The Wildmoor Spa Tennis League covering the South Warwickshire area and parts of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire got underway for the summer season with the strangest looking table for many years after the opening week.
Newly promoted Studley A sit on top after they defeated sister side and also newly promoted Studley B 4-0. In second place with three points are Henley-in-Arden with more games won than Evesham after both enjoyed 3-1 wins. Henley’s was over Littleton and Evesham’s a terrific result over Champions Stratford-on-Avon. Fourth and fifth are Ardencote and Alcester respectively after they drew with each other 2-2.
Studley A enjoyed their time in the sun thanks to their expected 4-0 result over comrades Studley B. Damian Gulblicki & Mark Wilmore for the A Team beat Chris McGregor & James Fitton (B Team) 6-0, 6-0, but had to work harder to beat Ollie Smith & Dave Douglas (B Team) 7-6, 6-0. Martyn Richards & Paul Farmer (A Team) beat Smith & Douglas 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (14-12) after a championship tie-break. They then beat McGregor & Fitton 6-3, 6-2.
Henley had a close match against Littleton before overcoming them 3-1. Sam Turner & Oli Didlick (Henley) edged out Chris Elliot & Nick Muclitt (Littleton) 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 (10-5) after a championship tie-break, and then beat Joe Sinclair & Jon Spinks (Littleton) 7-5, 6-2. Henley captain Max Retallack & Brett McKay beat Sinclair & Spinks 7-5, 6-3, but lost to Elliot & Muclitt in another tie-break 6-4, 4-6, 0-1 (8-10).
The big match of the week was between last year’s Champions Stratford at home to the runners-up Evesham. Callum Bailey & Will Morely-Cotteral (Stratford) were involved in two hum-dinger rubbers before going down only after championship tie-breaks in both. Chris Francis & Andy Crowther (Evesham) squeezed past them 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (11-9) and then Simon Wall & Jack Crossley (Evesham) edged out the Stratford pair 7-6, 3-6, 1-0 (10-5). Stratford captain Tim Page with new partner Ben Keighly managed a point for their side by beating Wall & Crossley 6-3, 6-2, but lost to Francis & Crowther 5-7, 1-6.
In the final Premier Division match Ardencote Manor drew with Alcester 2-2. Mark Cook & Richard Lucas (Ardencote) lost to Alex Woodbridge & Stuart Beach (Alcester) 2-6, 3-6, but beat Tom Edmunds & Barney Williams (Alcester) 6-0, 6-4. Myles Wilcox-Smith & Ben Summers (Ardencote) beat Edmunds & Williams 6-1, 6-1, but lost to Woodbridge & Beach 4-6, 6-1, 0-1 (10-12) in an extremely close encounter.
In Division One Claverdon go top after a 4-0 victory over Inkberrow. Moreton-in-Marsh claim second with a 3-1 win over Aston Cantlow. Finally, Snitterfield and Pershore shared the honours in a 2-2 draw. Whitnash had no match this week.
Division Two saw four teams equal top after 3-1 wins. Ardencote Manor B enjoyed a good 3-1 away victory over Alcester B, while HDA B Redditch also had a 3-1 away win at Stratford B. Home wins went to Shipston-on-Stour A who beat Chipping Campden A 3-1 and also Inkberrow B beat FISSC of Stratford 3-1.
Division Three results saw Claverdon B top after a 4-0 away win over Wildmoor Spa A. Alcester C and Ilmington had 3-1 home victories over Henley B and Campden B respectively, while Studley C hosted Snitterfield B in a 2-2 draw.
On to Division Four which was topped by HDA B Redditch’s 4-0 home win over Inkberrow C and Claverdon C who defeated Littleton B 4-0 away from home. Next came Bidford A at home to Moreton B and Pershore B away to Campden C who both enjoyed 3-1 wins.
Finally, Division Five saw new club Warwick look very imposing after their emphatic 4-0 victory over Evesham B. HDA C Redditch beat hosts Bidford B 3-1, while Moreton-in-Marsh C overcame visitors Shipston B 3-1. In the final league game of the week Inkberrow D drew 2-2 with Wildmoor Spa B.