The top flight of the Doric Insurance sponsored senior leagues continues to be led by just 2 points after the two leading sides each recorded victories this week.
Whistlers C have held a firm grip on the Division since the 5th week of the season and earned a 7-3 victory over 6th placed side Lions B this week. Alice Edwards led the way for the league leaders with an evening of unbeaten singles action. This included a mightily impressive straight sets win over averages leader Ben Foss, for the loss of just 15 points. Her other wins came against Jamie Ferbrache and Chloe Le Tissier, also in straight sets. Dawn Morgan and Mark Pipet each beat Ferbrache and Le Tissier in singles action to make sure of the win, however Pipet needed the full 5 sets to overcome Le Tissier and Morgan the full 5 sets against Ferbrache, these 2 pivotal fixtures coming in games 6 and 7 of the match. Foss defeated Morgan and 4 sets and Pipet in straight sets, whilst he also teamed with Ferbrache to inflict a rare 4 set defeat to the strong doubles pairing of Edwards and Morgan.
Lions C defeated fellow title rivals Lions A 7-3 in a result which pushes the A side down a spot to 4th in the table. Joshua Butler, Liam Robilliard and Matthew Stubbington all beat Jez Powell and reserve Connor Powell in singles action to secure the win. The closest matches were against Jez, with Robilliard and Stubbington winning in 4 and Butler in 5. Butler and Stubbington teamed to win the doubles over Phil Ogier and Powell in 4 sets. Ogier himself was in fine form as the fixture saw him drop just the single leg to Stubbington during his trio of singles wins on the night.
Whistlers B took advantage and moved into 3rd spot, just 2 points behind the Lions side in 2nd and 4 off the leaders following a 7-3 win over bottom placed side Lions E. Joshua Stacey continued his very strong form so far in 2023 with an unbeaten evening. He beat Paul Hainsworth, Charlotte Casey and reserve Nye Matthew for the loss of just a single end to the latter. He also combined with Joseph Bourgaize to beat Hainsworth and Casey in 4 sets in the doubles rubber. Matthew Casey completed the win due to his straight sets win over sister Charlotte and 4 set win over Matthew, whilst Bourgaize came through a tight tussle with Charlotte in 4 sets to extend the margin of victory. For the beaten Lions side, Hainsworth defeated Casey and Bourgaize in 4 sets, whilst Matthew added a 4 set win over Bourgaize.
5th placed side Whistlers A overcame 7th placed side Lions E 8-2. Lawrence Stacey was in fine form during his singles wins over Ryan Bichard, Steve Ozanne and Sam Clark. He dropped single ends against Ozane and Clark before earning a decisive straight sets win over Bichard. Ben Sharp and Ryan Gilson made sure of the win due to their singles wins over Ozanne and Clark, however this was far from straight-forward. Gilson needed 4 sets to overcome Ozanne before battling back from 2-0 to Clark to win the final 3 ends 11-7, 13-11, 14-12. Sharp's results were identical in that he beat Ozanne in 4 and Clark in 5. He too trailled Clark, but from 2-1 down won the final 2 ends 12-10, 11-7. Stacey and Gilson won the doubles game over Ozanne and Clark in straight sets. Bichard saved some pride for his side when he beat Sharp and Gilson, each in straight sets.
Lions F maintained their strong 6 point lead following a 7-3 win over Lions H. Averages leader Nye Matthew continues to be the main man in the Division following another evening of unbeaten singles action. He defeated James Crocker, Jayden Tucknott and Carly Tucknott without dropping a set. Caden Brouard added wins over Crocker and Carly in 4 sets, whilst reserve Ian Le Page added a straight sets win over Carly. Matthew and Brouard combined to win the doubles against Crocker and Jayden in 4 sets. Jayden had a strong evening which saw him earn an excellent straight sets win over Brouard and a 4 set win over Le Page, whilst Crocker also defeated Le Page in 4 sets.
Division 3
Lions I and Ravenscroft Panthers C remain locked together at the top, with just a small games difference between them.
The Lions side are mathematically top and they had a tough test against former leaders Ravenscroft Panthers D this week but squeezed through 6-4. Steve Potter is yet to lose a single match and he continued this fine run with straight sets singles wins over Mick Ingrouille, Mark Windsor and reserve Richard Wellfair. Jenny Powell added wins over Ingrouille and Wellfair in straight sets and then teamed with Potter to win the all-important doubles clash over Ingrouille and Windsor in straight sets. The Panthers players all earned wins over Lions junior 4th Division reserve Ollie Sparks, however Ingrouille needed 4 sets and Wellfair the full 5. Windsor added a further singles win over Powell in straight sets.
Ravenscroft Panthers C defeated Lions J 7-3 this week and as well as having the same points as the league leaders, they also have something else in common. Their leading player, Becks O'Keefe is the only other player in the Division to have not yet lost a singles match. She is tied with Potter on 36 consecutive wins and she ensured this record remained intact during her wins over Graham Mallett, Derek Cave and Helen Barker in this fixture, without dropping a set. Juliette Yeaman also won her 3 singles matches, but did need the full 5 sets to get past Barker in a match which she trailled 2-1 in. The Panthers duo teamed to win the doubles match against Mallett and Cave in straight sets. All of the Lions players picked up wins over reserve Will Davidson, however Cave needed all 5 sets to come through and Mallett and Barker needed 4.
League leaders Lions O had their lead at the top slashed in half to 1 point after they were held to an unexpected 5-5 draw by 5th placed side Ravenscroft Panthers E. Aiden Ozanne beat Seb Jennings in 4 sets and Richard Wellfair in staight sets, whilst father Andy beat Huxley Le Conte in straight sets and Wellfair in 4 sets. Luke Evans added a straight sets win over Wellfair, however the leaders were unable to find the elusive 6th win. Andy came closest during his singles match against Jennings, where he led 2-0. Jennings however fought back impressively to win the final 3 ends 12-10, 11-9, 11-9. The doubles rubber was equally close and it saw Aiden and Evans leading Le Conte and Jennings 2-1. The Panthers players battled hard here too and won the final 2 ends 11-6, 12-10. Le Conte beat Aiden in 4 sets and Evans in straight sets, whilst the remaining singles match was won by Jennings against Evans in straight sets.
