On the last day of November, Goodrich ‘E’liminators travelled to Ledbury on what was a very cold and frosty morning to play Ledbury C team in Division 6 West of the H & W Winter League. The courts were slippery underfoot and the icy cold wind made it very hard for the players to get warm, but the Goodrich ladies arrived 30 minutes before the start time to ensure they had a good warm up.

First pair, Shani Courtney and Debbie Trigg, found it hard to get started in their first match as they struggled with the cold, narrowly taking the first set 7-5. Before their first set had finished, the second pair, Lisa Bolster and Shelley Gwilliam, had already secured an outstanding 6-0 / 6-0 win against the Ledbury second pairing.

Meanwhile Shani and Debbie’s second set seemed to improve as they warmed up, and they secured a win against the Ledbury first pairing 6-4, despite at times sliding on the slick court.

The second round of matches resulted in a reversal of speedy finishes as Debbie and Shani were quick to finish their two sets 6-2 / 6-0 against Ledbury second pairing. This gave them time to sit and watch Lisa and Shelley in action. The way the pair moved around the court looked like they had been playing together for years, not this being their first season together. Although a longer match, the pair secured yet another win with a score of 6-4 / 6-1, and an overall four rubbers win and 10 more valuable points.

The ‘E’liminators now sit top of the table having played four of their eight winter matches, but have a long wait before their next match in February 2020. Although the team don’t have any planned matches they do have plans to get plenty of extra training in before they return to court to play the remaining four matches. They may be a new team to Goodrich but these ladies have formed a very close friendship and common goal to play to the best of their abilities. For more information about Goodrich Tennis Club, please contact:- [email protected] or visit www.goodrichtennis.co.uk

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