Summer Report for 2008

Mixed Success for Goring

The summer season has come to a close, following competition both at weekends and during the week involving 15 different teams.

In the midweek Newbury League Nigel B’s Men’s team finished third in Division 1 - this would have been higher but for last minute availability issues. The Ladies A team, captained by Nikki R, retained the Division 1 title and in doing so won all 10 matches. Caroline H’s B team could not retain its Division 2 status and will return to Division 3 next year. Ollie R’s Mixed A team finished second in Division 2 having won Division 3 last year. The B team under captain Jon H will probably return to Division 5 for 2009.

In the Oxfordshire (weekend) leagues (both 2 pair and 3 pair) results were mixed. Pride of place goes to the 2 pair Mixed A team led by Sue T which won Division 2. Runners up places were achieved in the 2 pair league by both Men’s teams captained by Mark T (Division 3) and Terry W (Division 8) as well as by Andy G’s 3 pair Men’s team in Division 2. The Ladies 3 pair team captained by Jax M continued its yoyo existence by returning yet again to Division 2. The team would have stayed in Division 1 this time but for the fact that one match had to be conceded through lack of player availability. Also for reasons of availability Ann L’s 2 pair Ladies C Team had to withdraw from the league midway through the season.

The Ladies Midweek league has grown over the years. It is intended to be a summer competition but extends well into the autumn and some matches are still to be played by Pam T’s team.

Whilst almost 50 players turned out (a not dissimilar figure to previous years) this summer presented continuing availability problems for the captains and thanks must go to all of them for managing their teams so stoically and to those players who turned out (often at short notice) for teams other than their regular ones in order to keep the Goring Tennis Club flag flying.

Following the successful migration of the Oxfordshire League Mixed teams from the 3 pair to the 2 pair competition we will do the same for the ladies and men’s 3 pair teams in 2009. The majority of players prefer to play just two rounds of tennis as everyone now has many and varied demands on their free time.

Mark T

Club Captain