AS COMPETITORS move into the serious stage of the Helensburgh Tennis Club club championships there are a couple of reminders for competitors.
HELENSBURGH'S Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett showed why they are the world’s top ranked men’s doubles partnership on Saturday’s penultimate day of the US Open Wheelchair Tennis Competition, as they claimed an unprecedented fourth title together in New York.
Also the reigning Australian Open champions, Gordon and Alfie took their tally of Grand Slam men’s doubles titles together to eight after beating French second seeds Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer 6-4, 6-1.
Gordon in fourth US Open mens doubles final
Written by Marshall Thomas
HELENSBURGH'S Gordon Reid and partner Alfie Hewett will contest the US Open mens doubles final in New York at 5pm tonight.
The reigning Australian Open and US Open champions reached a fourth successive mens doubles final at Flushing Meadows by beating Gustavo Fernandez of Argentina and Shingo Kunieda of Japan 6-3, 6-3.
TO COMPLY with the latest LTA Scotland guidelines it is now mandatory that Helensburgh Tennis Club collects the name, contact number, date of visit, time of arrival and departure.
Only one person per court is required to fill in the details, i.e. one from four in the case of doubles. A folder for the details has been placed at the entry to courts 1-5.
HELENSBURGH'S Gordon Reid will be involved when elite parasport returns to the nation’s screens in September for the first time since lockdown after the LTA announced the staging of a behind closed doors series for Britain’s leading wheelchair tennis players at the National Tennis Centre.
Four of Britain’s contingent set to compete at the US Open next month will be among the players taking to the court for a two-day match play event on September 1-2 featuring Britain’s top three ranked men and women, with all the action streamed live on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website and app and LTA digital channels. The BBC Red Button will also show most of the action across both days.
GIVEN the current conditions it is great to see that over fifty Helensburgh Tennis Club members have entered the 2020 club championships over 50s tournament.
A couple of things to remember:
HELENSBURGH Tennis Club coaching convener Alan MacBeath has created a 'clubspark' booking area.
The landing page for this can be found by following this link: https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/HelensburghLTC
This allows all payments for coaching to be made online, directly to the treasurer, and automatically generates class lists with pertinent info for coaches.
Junior coaching block announced
Written by Bobby Kerr and Alan MacBeath
IT IS time to enrol for Helensburgh Tennis Club's Junior Autumn Coaching block.
Click your preferred day which is a link on how to book. The six week course costs for members £30, non-members £36.
THANKS to all those who have shown an interest in the Helensburgh Tennis Club 2020 club championships, which it is hoped will be a meaningful event within the current restrictions.
The open events will be as usual, but the championship committee has decided not to hold the usual over 40s and over 55s events but to combine them to hold a one-off over 50s event to include singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
HELENSBURGH wheelchair tennis star Gordon Reid is to benefit from a new programme aimed at backing the country’s top tennis talents.
Tennis Scotland will provide tailored coaching, funding and promotional support to the country’s top and rising stars through its new National Player Programme.
TWO new appointments at Helensburgh Tennis Club were confirmed at an executive committee meeting held using Zoom technology yesterday evening.
Taking over as club secretary from Maurice McIntyre is another well known member who lives across the road from the club, Frankie Hanmer (right).
She will be assisted in some aspects of administration, including the ClubSpark website information, by Catherine Court.
One of the club's coaches, Alan MacBeath (left), is taking over from Bobby Kerr as coaching convener.
Bobby and Carol Bews will continue as Child Protection officers.
The committee also heard that Alan's summer school for juniors this week was fully subscribed with ten participants. He is working on the autumn coaching programme.
Wednesday evening and Saturday morning club sessions were discussed in relation to the advice on a maximum of five households meeting and gatherings of a maximum of 15 people. Chairman Keith Love will circulate Tennis Scotland’s guidance to the membership so that they are aware of the advice and should remain playing in the same four for the session.
HELENSBURGH Tennis Club's coaching team is pleased to announce a summer camp for children in P4-P7 starting on Monday July 20.
Due to strict guidance, the camp is limited to ten participants.
AT LONG last Helensburgh Tennis Club members can now resume doubles play at the club.
New guidance has now been received from Tennis Scotland, and members are asked to follow this guidance. Posters will be displayed around the club.
FOLLOWING the recent announcements from the government and the LTA, Helensburgh Tennis Club's indoor toilets are now available for use.
Signs are displayed on the new procedures — please read and adhere to them.
There is still no news regarding doubles, and members from four different households should not be playing doubles. Hopefully this should be relaxed soon.
House and grounds convener Ian Parlane said: "The toilets will be cleaned daily, and Theresa will incorporate at least one visit per weekend.
"Fabric towels and all toiletries will be removed. Remember there are hot air driers available, but I will add some paper towels. There are anti-bacterial hand wash dispensers in the toilets, and a second sanitising station in the foyer."
THE Helensburgh Tennis Club committee met using Zoom last night and discussed the members feedback received since the club opening on Monday.
Most comments from members were of a positive nature, thanking the committee for their hard work in getting the club open and safe to use.
TWO members of Helensburgh Tennis Club have an extra spring in their step as the courts reopen for play — as winners of the club Lotto.
Organiser Gay Black announced today that the May winner was Trish Pryde and the June winner Philip Hamilton. They will receive their £20 cheques shortly.
TENNIS returned to Helensburgh Tennis Club today (Monday) for the first time in ten weeks.
Although the restrictions were lifted on Friday, the club waited until Monday to ensure that the venue was ready with a range of precautions and new procedures in place for members to follow.
HELENSBURGH Tennis Club will reopen on Monday June 1 — the few days delay giving time to prepare a safe club environment for members.
To help protect members from Covid-19 there are a number of new procedures to follow.
FOLLOWING the First Minister's announcement today it looks like tennis will be allowed from Thursday May 28, but please wait until the club has heard the full details which will be issued in the days to come.
HELENSBURGH Tennis Club's Gordon Reid had an unusual triumph yesterday — he won the LTA Fantasy Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Tournament with partner Louise Hunt.
They came back from a set down and 4-4 to beat second seeds Alfie Hewett and Lucy Shuker, who have two Paralympic silver medals and two Paralympic bronze medals between them, 5-7, 7-6, 7-5.
