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Double joy for Hard
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| Backhand - Westcliff Hard's Karen Poole plays the ball during her mixed cup final |
WESTCLIFF Hardcourts did the double at the 2008 Essex Winter Cup finals.
The Ridgeway-based club triumphed in the mixed and ladies' veteran cups at Deanes indoor tennis centre in Thundersley.
Victory in the Don Barton Winter Mixed Cup meant the Hardcourts successfully retained the trophy the claimed in 2007.
But the Harry Brickwood Ladies Veterans Cup win was the first time that the Hardcourts had lifted the silverware.
Hard's success started in the mixed cup where the south Essex club defeated first time finalists The Essex 3-0.
Sue Hookway and Claire Hammerman beat Jenny King and Kerry Porter from the Colchester club 6-2 7-5.
Then John Handelaar and Nick Plappert made sure the trophy stayed with the Hardcourts for another 12 months by defeating Martin Blackwell and Ian Davies 6-3 6-1.
And Karen Poole and Simon Chesher ensured a clean sheet despite Julie Sexton and Adam Porter claiming The Essex's only set.
But despite being taken to three sets, Poole and Chesher prevailed 6-4 3-6 6-3 to ensure their team received the trophy from Essex County Lawn Tennis Association president John Tucker.
The veteran's cup saw Westcliff Hard beat unseeded David Lloyd Chigwell 2-1, although the Hardcourts had already wrapped up the win when their opponents took then consolation rubber.
Fiona Stone and Karen Poole got the ball rolling with a 6-4 6-0 win over Karen Homan and Susan Child.
The Dawn Handelaar and Sue Hookway, playing in her second final of the day, had a 6-1 6-3 win over Catherine Rodriquies and Sally Sibley.
Sue Levy and Sue Blackshaw lost 4-6 1-6 to Lesley List and Rita Dias before ECLTA competitions chairman Harry Brickwood presented the trophy.
The other final of the day at the Daws Heath Road centre saw Next Generation Gidea Park win the Ian Pitt Men's Veteran Cup for the first time by beating Gidea Park 2-1.
Gidea Park had held the trophy for the last three years, so it was a sweet victory for their derby rivals. ECLTA over-70 men's captain Ian Pitt presented the trophy.
Scores: Keith Gilbert & Lee Wood (NGGP) beat Wayne Lemoine & Neil Taylor (GP) 6-3 9-7, John Marnoch & James Weatherup (NGGP) lost to Martin Cornish & Julian Lewis (GP) 0-6 6-7, Rick Klein & Ron Barham (NGGP) beat P Efers & S Barker (GP) 6-1 6-1.
>WESTCLIFF Hard's Ladies Essex third team of Cezara Dane, Drucie Redman, Jackie Barton and Anne Hammond lost to Grove's first team.
3:19pm Thursday 28th February 2008
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