SUN drenched Helensburgh Tennis Club's annual President's and Vice-President's Tournament on Sunday . . . unusually for the summer of 2019.
President Keith Love, who does not yet have a Vice-President, presided over an afternoon of enjoyable and competitive mixed doubles.
THE NEXT event at Helensburgh Tennis Club is the President's & Vice-President's Tournament which will be held on Sunday from 12noon.
The committee look forward to seeing members there for this friendly mixed doubles event. Please bring something for tea.
HELENSBURGH'S Gordon Reid and partner Alfie Hewett completed a hat-trick of US Open mens doubles titles and led unprecedented success for Britain’s wheelchair tennis players in New York on Sunday.
It was the first time that players on the LTA’s GB Wheelchair Tennis World Class Performance Programme have won four titles at the same Grand Slam.
HELENSBURGH'S Gordon Reid and partner Alfie Hewett produced a fantastic performance on Thursday’s first day of US Open wheelchair competition, with the pair reaching their third successive mens doubles final at the last Grand Slam of the year.
Bidding for a hat-trick of doubles titles in New York, they sped to a 6-0, 6-3 victory over French top seeds Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer.
HELENSBURGH Tennis Club's 1st Veteran Ladies, having lost half their team players from the 2018 season, were always going to find the going tough in division one, and so it proved.
They started their autumn campaign against the 2018 champions, Clarkston. Liz Wylie and Alison Fotheringham at 2nd couple took a little while to get going, losing the first set, but then they got their act together and were really unlucky to lose the second set on a tiebreak, having been ahead throughout the set.
IN THE second finals day at Helensburgh Tennis Club on Saturday the first matches to be played were the over 40s events.
In the mens singles current holder Kevin Stephen was up against veteran Alastair Hope in a repeat of the 2017 final when Kevin won by the narrowest margins in the deciding tie break.
TWO Helensburgh Tennis Club Lotto winners were announced today by organiser Gay Black.
The July winner was member and musician Louise Burnet, for the second time this year, and the August winner was hon president Donald Fullarton. Both will receive cheques for £20 shortly.
IN SATURDAY'S first day of the Helensburgh Tennis Club annual senior championships, Fraser Fulton held on to his mens singles crown, and mum Katie again won the ladies singles.
THE NEXT block of Helensburgh Tennis Club junior and adult coaching will begin on week commencing Monday August 26.
THE FIRST of the Helensburgh Tennis Club finals days will take place this Saturday, beginning at 12 noon.
Even if you have not entered or managed to get to the later stages, you will be very welcome to join the finalists and other club members to enjoy some great competitive tennis.
Please join us for all or at least part of the afternoon — and bring something for tea.
HELENSBURGH'S Gordon Reid kept alive his hopes of lifting a singles title at the 30th British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships when he secured his place in the semi-finals on yesterday’s third day of play at the Nottingham Tennis Centre.
On another good day for players on the LTA’s GB Wheelchair Tennis World Class Performance Programme, Gordon took full advantage of an early break against Dutch wold no.9 Tom Egberink, carrying his form into the second set to complete a 6-3, 6-2 victory.
He will play world no.1 and 2017 British Open champion Gustavo Fernandez for a place in this year’s final.
After extending his unbeaten career record against Egberink to 16 matches, Gordon said: “Tom’s got a lot of confidence at the moment, but I was in control most of the match. It’s a good match up for me and I have a good plan against him.
"I feel like I’m striking the ball as well as I have done for the last couple of years. I’m happy with the way I’m playing and while it’s a big challenge against Gustavo, who is in the form of his life at the minute, I feel there’s definitely a chance to win it.”
There was added success for the Brit partnership of Gordon and Alfie Hewett.
The reigning US Open champions came from a set and 3-1 down to edge out 2018 British Open champions and reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon champions Joachim Gerard of Belgium and Stefan Olsson of Sweden 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6-4 to reach Saturday’s men’s doubles final.
HELENSBURGH Tennis Club hosted the annual District Doubles Veterans Tournament on Saturday.
Each local club takes turns in running and hosting the event, and it was Cardross's turn this year.
It was agreed that Helensburgh would host it and Cardross would run it.
Pairs from Cardross, Craighelen and Helensburgh battled it out in the sunshine.
The ladies final saw Cardross's Gillian Branch and Caroline McDaidand triumph over Helensburgh's Liz Wylie and Val Pace.
The mens final was between Cardross's Harry Gould and Steven Carmichael who played Helensburgh's Keith Love and Stephen Humphreys. After a nail biting match Cardross overcame the hosts to take the trophy.
The entry money collected will be donated to Robin House at Balloch.
The ladies pic shows from left Val Pace, Liz Wylie, Gillian Branch and Caroline McDaid; men Stephen Humphreys, Keith Love, Harry Gould and Steven Carmichael.
Photos by Bobby Kerr.
HELENSBURGH'S Gordon Reid and partner Alfie Hewett's quest for a fourth Wimbledon gentlemen’s doubles title ended in a 6-4, 6-3 loss to second seeds Joachim Gerard of Belgium and Stefan Olsson of Sweden today.
However, with them having beaten top seeds Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer in the semi-finials, the reigning US Open champions are now looking ahead to returning to the British Open, where they secured their first major doubles title together in 2015.
World no.3 Alfie, the reigning US Open men’s singles champion and two-time doubles champion with Gordon, said: “It wasn’t to be today, but our level has still continued to improve compared to earlier in the year and so that’s a real positive as we kick on to the British Open and then the USA.
"Being back on Court Three today was brilliant, having the numbers we had and the British crowd behind us right to the very last point.”
Gordon added: “We probably gave them too many cheap points in a tight first set and then again in the second set.
"The second game in that second set lasted about ten minutes and we just weren’t as clinical on the big points as we were yesterday.”
BRITISH duo Alfie Hewett and Helensburgh's Gordon Reid will bid for a fourth successive Wimbledon gentlemen’s wheelchair doubles title today (Saturday) after beating French top seeds Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer 6-3, 2-6 7-6(4) yesterday in a thrilling semi-final.
After taking a 3-1 first set lead, five-time Grand Slam doubles champions Hewett and Reid claimed the last three games of the opening set, but needed to find all their powers of recovery after dropping the last five games of the second set.
However, recover they did to earn their first match point at 5-3 up in the decider before Houdet and Peifer forced the final set tie-break.
A jubilant Gordon said: ‘”We’ve been able to spend more time on court as a team over the last couple of weeks and the confidence from that made all the difference today.
"On top of that there’s the atmosphere from just playing here in front of a home crowd and how much that helps us, too.”
Looking ahead to the final, in which they face Belgium’s Joachim Gerard and Stefan Olsson of Sweden for the second year in a row, Alfie said: "We played them here in the final last year and we dominated that match.
"They’ve had a tough three-setter too, so we’ll come up with a plan to give us the same result. We started really strongly so hopefully we’ll do the same.”
HELENSBURGH'S Gordon Reid went out of the Wimbledon mens singles in his firat match on Thursday.
World no.7 Gordon, who beat world no.1 Shingo Kunieda of Japan in the Roland Garros mens singles semi-finals last month, slipped to a 6-1, 6-1 loss to Kunieda in their latest meeting.
“It was an entirely different match to the one we played in France and, of course, I was coming off the back of reaching the final at Queen’s last month, so I was enjoying the grass," he said.
"But it was just one of those days. I think he only missed five first serves in the entire match.
"I’m looking forward to getting another chance in the doubles, whivch is very important for my partner Alfie Hewett and I as a team, and obviously we’ve won it for the last three years.”
They will face French top seeds Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer as the British duo aim for a fourth successive doubles crown.
THE ANNUAL Helensburgh and District Vets Tournament is being held at the club on Saturday July 20.
If you have reached 40 years old by December 31 2018 you are eligible. The event starts at 12.30pm but please arrive around 12 noon for registration.
Try to enter with a partner, but one will be allocated if available.
Cardross Tennis Club is organising the event this year, and it is hoped there will be a good turn out.
Please return completed form to Graham Court, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 07906-491904.
HELENSBURGH'S Gordon Reid has been drawn against the top singles seed in The Championships, Wimbledon, tomorrow (Thursday).
Gordon, the inaugural Wimbledon gentlemen’s wheelchair singles champion in 2016, will face world no.1 Shingo Kunieda of Japan in this year’s quarter-finals.
Their last meeting at a Grand Slam was in last month’s Roland Garros semi-finals, with the burgh man prevailing in three sets to reach his first Grand Slam singles final since 2016.
The eleven-time Grand Slam champion, who has moved up one place to men’s singles world No.7 this week, said: "I’m looking forward to the challenge of playing Shingo for the first time competitively on grass.
"He is top seed for a reason, but I feel I have the game to cause him a lot of problems on this surface.”
Gordon and partner Alfie Hewett will open their bid for a fourth successive Wimbledon gentlemens doubles title against French top seeds Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer, the duo the Brits beat in both the 2016 and 2017 finals at The Championships and last year’s US Open men’s doubles final.
MEMBERS of Helensburgh Tennis Club celebrated the 2019 Wimbledon tournament with a tournament of its own on Saturday.
Eighteen members enjoyed a sunny morning’s tennis, playing mixed doubles. In the final Iain MacLaren and Susan Russell, the section A winners, met the winners of section B, Mike Bews and Phyllis Fullarton.
Despite Phyllis carrying an arm injury she felt she could not let down her partner and went straight on court following her final section match.
Iain and Susan lost only five games in their section and were hot favourites, but the final was neck and neck until the deciding game when Iain hit a winning forehand to seal the match.
Following the prize giving, the players enjoyed traditional Wimbledon fare with strawberries and cream and a light buffet. Thanks go to social convener Fiona MacLaren and her team for a great spread.
HELENSBURGH Tennis Club's mens 1st team concluded their West League season with mixed results last week.
Visitors Bishopton proved too strong for the team beating them 7-2 on Frida,y but a great 6-3 win earlier in the week against Titwood secured division three tennis for another year.
Stephen Lewis and David Reid won 6-1, 6-4, 6- 4 at 1st couple. At 2nd Phil Hamilton and David McCowan struggled through the opening two sets but came back to force the tie break in the final set.
The pair had set points but just could not find the winning shot and eventually went down 11-9. Alastair Hope and Keith Love were in devastating form at 3rd couple winning 6-2, 6-0, 6-0.
Team captain Stephen Lewis praised his side’s performance in securing division three tennis next year. He said: “We had a lot of tough matches this year, but the players dug deep and displayed grit and determination to get as many sets as possible for the club.”
The men’s 2nd team also performed well, currently sitting 5th in their division with one match still to play.
Team captain Keith Love admitted that his side struggled early in the season because of injuries but once all his players returned they produced the goods.
The club will host the annual District men’s and ladies veterans doubles tournament on Saturday July 20.
The event will be organised this year by Cardross Tennis Club, and players from all four local clubs are invited to send players who should be aged 40 years by December 31 2018 to qualify.
HELENSBURGH Tennis Club's mens 1st team played host to David Lloyd West End last week — and team captain Stephen Lewis had high hopes as he was fielding his strongest team.
At 1st couple David Reid (pictured) and Fraser Fulton started off well going into a 3-0 lead but they soon saw their opponents catch up and go into a 5-4 lead.
The Helensburgh pair got their act together and won the next three games to take the opening set 7-5. They were in full command from then on as they took the next two sets 6-3, 6-2.
At 2nd couple Stephen Lewis and Kevin Stephen also got off to a great start winning the opening set 6-3. A lack of concentration in the middle set saw them lose it 6-2, but they bounced back to take the decider 6-3.
The 3rd pair of David McCowan and Phil Hamilton were also in great form at the start of the match, taking the opening set 6-4. The pair felt they were in full command of the match as they led in the second set but a number of missed net shots and poor serving lost them both that set and the third.
So the final score was a 6 – 3 win. The team have their last two matches this week, home to Bishopton and away to Titwood.
The men’s 2nd team captain Keith Love has struggled to field his strongest team this season because of injuries and various other reasons, but that did not stop him recording a great win at Drumchapel.
Allan Adam and Phil Charman at 1st couple were in great form winning easily 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 in less than 70 minutes. It was a similar story at 2nd couple where Iain MacLaren and Stephen Humphreys won 6-2, 6-0, 6-2.
Keith and Archie Russell had a very tough match at 3rd couple as they were coasting in the opening set leading 4-2 when the visitors suddenly upped their game winning the next five games. At 6-5 down Keith and Archie won the next game to force the tie break only to see all their hard work vanish as Drumchapel took it 7-4.
The Helensburgh pair came back to take the next set 6-3 and went into the decider full of confidence. All four players held their serve throughout the set and they were soon at another tie break.
The lead changed several times and Helensburgh had a set point at 6-5 but Drumchapel held on and soon it was their chance to take the set at 8-7. They served wide to Keith but he played the shot of the night and hit a great forehand down the line to save the set point.
Drumchapel soon had a second set point but this time they pushed forward and volleyed a winner passed Archie to grab the set. The final score was a great 7-2 win for Helensburgh.
The men’s 3rd team played host to Newlands and recorded their first win of the season.
Maurice McIntyre and Raymond Mathers at 1st tcouple went into their match full of confidence and almost won the opening set, just losing out 6-4. It was all downhill after that as they lost the next two sets 6-1, 6-1.
It was a different story on court two as Ralph Ward and Clive Charters took all three sets 6- 4, 7-6, 6-0.
Mike Wright and Charles Craver at 3rd couple took the first two sets 6- 0, 6-3. In the deciding set all four players won their opening serve games but Helensburgh seemed to lose concentration and dropped both their next service games and lost the set 6-2.
However the final score was a 5-4 win.
