The Ross Ladies A Team travelled to Worcester on the evening of Monday, July 11th. Conditions were very humid, so after the warm up, the whole team was moist with perspiration before they had even started.

The surface was a new red clay, which caused a few skids before the girls found their feet.

Brenda Saunders and Val Davies, playing first couple, met two teenagers with a combined age of 36 years. However, the youngsters took no pity on their elders and crushed them 1-6, 1-6.

Meanwhile, the Ross second pair, Sarah Drake and Effie Hiram, had a very close match with wicked slice and juicy smashes from the pair. They took the first set, but sadly only achieved another four games in the following two sets.

Karen Vitali and Hayley Jackson played third pair; this was a new partnership which worked well, but they could not avoid sliding into a 0-6, 1-6 defeat.

The second round of matches began, with the Ross team trying to rally and put the previous matches out of their minds. Brenda and Val now played their second pair, a mother and daughter team. Sadly, the result was the same as the first match, with only two games going the Ross pair’s way.

Sarah and Hayley worked hard and had good rallies with the youngsters but were unable to convert any of the deuces. Karen and Hayley had a sparkling second match and won four games.

Tea was quickly consumed and the demoralised group left for Ross, all agreed the journey home was the best part of the evening.