Melton Mowbray Tennis Club net league hat-trick of wins

The club just missed out on a full house when the ladies’ first team were pipped 5-4 by Charnwood.

The men’s first team travelled to Knighton for their first Premier League match and turned in a superb all-round performance to win 9-0.

Pierre Luiggi and partner Patrick Foley were in commanding form to clinch their three rubbers with just the loss of eight games.

Ben Mactaggart teamed up with Tom Rowe and lost just 14 games, while third pair Ryan Parmar and James Rowe battled through to win two of their matches on tie-breaks before easing through the final rubber 8-1.

Scores: P. Luiggi/P. Foley W 8-3, 8-2, 8-3; B. Mactaggart/T. Rowe W 8-5, 8-4, 8-5; R. Parmar/J. Rowe W 8-7, 8-7, 8-1.

* The men’s second team hosted Newtown Linford Firsts on a wet and windy night and came out on top 6-3.

But credit goes to both teams for getting on with it and playing on in a superb spirit in tricky conditions.

Each pairing took two rubbers, but lost out to the Newtown Linford first pairing of former national junior champion and club coach Paul Nicholls and his partner Alexander Chappell.

In his teenage years Nicholls notched a fine win over world top 10 pro player Juan Martin Del Potro and having just returned to the game appears to have lost few of his skills.

Melton’s first pairing of teenager Ollie Aley and Jake Beagle came closest to toppling Nicholls, but just lost out in a tie-break after a super set of tennis.

Justin Horobin and Sean O’Regan, and Simon Hawthorne and John Sturmey weighed in with two wins to get their Division 3B season off to a flyer.

Scores: O. Aley/J. Beagle L 7-8, W 8-1, 8-1; J. Horobin/S. O’Regan L 4-8, W 8-4, 8-2; S. Hawthorne/J. Sturmey L 3-8, W 8-2, 8-1.

* Melton ladies’ second team travelled to Rothley for their Division 3B fixture and returned with a tight 5-4 win.

First pairing Jenny Golland and Ellie Jenkins paved the way with an excellent maximum three wins, with bride-to-be Jo Heggs and Laura Hayward weighing in with two sets to clinch the match.

Beth Lowe and Sarah Medcalf battled hard, but just failed to turn the big points into wins.

Scores: E. Jenkins/J. Golland W 8-0, 8-2, 8-4; L. Hayward/J. Heggs W 8-6, 8-6, L 5-8; B. Lowe/S. Medcalf L 2-8, 4-8, 6-8.

* The first team hosted Charnwood in a Division One match on another wet and windy night, but came a cropper with the visitors just nicking the points.

Charnwood were strengthened by several new additions and met an out-of-sorts Melton team.

Skipper Charlie Griffin partnered Georgie Ashmore and collected two wins, along with second pairing Sarah Diver and Laura Cooper.

But Corinne Blythe and Jess Gadsby were unable to add to the tally and were unlucky to lose out on a tight tie-break.

Scores: C. Griffin/G. Ashmore W 8-1, 8-4, L 5-8; S. Diver/L. Cooper W 8-5, 8-5, L 2-8; C. Blythe/J. Gadsby L 3-8, 7-8, 3-8.