From Relegation Fears to Rising Stars: Warwickshire’s County Week Triumph

Written by Sally Jones, Warwickshire Tennis President

Warwickshire Mens Summer County Team

Warwickshire Men’s side resumed their winning  ways in the elite Group 1 of County Week at Eastbourne, with a battling 6-3 victory over Northamptonshire to remain in the hunt for the Championship title. After registering their only loss, to hot favourites Surrey in the previous match, when torrential downpours had left them playing truncated 4-game set matches on Astroturf courts, they bounced back impressively against fifth placed Northants. Both their top pairs were unbeaten, former British junior champion Luca Pow from Solihull and Stratford’s Cameron Malik surviving a Championship tiebreak against the Northants firsts with aplomb, 10-3, then dropping just five games against the seconds. Pow then teamed up with Richard Partridge (Coventry) and lost only one game as they outhit the third pair. Coventry’s Jake Hersey, the Beechwood Club coach, combined well with the fluent Max Stewart (Sutton Coldfield) after Mason Recci suffered a hand injury and they won all three rubbers in straight sets. Former national junior champion Harry Lazell from Warwick came in for the final round, partnering Alex Griffiths (Sutton Coldfield) and they were just edged out by the Northants second pair after two ultra-close tiebreaks.

With Surrey three ahead on rubbers going into the final day, though with both sides on three wins and one loss apiece, a runners-up spot looks the most likely outcome for the Bears, so long as they can beat their last opponents South Wales. Given that they arrived at Eastbourne, simply determined to try to avoid relegation from this highly-competitive Group, having roared up from Division 5 in the space of 6 years, this in itself represents a major triumph for Gavin Henderson and his exuberant young team. With a similar line-up next year, they should certainly be in contention for the Championship and their positive, attacking style, fine teamwork and gritty determination to chase down every ball this week has won them a host of new admirers, along with the hard core of vociferous Warwickshire fans cheering them on after every point.

Despite missing key players including Lois Porter and Grace Gamble, injury-hit Warwickshire women, assured themselves of promotion to Group 3 thanks to the narrowest of victories over their nearest rivals, East of Scotland. The win looked a long shot after the first round when the Bears’ first pair Holly Reid and former British number 1 Louise Kilshaw, 47, who had returned at a few hours’ notice to strengthen the depleted side, failed to convert a match point against their opposite numbers Hanna Augustynska and Mhairi Beattie in the Championship tiebreak. The Scots took full advantage, closing out the match 11-9.

When Birmingham’s Mary Hoggard and Sutton Coldfield coach Giorgie Jones also lost in straight sets, to the big-hitting Shaylin Holt and Sarah Mcfadyen, the side’s prospects looked bleak. However a pep talk from captain Lianne Candappa paid dividends and they won three rubbers out of three in the second round, Warwickshire thirds Leamington’s Lucie Butler and Elizabeth Massie from Rugby pulling off the upset of the day, beating Augustynska and Beattie 10-7 in the Championship tiebreak, the first defeat the Scottish pairing had suffered all week.

Warwickshire needed just one rubber in the final round to secure the win, so there was overwhelming relief when Reid and Kilshaw thrashed the Scottish thirds to retain the side’s unbeaten record. The Midlanders now just need to defeat stragglers Norfolk in their final match to take the Group 4 title

“I’m delighted at the way everyone played their hearts out to beat East of Scotland,” said Candappa, “and absolutely thrilled that Lucie and Elizabeth managed to beat their very strong first pair. It was great that Louise loyally came back when so many people were injured and only fitting that she and Holly took the winning rubber in style. Giorgie and Mary have been a standout pair all week, and it’s a huge relief to win promotion after what’s been a disappointing run of relegations over recent years.”

Results: LTA Summer County Cup

Eastbourne: Men’s Group 1

Day 4 Warwickshire beat Northamptonshire 6-3

Day 3 Lost to Surrey 3-6

Day 2  Beat East of Scotland 6-3

Day 1 Beat North of Scotland 6-3

East Gloucester Club, Cheltenham, Women Group 4 

Day 4 Warwickshire beat East of Scotland 5-4

Day 3 Beat Lincolnshire 5-4

Day 2  Beat North Wales 7-2

Day 1 Beat Essex 7-2