The Andover Lawn Tennis Club Championships, an integral part of the Andover Lawn Tennis Club's history, marked its golden anniversary with a successful event.
Established in 1973, shortly after the club's reformation, the championships have become a cherished tradition among tennis enthusiasts.
Despite the unfortunate timing of the event coinciding with a rare rainy day during the September heatwave, the championships proceeded seamlessly, thanks to the availability of indoor courts at Balksbury.
The day was a celebration of tennis spanning generations, from the youngest mini players showcasing their skills on reduced courts with soft balls to seasoned veterans.
The event honoured two members who had secured titles in the early years of the championships.
Glenys Chambers, who achieved a remarkable feat by winning singles, doubles, and mixed titles in 1974, and Dot Chaffey, a formidable player who clinched the singles twice and the doubles thrice in the early 80s, were celebrated for their remarkable contributions to the sport.
Both individuals continued to excel on the court, winning more titles over the years.
The festivities included junior events spanning various age groups, with prizes awarded for outstanding achievements throughout the year.
These accolades were organised by head coach Joe Revelle and his dedicated coaching team.
Notable awards and winners included:
Most Improved Mini, The Margaret Winnett Cup: Liliana Mawo
Most Improved Junior, The Wakeham Cup: Leo Crewell
Most Improved Saturday Morning Juniors, The Coomer Award: Maddison Tuffrey, Wilf Barnett, and Woody Newton
Most Outstanding Club Juniors, The Joan Reeve Cup: Luciana Salazar-Lewis and Ned Barnett
The junior events featured exceptional talent across different categories, with winners such as Serena Mawo, Liliana Mawo, Amelia Martin, Meredith DeMarco, Ryan Crewell, and more, showcasing their prowess on the court.
The women's singles final featured Flavia Zamfir and Maria Sharova with the former securing her victory with a score of 6-2, 6-2.
In the men's singles final, club coach Joe Revelle faced off against Graeme Ellis. Joe ultimately secured the title after a tense deciding championship tie-break, ending with a score of 6-2, 6-1, 10-7.
The mixed title went to Ant Brown and Claire Reid as their opponents had to default due to illness. They had previously displayed their championship form in a thrilling semi-final against Graeme Ellis and Jennie Pope.
In the women's doubles, Jennie Pope and Ros Hursell were defeated by Flavia Zamfir and Elena Clarke, 6-3, 6-2.
The men's doubles was a showdown between last year's winners, Ant Brown and Andrew Winnett, and the winner and runner-up in last year's singles final, Kyrill Kennett and Gregor Corcoran. The younger pair, Kyrill and Gregor secured the title with a score of 4-6, 7-5, 10-7.
Andrew Winnett returned to the court for the senior men's final, emerging victorious against last year's champion, Martyn Isherwood, with a score of 6-2, 6-2.
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