Week to forget for Badenoch and Strathspey teams in Galbraith Highland Tennis League
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Last week was not good for the men’s and women’s tennis teams in Badenoch and Strathspey with only one win recorded out of 11 fixtures played.
Men’s Leagues
The exception that prevented a complete whitewash was the Rothiemurhus A team’s Division 3 home win over Forres B.
Tom Davy and Dylan Farrell won their first rubber quite comfortably 6-1, 6-2.
The second was a tight affair which went to a first set tie-break which the Aviemore pair lost. The visiting top seeds stepped up a gear running out 6-2 winners.
Gavin Musgrove and Finlay McDonald stormed through the 1v1 contest 6-2, 6-1 on the indoor court and started where they left off against the visiting seconds notching a 6-1 scoreline when a back injury to Forres' Drew Walker signalled an early end to the second set with R&A 3-1 up.
In the other men’s matches, the Division 1 tie at Inverness saw Grantown playing for a draw, a plan which ultimately did not work.
Brothers Alistair and Billy McLeod were soundly beaten in both matches. It was down to Colin McLeod and Matthew Davies to do what was required – win both their rubbers in straight sets.
They looked on track when the duo beat the homesters second seeds (6-2, 6-2). However all bets were off as the Grantonians lost the first set of their 1v1 encounter (5-7).
Getting their heads together and winning the remaining two was no consolation.
That one set spelt the difference between the hoped for draw and the actuality of the evening – overall the team lost 5-4.
A draw looked to be on the cards at Grantown where the home B team entertained Gordonstoun.
The visitors’ top pair were unbeaten on the night although Marcus Alliod and Matthew Hamlett had a good go at the public schoolboys, taking them to a first set tie-break which the Strathspey pair were unfortunate to lose.
The Gordonstoun second couple were equally matched with both home pairs The Gordonstonians two matches needed match tie-breaks to separate them from first, Alliod and Hamlett (who won 3-6, 6-4, 11-9) and then Walter Cruikshank and Malcolm Reynolds (who won 6-2, 6-7, 10-2).
Kingussie have had a baptism of fire in this their first season in Division 1. In their second outing of the season, they faced the formidable defending champions Bellfield Park.
The Inverness team are odds on to retain the title and they showed why as they had a comfortable 8-0 win.
Women’s Leagues
In the Division 1 top of the table clash, R&A hosted leaders Elgin A. It was really a game of two halves as the homesters’ second couple (Jo Evans & Fiona Clarke) just could not get to grips with the opposition pairs.
Eve Wilkinson and Wendy Munro fared better, taking the Moravians number two pairing 6-0, 6-2 to set up a crunch encounter with the visiting first couple.
A straight sets win would mean a share of the points. However, all hopes of that outcome were dashed as Wilkinson and Munro plummeted to a 1-6 loss in the first set.
They fought back to take the second but were edged out in the championship breaker (8-10). Final score 3-6.
Grantown A 2 Inverness A 6
Lindsay Tinney & Mandy Davidson lost 1-6, 3-6; won 6-4,6-2. Paula Starritt & Rachel Knight lost 3-6, 2-6; lost 4-6, 5-7
Nairn A 8 Kingussie A 0 (no details)
Elgin B 6 R&A B 2: Kim Beattie & Amy McAdam lost 0-6, 4-6; won 6-3, 6-4. Judith Marten & Lyndajean Fishpool lost 4-6, 4-6; lost 2-6, 3-6.
Kingussie B 2 Forres B
Christine Sutherland & Mary Anderson lost 6-1, 5-7, 5-10; unfinished 6-3, 4-6; Deborah Tait Davies & Eileen Stuart lost 1-6, 1-6; lost 3-6, 3-6.
Tain 8 R&A C 0 (no details)
Forres A 6 Grantown B 0: Marlene Tainsh & Pauline Mitchell unfinished 4-6; lost 1-6, 6-7. Fiona Reynolds & Patricia Lawson lost 2-6, 6-7; unfinished 4-6.
Mixed
On Monday evening R&A A whitewashed their Invernessian visitors. Eve Wilkinson & Angus Harrold won 6-3, 6-3; won 6-4, 6-0. Wendy Munro & Emil Mirossay won 6-1, 6-1; won 6-1, 6-2.
The boot was on the other foot for the B team – Finlay McDonald and Sheila Lowther, and Gavin Musgrove and Lindajean Fishpool – who went down 8-0 on the road against Inverness B.
But it was a great evening for the Grantown club with both teams winning.
Grantown A 7 Forres A 2: Lindsay Tinney & Walter Cruikshank lost 7-6, 5-7, 3-10; won 6-1, 6-2; Mandy Davidson & Alistair McLeod won 6-1, 6-3; won 6-2, 7-5
Grantown B 5 Gordonstoun 4: Fiona & Malcolm Reynolds won 6-4, 6-4; lost 6-7, 6-3, 8-10. Paula Starritt & Angus Robinson lost 5-7, 4-6; won 7-5, 7-6
14 & Under
Grantown 4 Bellfield Park 8: Calum Fleming lost 2-6, 6-7; Angus Robinson lost 1-6, 3-6; Aaron Mcleod won 6-4, 6-4; Charlie Trench lost 0-6, 0-6. Calum & Angus lost 1-6, 3-6; Aaron & Charlie won 7-5, 6-3.
