Tennis News

A win against Harrogate Racquets in their final match of the season would seal the title six seasons after joining the league and winning promotion in successive terms.

Harrogate champion Doug Keen teamed up with Yorkshire junior Rebecca Sowden in a fine blend of youth and experience as the pairing captured three rubbers at first string in the Academy's clash against Knaresborough.

However, defeat against Racquets could open the door for Harlow, currently three points behind The Academy, but with a match in hand.

The Academy's latest - and predictable - win came when they defeated Knaresborough 8.5-0.5.

Scorelines (Academy names first): Doug Keen and Rebecca Sowden beat Ashley Davis and Margaret Sykes 6-0, 6-2; beat Jamie Judd and Judy Cook 6-2; beat Mark Davis and Sally Battison 6-0, 6-1.

Ross Leventhal and Sue Stothard beat Davis and Sykes 6-5, 6-4; beat Judd and Cook 6-3, 6-0; beat Davis and Battison 6-1.

Andy Cousins and Julie Abbott halved with Davis and Sykes 6-6; beat Judd and Cook 6-1, 6-4; beat Davis and Battison 6-2, 6-2.

Dacre, who hung on by their fingertips to Division One status last season, are relegated. The final nail in their coffin was driven home when Thirsk defeated them 7-2.

Thirsk, whose season had promised so much yet failed to mount a serious challenge, are currently nine points adrift of the leaders.

Scores - Thirsk 7 Dacre 2 (Thirsk names first): Graham Parker and Carol Collinson beat Rob Harper and Christine Goldsborough 6-2, 6-1; beat Sam Critchley and Freda Ellison 6-1; beat Paul Ellison and Jean Rintoul 6-2, 6-1.

Nick Hatch and Debbie Hannam beat Harper and Goldsborough 6-3, 6-3; beat Critchley and Ellison 6-1, 6-4; beat Ellison and Rintoul 6-3.

Paul Wallace and Tes Williamson lost to Harper and Goldsborough 4-6; beat Critchley and Ellison 6-0, 6-4; lost to Ellison and Rintoul 1-6, 1-6.

Bedale or Harlow A will join Dacre for the drop, the outcome depending on their final matches.

Bedale play already relegated Dacre, but are a point behind Harlow A, who will be safe with victory or a draw at Thirsk.

In Division Two Boroughbridge are being promoted as champions. They clinched the title with a 7-2 win over Ben Rhydding.

Scores - (Boroughbridge names first): E Bertran and S Lodge beat C North and C Sellars 6-4, 6-3; beat I Brunton and E Winkley 6-0; beat C Wilkinson and M Wilkinson 6-1, 6-3.

G Smith and M Wilkinson halved with North and Sellars 6-4, 5-6; halved with Brunton and Winkley 6-2, 4-6; beat C Wilkinson and M Wilkinson 6-2.

J Rowe and K Farrand lost to North and Sellars 0-6; beat Brunton and Winkley 6-1, 6-0; beat Wilkinson and Wilkinson 6-1, 6-5.

Raskelf are joining Masham in Division Two next season, clinching the second promotion spot in Division Three with a 6.5-2.5 victory over Knaresborough A.

Already promoted Northallerton have clinched the Division Five title with their 9-0 away win at Harrogate Spa.

Northallerton have one match remaining and are aiming to complete their second season undefeated. They are already unbeaten in 27 matches since joining the league last season.

Clinching the championship for Northallerton were the combinations of Paul Collier/Jackie Wonders; John Robinson/Margaret Fenwick and Philip Norwood/Cath Place.

Division One: Harrogate Racquets 5 Harlow A 4; Bedale 3.5 Harrogate Racquets 5.5; Dacre 3.5 Thirsk 5.5; Harlow A 7 Bedale 2; Thirsk 7 Dacre 2; The Academy 8.5 Knaresborough 0.5

Division Two: Harrogate Racquets 2.5 Spa 6.5; West Tanfield 6 Spa 3; Boroughbridge 7 Ben Rhydding 2; Harlow B 1.5 Harrogate Racquets A 1.5; Thirsk A 3.5 Wetherby 5.5.

Division Three: Dacre A 2 Raskelf 7; Raskelf 6.5 Knaresborough A 2.5; Masham 6.5 Birstwith 2.5; Dacre A 2 Harlow C 4; Starbeck 4 Harrogate Racquets B 5.

Division Four: Bedale A 3.5 Harrogate Racquets C 5.5; Ripon A 0.5 Ripon 8.5; Wetherby A 1.5 The Academy A 1.5; Harlow D 5.5 Boroughbridge A 3.5.

Division Five: Masham 5 Birstwith A 4; Birstwith A 2 Northallerton 7; Starbeck A 2.5 Dacre 6.5; Knaresborough B 6.5 Masham A 2.5; Spa A 0 Northallerton 9; Birstwith A 1 Thirsk B 8.

Division Six: Wetherby B 8 Thirsk C 1; Burton Leonard 0 West Tanfield A 9; Ripon B 3 Wetherby B 6; Harrogate Racquets D 7 West Tanfield B 2.

Ilkley Open Championship

The championships proved a happy hunting ground for the area's "golden oldies."

Harrogate Academy player Gianfranco Cavestro, an Italian who moved to the area a year ago, took the Over-55 singles final in the longest veterans clash of the tournament.

The match lasted well over two hours before Cavestro overcame Harrogate-based Andrew Batcup 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Batcup, previously based at Ripon, also plays at the Chapel Allerton club in Leeds.

In the Over-55 men's doubles Harrogate Racquets players Robin Barlow and Trevor Nuttall combined to defeat holders Bill Murfitt and Brian Butler, both Ilkley players, 6-2, 6-0.

Meanwhile the Barlow-Nuttall combination also reached the Over 45 doubles' final where the Tony and Peter March combination from Lancashire triumphed 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

l Scarborough player Ben Riby failed to find consistency in the final of the Girobank Tennis Tour at Ilkley, going down in the men's singles to Norfolk's Richard Bloomfield 6-4, 6-4.

In the battle of two 18-year-olds Riby threatened to produce some explosive form at times, but blew hot and cold and admitted afterwards he had missed a fine opportunity of victory against a rival he normally beats.

Riby went into the event having won ten of his 12 rubbers for Yorkshire in County Week at Eastbourne, helping them to capture the Group One title.

There was also disappointment for Durham and Cleveland's Sarah Borwell in the women's singles final at Ilkley.

She failed to achieve a hat-trick of Girobank Tennis Tour victories going down 6-2, 6-4 to Luisa Cowper (Warwicks).

Borwell, the 21-year-old student at Houston University, was second seed and expected to defeat her 17-year-old left-handed opponent. But the underdog triumphed 6-2, 6-4 in 45 minutes, halting the run of success on the Girobank Tour for Borwell who took titles at Fleixtowe and Frinton.

Cowper, who caused a surprise by taking to the court in an all black outfit, soon shook off her funerial image with some powerful play from the baseline. At times Borwell demonstrated some fine stroke play, but lacked consistency and was often left admiring some of Cowper's searing winners.

There was some consolation for Borwell in the women's open doubles. The combination of Borwell and Anna Hawkins (Wiltshire) took the silverware 6-4, 6-2 against Berkshire pairing Lindsay Cox and Claire Powell.

Barkston Ash League

A team has signed off the season early - because their key players have gone on holiday.

First Division York-based All Saints, whose side consists mostly of schoolteachers, contacted league secretary Steve Webster to say they could not play their two final matches of the season.

League secretary Steve Webster explained: "The York side has a small squad and most of them are teachers who have to take their holidays in August. Unfortunately they all appear to be on holiday at the same time have no one to step in and replace them. So they have forfeited their last two matches."

The apologetic, yet abrupt end to their season, means they have given walk-over victories to Bardsey and Whitkirk who are both bidding for the First Division title. But because both sides receive the same number of points it will not cause a problem.

Division One: York All Saints 35 Bardsey 73; Whitkirk B 53 Collingham 55; Horsforth 72 Barwick 36.

Division Three: Selby 62 Copmanthorpe 46.

Men: Alwoodley 63 Thorner 45.

Bardsey currently head Division One, unbeaten in 12 matches, with 48 points. Whitkirk are second on 44 points with one defeat in 12