Boston Ladies' Firsts maintain top spot in county doubles league

The Dunlop Lindum Lincolnshire Doubles League is coming to a conclusion for Boston Tennis Club teams.

The new format has provided challenges for teams and players but there have been some positive performances and opportunities for those younger players new to the league.

Most, if not all, of the nine ladies' teams from Boston had matches during the last two weekends.

The Ladies' First team are at the top of Division One after a close match against Grantham.

Emily Hawkesworth and Emily Stukins, in her first match for the Firsts, played alongside Poppy Gibbons and Emma Mastin, and were involved in two third-set tie-breaks, both won by the two Emilys 11-9 and 10-6, around which the result of the match balanced.

The first third set tie-break won made the score 2-0 to Boston after the first round, but Grantham fought back in the second round and the score was 2-1 in Boston’s favour.

The final rubber and the match was won on the Championship tie-break, Boston winning 3-1.

Boston Ladies' Seconds, competing in Division Two, were away at Bourne, a strong team that head that division.

It was disappointment for the second team as they lost 1-3.

The team was Rachel Hawkesworth, Rachel Gedney, Linda Barrow and Charlotte Priestley.

Boston Ladies' Thirds finished mid-table in Division Two after a 3-1 win against Eastgate for Penny Gibbons, Yasmin Everitt, Helen Duckett and Sarah Grant .

Boston Ladies Fifths B and Boston the Fourths played against each other for top spot in Division Three.

The fourths – Claire Smith, Lesley Gibbons, Denise Priestley and Sarah Grant - kept level with the opposition of Emily Stukins, Emily Pye,­­­ Lois Boothby and Martha Baxter, and the match stood at 2-2 before the Fifths won the tie-break shootout.

The Sixths – Hilda Hastings, Catherine Ellis, Norma Hunter and Jenny Murphy - had a win against Boston Eighths in their last match of the summer.

Carla Slade, Lesley Addy, Lynda Buck and Matilda Buck represented the Eighths.

Boston Ladies Fifths and Boston Ladies Sevenths played their last match of the summer.

It was a win for the Sevenths' Maria Stoyanova, Suzanne Patterson, Matilda Clark and Emily Pye against Sue Dring, Denise Priestley, Helen Motson and Sarah Grant.