After another whirlwind of a year, the time has come around again for our annual visit to the town of Weston Favell in Northamptonshire, where our adopted tennis club awaits the PICT Tennis Tournament.
Every year I fear, what will we do if the weather is inclement? and another year arrives and the timing is spot-on.
An immediate and big thank you to all the sponsors, who enable the subs for the day to go into the coffers of the Trust, to hopefully help someone less fortunate than ourselves. So, thank you to - Fedrigoni for the ever-tasty lunch, PCL Avery for the courts hire and bar cover, Iggesund for the tennis balls and Premier Paper for the trophies and flowers. As a result of these kind sponsors, we are sending £280.00 to PICT. It does not feel like much but hopefully every little helps.
Another swift thank you to Annette Clayton from Fedrigoni, who once again helped throughout the day and also took all the wonderful photos.
Now to the tennis...
We had seven pairs this year, which lent itself to the round robin culminating in an outright Wooden Spoon Winner, the Johnston Cup going straight to a final and the top four pairs fighting it out with a semi-final and a final.
This year we welcomed a pair from PCL Avery in Kerry Cotter and Mark O’Brien. Andrew Dunning continues to change partners for another year as Jonathan Clay was missing again. This year he partnered our PICT President Tony Wood, which promised to be one of the stronger pairings. The holders that were paired together last year, Steve Maher and Paul Williams, were back to defend the Penman Trophy and were strong favourites to succeed.
As the round robin unfolded, the annual quest for the Wooden Spoon fell to the newbies Kerry and Mark as their baptism of fire saw them amass six points. Both thoroughly enjoyed the day and both will return, but methinks with different partners!
The Johnston Cup semi-final was blessed by the fielding of Wesley Perks and Sam Ayling from Ricoh, who in the round robin for the first time, experienced a victory that saw them hit nine points against Olly Gale and Pete Stevens from Fedrigoni who got 20.
They chose to play one normal set final as the bar beckoned. The tennis was loud and with much laughter and banter that was heard form most of the other courts at the tennis club. Olly and Pete succeeded in lifting the Johnston Cup.
The Penman Cup, ended up with last year’s holders paired together for the first time, defending their trophy, against Matt Kidd and myself. Crazily we decided on a best of three sets final, whilst everyone else sat on the patio and enjoyed the last throes of our pleasant summer temperatures with a beer or prosecco in hand, and cakes and cheese and biscuits. Matt and I swiftly fell behind in the first set only to click into a little form in the second set, which Matt and I deservedly took to culminate in the third set decider.
The opportunity for Matt and I as we led 4 -2 in the final set was there, but the momentum started to turn, as Steve and Paul turned the set around and successfully defended the Penman Trophy, congratulations to you both. We will avoid the hat-trick at all costs next year! 6–3, 4–6, 6–4.
Once again with thanks to Northampton Lawn Tennis Club, all that took part, all that sponsored and helped on the day. I look forward to hopefully 2023 with many new faces and, if enough people attend, to continue with a dinner presentation in the aftermath of the day’s event as we did previously.
I can confirm the date for 2023 is Thursday 14th September 2023. So, save the date!