Warwickshire's ladies tennis team secures promotion
Despite a string of injuries, Warwickshire women’s tennis side sensationally clinched promotion to Group 3 of County Week, thanks to the narrowest of victories over their nearest rivals, East of Scotland.
They then thrashed Norfolk on the final day to take the Group 4 title into the bargain. With key players including Lois Porter and Grace Gamble sidelined, the win against the Scots had looked a long shot after the first round when the Bears’ top pair Holly Reid from Birmingham and former British number 1 Louise Kilshaw, 47, returning 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.
Then Birmingham’s Mary Hoggard and Sutton Coldfield coach Giorgie Jones also lost in straight sets, to the big-hitting Shaylin Holt and Sarah Mcfadyen. 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 biggest upset of the week, beating Augustynska and Beattie 10-7 in the Championship tiebreak, the first defeat the Scottish pairing had suffered throughout the tournament.
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. They then won 3 rubbers out of 3 for the loss of just 6 games as the Midlanders took a winning 5-2 lead over stragglers Norfolk in their final match to win the Group 4 title and keep their unbeaten record.
“I’m delighted at the way everyone played their hearts out to beat East of Scotland so narrowly, and looked really assured against Norfolk” said Candappa. “I’m absolutely thrilled that Lucie and Elizabeth managed to beat the very strong Scottish 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 – and win the Group 4 Championship after what’s been a disappointing run of relegations over recent years.”