Match Reports Week 14-20 May

Keswick and Braithwaite Tennis Club Report Week 14-20 May.

There were mixed fortunes for Keswick’s quartet of tennis teams in the league competitions this week. In an exciting and tightly contested home fixture against a strong Seascale team our men’s first team, under the captaincy of Dougal Atack, were beaten 3-5. Our men’s second team, who play in Division 2, fared better against Seascale’s third team, overpowering them to win without conceding a single set 0-8.

Both of Keswick’s ladies’ teams similarly ended the week with contrasting results; our second team lost heavily to an on-form Seascale first team 1-7 ; while our first team continued their progress into the upper reaches of the league table with a fine win at Whitehaven.

Keswick Ladies’ First Team’s fixture against Whitehaven 1 this week looked doubtful at lunchtime on Tuesday with rain and wind persisting, however in good Cumbrian style the evening cleared and although it was blustery the courts were dry. Our first pair, Clare Pinkney and team captain Julie Saxton, started well against the opposition’s first couple, quickly taking the first set 6-0. The second set was more challenging due to the horizontal sun setting over the court and impairing visibility at one end, however Claire and Julie remained solid and took the set 6-3.

Meanwhile Keswick’s second pair, Ali Lightford and Sally Huit, battled really well against their opposite numbers, Whitehaven’s second couple. They kept their cool with Sal's big forehand and Ali's angled volleys causing their opponents real problems, to take the first set 6-5 on a closely contested tie-break. In the second set, despite the horizontal sun, they kept their focus taking the set 6-3.

At the half way point Keswick were leading comfortably 4-0 and felt able to relax and enjoy their tennis.

Clare and Julie’s strategy employed punishingly deep returns which, coupled with their dominance at the net, resulted in their taking both sets from Whitehaven’s second couple 6-0 and 6-1.

Sal and Ali were in sparkling form and had a terrific first set against the opposing first pair which went to a tie-break which they narrowly lost. The second set unfortunately then slipped away 2-6 as they ran out of steam towards the end of the match.

At the end of the evening Keswick had a tally of 6 sets to only 2 against them. The score in games was 43 to 24 which was a great result and earns 2 valuable points towards the team’s position on the division table. Our match next week will be a tougher one; at home against Cockermouth on May 25th.