Curry Tournament 17th May 2014

Colston Ladies v Blewbury, Sunday May 19th 2014

Today we had our first summer match of the season. This was a home match against Blewbury and proved an eventful match! The visiting team looked very professional as they side stepped and skipped around the court to begin their warm up but as we started to knock up the famous Colston breeze joined us and ruffled them slightly. Charlotte and Helen looked full of energy as they played the second pair and swiftly closed the first set at 6:1. Helen was ‘very strong from behind’ (Charlotte’s words! ) and her ground strokes powered past the opposition. Charlotte adopted a  non text book ball toss for her serve which although unorthodox proved extremely effective and soon the second set was firmly within Colston’s grasp at 6:2.

Meanwhile on our court Karen and I were holding our own against their first pair. Although we lost the first set 1:6 there was a lot of grumbling from the other side of the net and ‘we are making hard work of this ‘ comments so we were fairly pleased we were being irritating enough to have played ok! The second set started with Karen and I very positive and playing well together. We decided that we were thinking to much about what the coach would say about our shots so decided to play ‘ugly tennis’ and just get the ball back! We doggedly persevered with Karen executing some fantastic lobs and consistent serves. Her ball placing got us out of some tricky moments and I did a lot of calling ‘great shot Karen!’  We were pulling ahead and had settled down when I returned a ball as a short cross court forehand into their service box. My opponent launched herself forward and then stopped immediately (uttering language you will not hear at Wimbledon!), she had ‘pinged’ something in her foot. She was in great pain and unfortunately that pair had to withdraw.

So Helen and Charlotte could sit with a cup of tea and cake in hand having comfortably taken all 4 of their games( albeit two of them from the comfort of the club house) and watch as Karen and I battled away in the heat of the sun.  We won the first set 6:4 with a lot of scampering about court returning some seemingly impossible shots. We realised the importance of communication as we ended up in a hug on court as we both went for the same ball! Highly amusing to the spectators though!

The next set saw an increase in spectators and a drop in sugar levels and having been in a strong position to take the set we lost 5:7. As previously agreed if we had a set each, we entered into the champions tie break rather than a third set. The experience of the pair at match play showed through and they secured the tie break 4:10.

We retired for tea very exercised. Charlotte’s homemade courgette, asparagus, feta and lemon filo quiche was as effective as her serve and hit the spot, followed by jam, cream scones and carrot cake from Helen and Karen…..mmmm! Calories don’t count after all that running I am sure!

Overall a win for Colston but more importantly a great afternoon of tennis all round.

A great start to the summer season.

Carol

Colston Mens A v Hanney A, Saturday 3rd May 2014

A battle of Blewburyesque proportions

 The much longed for reuniting of  Tridgell and Stevens did not begin well. Double faults, muffed volleys and ground stokes pushed wide of the tram lines meant that the first set disappeared rather to quickly, 6-2. It was half way through the second set that we finally woke up and brought it back to a tiebreak. They were a competent 1^st pair but having got back into the match we really should have closed out the set but alas no.

Meanwhile Miles and Chris were dealing with a 2^nd pair that were pretty much the same standard as the first- in particular they had a leftie who hit his huge forehand with enormous top spin. We took the first set with ease (1-6) but then they played better (Or Miles and Chris slipped??) and they too found themselves in a tiebreak, which they too- Lost.

Hence it was 1.5 to 0.5 rubbers at the halfway point.

Miles and Chris started well against the 1^st pair (4-6) but then they fought back to take the 2^nd  set and level it.

Gavin and I struggled to work out the leftie and frankly were still not playing well and lost the first 6-3 and then slid to 5-2 down in the second- this was the Blewbury moment!! We took the next 3 with some great serving and by playing the shots that annoyed them- Little dinks to the backhand of the leftie that he just lifted up for Gavin to smash. At 5-5 they got one and we got the next to set up the tiebreak-  but we were in the ascendency now. We raced to a 0-5 lead but then managed to lose the next 5 points before taking a 5-6 lead that set up the point of the match. Many good shots were exchanged before they placed a very good drop shot in Gavin’s tramline when he was well back behind the base line. Enough to level it you might think but Lord Stevens rolled back the years and sprinted (I kid you not!!) and not only got there but hit a cross court winner when the ball was only 2 inches of the ground!  This should have broken their spirit but it didn’t and we found ourselves 4-2 and 40-15 down in the third set before returning to our “dink it and wait for the kill” strategy- we took that game and the next 3 to win the rubber and since Miles and Chris had comfortably taken the third set, we begin the season with a win  2.5 rubbers to 1.5.

I think they’ll be kicking themselves having won 5 of the first 8 sets, but as Gavin always says “It’s a long way from 5 to 6”.  This bodes well as the Colston tradition (with the exception of the battle of Blewbury) is to fade at the end so bring on Wheatley on the 24^th !!

Colston Bears Take League Title

The Colston Mens B Team – “The Bears” won the 2013/14 Division 5 winter league last week having not lost a match all season !

Captained by Dick Collins the Bears have been unbeatable all year and look set to climb higher in both summer and winter leagues with a strong squad.

Well done to one and all and good luck for Summer 2014.

Gibson takes 2013 Mens Matchplay title, April 18th 2014

Miles Gibson and Olly Morris-Adams finally played their long awaited 2013 Mens Matchplay Final during the Easter weekend with Gibson running out a 6-1, 6-3 winner.

A rusty Morris-Adams threatened in the second set but it was too little too late as Lord Stevens watched on.

The 2014 event is now up and running and both finalists will be hoping for a rematch later in the year.

Colston Mens A v Shipton Under Wychwood, Saturday April 5th

A rather disappointing end to a rather disappointing season last Saturday vs Shipton-under-Wychwood.  With nothing to play for in terms of promotion or relegation we still fancied a crack at the runaway leaders of the division and had a decent team out with Olly and Miles as 1st pair (controversially in Lord Stevens eyes, of course) and Gavin and Jonnie as second pair.

Junior Competition Morning, Saturday 29th March

Colston Ladies v Norham Gardens, Saturday March 29th

Colston Juniors beat Farringdon

Colstons first junior yellow ball match took place yesterday evening against Faringdon.

The 4 juniors of William Daft, Rosie Horner, Charlie Driver and Jack Romanek, who all started playing at the club as 5/6 year olds, played very well and won 7 – 6 at singles.

A great achievement I’m sure you will agree and the first batch of juniors to come through to proper ball tennis. Well played guys and great to see such sporting behaviour on and off court, you were a credit to Colston !

Colston Ladies A v Appleton A, Saturday March 1st 2014

We arrived at the compact rural courts of Appleton on the first glorious day of spring. It was perfect tennis weather for a change with the sun shining and no wind!

Our first pair, the solid reliable combination of Anna and Emily picked their court and we started our warm up. Anna and Emily soon got into their stride and took the first set 6:2. Anna’s strong forehand and consistent volleys were great to watch and with the peppering of aces from Emily (at least half a dozen throughout the afternoon!) they soon took the second set 6:2 as well.

Meanwhile Teresa and I were playing the Appleton first pair. We started well and held our serve against the young very fit girl and her steady match experienced partner. At one point we were 3 all and playing nicely. However a couple of clever shots with good use of the net(!!) from the opposition saw us down a game and we eventually lost the set 3:6. The Appleton team then had warmed up nicely and although we played some great shots with Teresa scrambling some impossible shots back, the experience told and we lost the second set 3:6 also.

A quick regroup and we were all back on court quickly as the black clouds started rolling in and the air got chilly…. Winter tennis after all! Anna and Emily were on a roll and communicating well….. lots of ‘yours if you can’ calls were politely being issued as they powered on and took the set 6:3. A few more aces and beautiful shots and the now tired opposition meant the last set was won by Anna and Emily.

Teresa and I were battling on. We had lots of fast rallies and close games, with comments from the spectators of ‘great shots’. We mixed up our shots which extended each game but unfortunately we lost the first set 1:6. Appleton’s second pair were masters of the cross court lob which they constantly directed at Teresa in the second set.
We were out played on match experience and lost our final set 1:6. We were unlucky not to take more games off them but had a great afternoon of some really good tennis that we should be proud of.

The tea was very welcome and we left Appleton well exercised, well fed and a draw of 4 sets each.