The Inter-League Charity Cup Tennis Final took place last Sunday (6th September) at the Henley-in-Arden Tennis Club between Stratford-on-Avon representing the Wildmoor Spa Summer League and Leamington Spa representing the Stratford and District Winter League. The balls were supplied by "Inspire2Coach" based at Warwick University.
This is the fourteenth year of this competition between the two leagues, the winners of which decide the fate of the £100 cheque donated by the leagues. Summer League Champions Stratford fielded their four players Club Coach Graeme Adams with Simon West the Stratford captain Tim Page partnered Will Morley-Cotteral. For the Winter League Leamington fielded captain Miguel Espada & Tom Mill, while Martyn Todd partnered Romain Jalard.
The last three years had seen these two teams fight out tremendously close contests and this final was certainly no exception. There followed some excellent close tennis in which every rubber was taken to a third set Championship Tie-Break. The match took three and a half hours to complete such was the competitive nature of every point contested.
Stratford's Adams & West took a first round point for Stratford by beating Jalard & Todd 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8). However, Leamington made it 1-1 as their pair Espada & Mill beat Page & Morley-Cotteral 6-2, 6-7, 1-0 (10-5).
Page & Morely-Cotteral rebounded for Stratford to beat Leamington's Jalard & Todd 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-5). So it was down to the wire when Leamington rescued the match when their pair Espada & Mill triumphed again this time over Adams & West 6-3, 6-7, 1-0 (10-5) to tie the match at 2-2. With sets even it was agreed that both teams should share the trophy.
The Cup and individual awards were presented by the Chairman of both the Summer & Winter Leagues Tony Eskew. The Secretary of the Wildmoor Spa Summer League Corin Bishop presented a cheque from his league for £100.00 to the choice of a local Charity agreed by both teams which was The Acorn Children's Hospice.