CONGRATULATIONS to all the Littleton Tennis Club boys who have just completed the Hants & Isle of Wight Winter League matches for the under 16 age group: DAVID; ADAM; BEN; JOSH; TOM; SAM; ANDREW; HOLDEN. Winners of their group; very nearly County Champions!
Wimps deterred by near freezing temperatures, rain or a bit of a breeze? Not our boys! They battled through the worst of weather conditions during the winter months to emerge winners of their group – and so earned the right to play the winners of the other group in the league in a final match to decide who would be the County Winter League Champions. Littleton’s opposition: Ryde Lawn Tennis Club, drawn to play at home – yes, on the Isle of Wight.
The match was arranged for Saturday 29th March, 1 p.m. start, with a reserve date, 5th April. On either date the team chose itself as different Littleton boys were unavailable because of school and other commitments.
The weather forecast was not promising for the last Saturday in March and by 9 a.m. on that Saturday it seemed very, very unlikely that the match would be played. However, at about 10 a.m., the Ryde tennis coach/team organiser insisted that: “… the climate on the island is always different from the mainland…” (after all, it is at least ten minutes away by hovercraft) and, despite all our misgivings, convinced the Littleton lot that the predicted heavy rain and gale force winds would not visit Ryde.
Huh!
It started to rain as the team & loyal supporters got off the hovercraft – and, just as predicted, the weather got worse… and worse… and worse. The rain got wetter and the wind got windier and the penetrating cold drove even the hardiest of parents to the club house for shelter & some warmth.
All credit to the boys of both teams – they just got on with playing their matches and, despite the horrendous conditions, managed to produce some first-class quality tennis. After the first round of matches, the Littleton team was 2-1 down. In the second round, undaunted by the score, Ben played a really determined, skilful game in his singles match, finally winning in a tense tie-break decider, while Adam & David eventually out-played their opposition in a very entertaining doubles match. So, the final result was a draw: 3 matches to Ryde; 3 to Littleton … but, the league rules stated that the championship should be decided on a count back of games – and Ryde had won more games than Littleton.
(Of course I’m biased, but the Littleton boys did not deserve to lose the championship play-off in such a way, playing in such bad conditions; also, on this occasion the home advantage was also a significant factor!) It’s always a bit of an anti-climax when a result depends on game difference and in some ways it does seem a shame that a championship should be decided in such a way.
Well, biased or not, I am especially proud to be associated with the good-natured, well-mannered, determined and talented young people who are the ‘Littleton Legends’. Very well done, all of you!
Vivienne
