally, in the Premier Division Evesham enjoyed a good away victory at Henley 4-0. Dave Taylor & Brett Mackay (Henley) lost to Chris Francis & Ray Foster-Morison (Evesham) 1-6, 3-6, and lost to John Clarke & Simon Wall (Evesham) 5-7, 4-6. Max Retallack & Emmanuel Vaxier (Henley) lost to Clarke & Wall 3-6, 6-7, & lost to Francis & Foster-Morison 2-6, 2-6.
In Division One Studley A top the table after an opening 4-0 win away to Pershore only dropping one set on the road. The other four teams with matches all drew. Studley B drawing 2-2 at home to Aston Cantlow and Shipston hosting Chipping Campden in a 2-2 tie. Snitterfield had no fixture this week.
Division Two sees a three way tie at the head of their table as Bidford-on-Avon, Moreton-in-Marsh and Whitnash all won 3-1. Bidford over Alcester B, Moreton at the expense of Claverdon B and Whitnash overcoming Stratford B. Moreton’s was the most emphatic win, then Bidford, with Whitnash’s victory the closest. HDA Redditch had no match.
Since Division Three start a week later it was on to Division Four where clear leaders emerged when Studley C enjoyed a 4-0 victory away to Chipping Campden C. Claverdon who drew 2-2 with Snitterfield B claimed an early second spot on games difference over Henley B who also drew 2-2 away to Littleton B who lie third. Alcester C had no match.
Finally, Division Five saw Pershore B top the Division when they celebrated a 4-0 away win against Bidford B on games difference over Inkberrow C who also won 4-0 at home against sister side Inkberrow D. HDA B Redditch go third after beating Moreton-in-Marsh B 3-1. Wildmoor Spa B Team have yet to play their first fixture.