Clay Court Series: Local 12s and under tennis starlet Abi Curry has recently increased her chances of a trip to Center Parcs, Sherwood Forest, to play in the finals of the Sunday Telegraph/Center Parcs Junior Tennis Grand Prix after her latest victory in the final of the LTA's Clay Court Series at Queenswood Tennis Club.
The tournament was played between 16 of the country's finest 12s & under tennis stars. After winning her first three matches of the tournament, Abi was paired in the final against Gurnsey's Heather Watson. This proved to be a tight match with Curry winning 6-3, 3-6, 10-5.
The Grand Prix consists of 57 tournaments across the country, scheduled between April and August, with players picking up performance related points at all the events they participate in. Abi's latest victory will give her double points towards his Grand Prix score with clay being the toughest surface to play on.
The Junior Grand Prix Series has five age groups up to 18 & under. Players compete in LTA tournaments throughout the school holidays to accumulate 'leader board' points in their age group depending on the finishing position in each individual tournament.
Players finishing in the top five of each category, plus one LTA wildcard, then qualify for the televised Masters finals: 10& under and 12 & under Masters, weekend 17-20th September 2004 at Center Parcs, Sherwood Forest 14 & under/16 & under/18 & under players fly to La Manga Club in November for their Master's.
KIA National Club League
Results: National Division 1, Men - North - Holcombe Brook bt Esporta Sunderland 6-0; Northern I bt Ilkley 5-1; Heaton bt Tennis World 3-3 (2-1)*
National Division 1, Women - North: Holcombe Brook bt Huddersfield 6-0; Tennis World bt Queen's Halifax 5-1
Northumberland bt Northern 3-3 (2-1)
The Harrogate and District Squash League
New teams from Thirsk, Dunnington, Skipton and Harlow look set to join a booming junior squash league at the start of the new season in September. The Harrogate and District League, which successfully operates a string of divisions for youngsters, made a tentative start but during the past two seasons has made great strides.
Such has been its success that Yorkshire Squash Rackets Association have been talking to Harrogate League officials to gain advice and help in rolling out a programme of wider junior squash leagues in the county.
David Cockle, spokesman for the Harrogate League, said they were delighted to give help and advice on running a league but their structure was not able to expand county-wide because it would involve too much travelling.
Meanwhile the league's senior annual meeting has announced final decisions affecting promotions, relegations and new sides.
Division One: Relegated Knaresborough.
Division Two: Promoted Otley, Ilkley III.
Division Three: Promoted Collingham III, Collingham IV, Otley II.
New teams in Division III are Collingham V, Harrogate Squash V1, Otley III, Boroughbridge III.
Meanwhile Trinity and All Saints College, Horsforth, look set to join Division II.
David Cockle said:"The present arrangements would give each division a maximum of 12 teams. Any more and four divisions would have to be considered."
Already there have been approaches to join from Chapel Allerton and Ilkley AFC.
The annual meeting decided not to make any changes to rules for the new season.
Slazenger Harrogate and District First Division
Title holders Boroughbridge have suffered a major setback in their bid to retain the Slazenger Harrogate and District First Division tennis championship. They went down 6.5-2.5 to former champions Harlow, victory widening the gap between the sides to five points in Harlow's favour.
Boroughbridge have a match in hand on Harlow who lead the table while Thirsk are second two points away from the leaders. The arrival of Andy Carter from Nottingham has made a telling difference to the Harlow side. Carter is still unbeaten in eight matches this season and is finalist in the still-to-be-played singles' final of the Harrogate Tennis Championships against The Academy's Doug Keen from America. Carter, partnering newly-crowned Harrogate women's champion Sophie Jacob, won all three matches as Boroughbridge were humbled.
Match scores Boroughbridge 2.5 Harlow 6.5 (Harlow names first): Graeme Campbell and F Geldart lost to Andy Carter and Sophie Jacob 1-6 3-6; beat Colin Smith and Rachel Sutherland 6-1; halved with Thomas David and Julie Bradley 2-6 6-2.
John Rowe and Gayle Partridge lost to Carter and Jacob 2-6 1-6; halved with Smith and Sutherland 6-2 4-6; lost to David and Bradley 2-3, retired.
Ian Grasby and Suzanne Lodge lost to Carter and Jacob 1-6; lost to Smith and Sutherland 1-6 5-6; halved wit David and Bradley 3-6 6-2.
Northallerton, who have been clawing their way up the table since joining in recent years, went top of Division Three with a 7-2 away win over Masham. They have lost only once this season and have 12 points, the same number as second placed Harrogate Racquets B but with a better rubbers' average.
Division One: Boroughbridge 2.5 Harlow 6.5; Thirsk 7 Bedale 2; The Academy A 1.5 Harrogate Racquets 7.5.
Division Two: Raskelf 6 Thirsk A 3.
Division Three: Starbeck 3 Harrogate Racquets B 6; Masham 2 Northallerton 7; Ripon A 3 Boroughbridge A 3.
Division Four: Harlow C 5 West Tanfield 4; Birstwith 4 Wetherby A 5; Harrogate Racquets C 3 Knaresborough A 6; Northallerton A 7.5 Thirsk B 1.5.
Division Five: Northallerton B 3.5 Bedale A 5.5; Harlow D 4 Dacre A 5; Wetherby B 3.5 Dacre A 5.5.
Division Six: West Tanfield A 3.5 Spa A 5.5; Bedale B 2.5 Raskelf A 6.5; West Tanfield B 5.5 Burton Leonard 3.5; Harrogate Racquets D 0 Ripon C 9.
Barkston Ash League
Champions Horsforth leapfrogged Whitkirk to lead Division One in the Barkston Ash League following their 59-49 game away win over Roundhay.
Division One: Bardsey 61 Whitkirk B 47; St Chad's A 49 Roundhay 59; Whitkirk 65 Collingham 43;Horsforth 67 Bardsey 41; Roundhay 68 Whitkirk B 40; Barwick 51 St Chad's 57; Whitkirk B 83 Barwick 25; Whitkirk 66 St Chad's 42; Bardsey 66 Roundhay 42; Whitkirk B 49 Whitkirk 59; Roundhay 49 Horsforth 59.
Division Two: Selby 31 Thorner 77; Whitkirk C 39 Copmanthorpe 69; Sherburn 53 David Lloyd 55; Whitkirk C 40 Thorner 68; Whitkirk C 44 Castleford 64.
Division Three: Horsforth B 80 Collingham B 28; Alwoodley 64 St Chad's B 44; Horsforth B 85 Whitkirk D 23; Horsforth B 68 Alwoodley 40; Cliffe 52 Collingham B 56.
Men: Bardsey 67 Horsforth 41; Whitkirk 63 Barwick 45
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