Tennis round-up (South Essex): Top players line up for Southend finals

The event is being held on the recently-refurbished £100,000 artificial grass courts courts at Southend Lawn Tennis Club in Broadclyst Gardens, Thorpe Bay, on Sunday.

The men's singles final will start the day at 10am when Simon Bonham and Simon Chesher face each other.

Tracey Chesher and Kirsten Warner will be competing for the ladies' singles title at 11.30am.

Husband-and-wife team Steve and Hazel Wynn will line up against Karen Rivers and Dave Lamb in the mixed doubles final at 1pm.

The men's doubles is pencilled in for 2.30pm.

Karen and Tracey will be in their second final of the day when they partner Lynsay Watt and Fiona Stone respectively in the ladies' doubles.

Hockley held its finals day at the weekend and saw Kevin Eley win three titles and Jill Ayres take two.

Kevin beat Paul Herring 6-4 6-1 in the men's singles final before partnering Nick Melcher in the men's doubles.

They recorded a 6-2 6-3 victory over John Stokes and Roy Bickell.

Kevin rounded off his trio of triumphs by winning the mixed doubles 6-1 6-3 with Jill Ayres. They beat Nicola and David Edwards 6-1 6-3.

Jill's other win came in ladies' doubles when she paired up with Pat Reeve to beat Kate Bennett and Victoria Mills 6-3 6-3.

There was comfort for Victoria in the ladies' singles however when she defeated Nicola 6-4 6-3.

Wickford Tennis Club's annual summer finals day is on Sunday, August 13. There will be six finals at the Swan Lane club, with the first starting at 11am.

Hardcourts' men won through to the last eight of the National Club League at Gosling Sports Park on Sunday.

The Hardcourts fielded a strong team in the shape of Vince Ranson, Simon Bonham, Richard Barham and Simon Chesher to beat Nottingham-based West-bridgeford 4-1 in the last 16.

Bournemouth's West Hants Club will play host to the national finals between September 15 and 17 where the first prize is £5,500 and the tennis will be played on clay courts.

Gul flies high in finals

Sophie Gul recorded a famous five when she competed in Southend Lawn's finals day at the weekend.

The 14-year-old Southend High School for Girls pupil was victorious in five of her six finals.

She won the ladies' singles, under-18 singles, under-15 singles, the girls' doubles with Stephanie Kiss and the mixed doubles with Robert Frost.

The ladies doubles, where Sophie partnered Lynn Webster, proved to be her Waterloo.

"I have won in previous years, but to win five was great," said a delighted Sophie, who has been playing tennis for nine years.

"It was very tiring, but I've now got a host of trophies to look at."

Sophie now plans to carry on playing tennis although she is not sure how far her game will progress.

Triple treat for record-breaking duo

David Tubbs and Chloe Taylor set a club record when Thorpe Bay staged its finals days at the weekend.

The duo both recorded three wins each as they secured major club honours.

David found himself 1-4 down in the final set of the men's singles final with Simon Cuthbert.

But he recovered to win the match 4-6 6-2 6-4 before claiming the men's and mixed doubles titles.

Chloe Taylor - the daughter of new Leicester City manager and ex-Southend United boss Peter Taylor - beat Kirsten Warner 6-4 4-6 7-5 in a tough ladies' singles final.

She teamed up with David in the mixed doubles and joined Kirsten to win the ladies' doubles.

Club chairman Mike Baggs lost out when he paired Keith Palmer in the men's veterans doubles final and lost 6-4 6-2.

"Finals day at Thorpe Bay Lawn Tennis Club was a great success with large crowds attending and supporting all the finalists, especially the men's singles between Simon Cuthbert and David Tubbs," said club spokesman Derek Smith.

Winners all - the Thorpe Bay champions with their awards

Picture: DEREK SMITH

Adults' results

Men's open singles - David Tubbs beat Simon Cuthbert 4-6 6-2 6-4.

Men's open doubles - David Tubbs & Graham Bloomfield beat Jon Lee and Simon Cuthbert 7-6 6-4.

Ladies' open singles - Chloe Taylor beat Kirsten Warner 6-4 4-6 7-5.

Ladies' open doubles - Chloe Taylor & Kirsten Warner beat Mandy Acton & Kris Newbery 3-6 6-4 6-0.

Mixed open doubles - David Tubbs & Chloe Taylor beat Kirsten Warner & Simon Cuthbert 6-3 6-4.

Married handicap doubles - Trevor & Sally Margerison beat Peter & Debbie Gould 6-2 8-6.

Mixed handicap doubles - Francis Ferguson & Ernie Coulson beat Chris Watson & Elaine Klein 7-5 7-5.

Parent & junior handicap - John & Jade Blackman bt Richard & Melanie Bax 4-6 6-4 6-4.

Men's vets singles - Alan Rayner beat Keith Palmer 6-1 7-6.

Mixed vets doubles - Keith Palmer & Kris Newbery beat Tim Padbury & Heather Bell 4-6 6-0 6-4.

Ladies' vets singles - Kris Newbery beat Dawn Brown 6-0 6-3.

Men's vets doubles - Graham Ray & Alan Ray-ner beat Keith Palmer & Michael Baggs 6-4 6-2.

Ladies' vets doubles - Liz Hoare & Kris Newbery beat Frances Ferguson & Dawn Brown 7-5 4-6 8-6.

Men's handicap singles - Andrew Ferguson beat Chris Knight 6-3 6-4.

Ladies' handicap singles - Louise Ferguson beat Debbie Gould 6-4 6-4.

Men' handicap doubles - Chris Watson & Doug Hoare beat Tony Davison & Adam Thomas 6-0 2-6 6-3.

Ladies' handicap doubles - Carole Boston & Dawn Brown beat Melanie Bax & Stephanie Moon 6-4 4-6 6-4.

Mixed vets handicap doubles - Frank Van Wezel & Kris Newbery beat Derek Boston and Chris Hyde 7-5 6-1.

Junior results:

Boys' open singles U18 - Simon Cuthbert beat Andrew Ferguson 6-2 6-0.

Girls' open singles U18 - Louise Ferguson beat Jacqui Hoare 6-0 6-1.

Boys' open doubles U18 - James Tubbs & Simon Cuthbert beat Alex Bell (injured) and Andrew Ferguson in walkover.

Girls' open doubles U18 - Jacquie Hoare and Melanie Bax beat Louise Ferguson & Jessica Clayton 6-0 6-4.

Mixed open doubles U18 - Louise & Andrew Ferguson beat Jacquie Hoare & Simon Cuthbert 7-5 6-2.

Girls' open singles U14 - Jade Blackman bt Sam Gray 6-1 6-1.

Mixed open doubles U14 - Nicole & Daniel Schade beat Sam & Richard Gray 6-1 6-3.

Boys' open doubles U14 - Daniel Schade & Daniel Quinn beat Alex Cast & Chris Meranda 6-3 6-0.

Girls' open doubles U14 - Jade Blackman & Ashlee Tyrrell beat Nicola Hart & Emma Gray 6-1 6-2.

Boys' open singles U14 - Daniel Schade beat Danil Quinn 6-0 6-1.

Girls' open doubles U12 - Sam Gray & Hannah Robins beat Laura Hart & Nicole Schade 6-3 6-1.

Girls' singles U12 - Nicole Schade beat Ashlee Tyrrell 6-2 6-3.

Boys' singles U12 - Alex Cast beat Tristan Davison 3-6 6-3 6-3.

Boys' doubles U12 - Joseph O'Brien & Tristan Davison beat Nicky Wilson and Josh Doughtry 6-3 6-2.

Girls' open singles U10 - Ashlee Tyrrell beat Emma Quinlan 6-0 6-0.

Boys' open singles U10 - Richard Gray beat Edward Barden 6-7 6-1 6-3.

Wickford forfeit

Wickford forfeited a rubber when they were unable to field a third pair in their Leigh &Westcliff LTA Division Two men's match against Westcliff Lawn.

The latter team won the event 4-2.

Veteran Paul Lewis turned in some inspired play to give himself and partner Chris Lewis a 6-3 6-3 win for Leigh Road Baptist in their 4-2 victory over Westcliff Lawn III.

Men's results

Division Two - Wescliff Lawn v Wickford: 3-6 4-6, 6-1 7-6, walkover, sets 4-2; Hockley v Westcliff Hard II: 6-7 6-3, 7-5 4-6, 5-7 6-4, sets 3-3.

Division Three - Invicta IIv Thorpe Bay II: 3-6 1-6, 4-6 0-6, 6-7 1-6, sets 0-6; Westcliff Hard IIIv Kent Elms II: 2-6 2-6, 6-4 6-2, 2-6, 5-7, sets 2-4; Leigh Road Baptist v Westcliff Lawn III: 6-3 6-4, 6-3 6-3, 2-6 3-6, sets 4-2.

Division Four - Westcliff Lawn IVv Invicta III: 6-2 6-2, 6-3 7-5, 7-6 6-1, sets 6-0.

Division Five - Kent Elms IIIv CE Heaths: 5-7 3-6, 6-3 6-2, 7-5 1-6, sets 3-3; Thorpe Bay IV v Hockley II: 6-3 6-1, 6-2 6-0, 6-3 6-3, sets 6-0; Kent Elms IIIv Crowstone

6-4,4-6 6-1,6-4 6-3,7-6, sets 5-1; Wickford IIv CE Heath:5-7 5-7, 6-7 6-1, 6-2 6-3, sets 3-3.

Ladies' results:

Division One - Westcliff Hard v Leigh: 6-4 6-1, 6-2 6-2, 6-0 6-0, sets 6-0; Hadleigh Park v Thorpe Bay: 3-6 2-6, 6-4 6-2, 7-5 7-6, sets 4-2; Kent Elms v Hockley: 3-6 6-2, 6-3 6-0, 6-1 2-6, sets 4-2.

Division Two - Thorpe Bay v Rayleigh: 3-6 0-6, 1-6 1-6, 6-4 6-4, sets 2-4; Kent Elms IIv Southend Lawn: 5-7 7-5, 2-6 3-6, 0-6 6-7, sets 1-5; Westcliff Lawn v Westcliff Hard II:1-6 3-6, 6-3 6-1, 7-6 7-5, sets 4-2.

Division Three - Westcliff Hard III v Westcliff Lawn II: 3-6 6-3, 6-3 6-2, 6-3 4-6, sets 4-2. Rayleigh Lawn II v Hadleigh Park II: 6-3 6-3, 6-2 6-3, 6-1,6-2, sets 6-0. Hockley II v Leigh II: 6-7 7-6, 6-4 7-5, 3-6 3-6, sets 3, 3.

The League results:

Division One - Rayleigh v Southend Lawn: 6-4 7-5, 7-6 3-6, 6-2 6-0, sets 5-1; Thorpe Bay v Westcliff Hard: 6-1 6-0, 6-7 6-7, 6-2 6-0, sets 4-2; Leigh v Kent Elms: 1-6 0-6, 2-6 3-6, 5-7 6-7, sets 0-6.

Division Two - Hadleigh Park v Hockley: 6-2 6-3, 4-6 6-3, 4-6 4-6, sets 3-3.

Division Three - Hockley II v Rayleigh II: 0-6 3-6, 6-2 6-7, 7-6 1-6, sets 2-4; Westcliff Lawn II v Thorpe Bay II: 5-7 6-3, 6-0 6-7, 2-6 3-6, sets 2-4.

Division Four - Leigh Road Baptist v Hockley III: 6-1 6-1, 6-3 6-2, 6-3 6-2, sets 6-0; Southend Lawn II v Hadleigh Park II: 5-7 1-6, 7-6 6-3, 6-0 6-2, sets 4-2.

Division Five - Crowstone v Wickford II: 1-6 0-6, 4-6 4-6, 0-6 3-6, sets 0-6.

Walkover benefits Westcliff Lawn

County league action at the weekend saw Westcliff Lawn cruise to a 9-0 events win over Redbridge in Essex Men's Division One.

Bryan Rivers, Dave Lamb, Tim Willcock, Paul Mower, Steve Wynn and Ian McDonald were the winning Lawn players.

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