July 2010

Dear Members

What a great start to the summer we’ve had! It’s just a shame that Andy Murray couldn’t quite make it all the way at Wimbledon. But there was a British success at Wimbledon in which Prestbury Tennis Club played a small part. Liam Broady, who comes from Stockport and was part of the winning boys doubles team, used our new Classic Clay courts (unique in the north-west of England) to practice on earlier in the season.

Prestbury was also represented in the Davis Cup this year when coach Anthony Marshall represented Barbados in the Americas Group IV in Panama earlier this month. Barbados won all four of their matches and will now be promoted to Group III. Anthony played four singles matches, winning three.

Those that attended the superb new court opening day will have admired Anthony’s skills in his exhibition match with Cheshire tennis captain and UK over 35 no.1 Seb Jackson. The official opening ceremony was performed by Jez Green a former Prestbury member who is now based in Florida and acts as a fitness coach to Andy Murray. Jez was seen frequently on TV supporting his man at Wimbledon.

Both Jez and Anthony are being offered honorary membership of the club in recognition of their contributions. Overall our membership is slightly ahead of last year but we still have space for more members in all categories and rates now start to reduce for the remainder of the year. So if friends or family members are thinking about joining, please do encourage them. With our new Classic Clay courts, active coaching team there to help and a warm welcome assured, it’s a better deal than ever.

The court opening day was blessed with fine weather and since then we’ve had almost continuous sunshine in the first half of the summer. The World Cup event organised by Iain Bowman and his social tennis team was a great success. Julia Furness and the rest of the Junior Committee produced a wonderful Junior Finals day at the end of June and there was an excellently attended and most enjoyable (so I’m told!) ladies 60^{th anniversary lunch. A new introduction this summer has been Thursday morning club play which we plan to continue throughout the winter.}

The summer holidays are now upon us and organised activities will reduce, which means plenty of courts available any time you or the children want to play. There are summer tennis camps and competitions for the children and it’s not too late to enter the handicap tournament which is always enjoyed by players of all standards. Finals day for the handicap is September 26th, with the championship finals two weeks earlier. Please come down to watch. They are always very good afternoons to attend as a spectator. On the weekend of September 4/5th the club will once again be hosting the Youatt Cup, an inter club junior event which also is highly enjoyable to watch.

Enjoy the rest of this golden summer and enjoy your tennis, and if there is anything you would like to suggest or ask about please do get in touch with me or another committee member. We are wholly committed to continuing to improve Prestbury’s activities and facilities and making sure that every member gets what they want from the club.

Richard Atkinson

Chairman

Junior News

The highlight of the year so far for the Junior section was the tournament finals day on Sunday 27th June. The event was well attended. It was a beautiful summer’s day, the courts and surrounding area were in immaculate condition and a high standard of tennis was played in an excellent spirit. The highlight was a three hour marathon in the U15 boys plate final. There had to be last minute changes to the order of play to allow for the viewing of the England/Germany match. We all agreed that the tennis was the better spectacle. Thanks to Julia Furness, Ruth Moyes, Pete Moran, Alison Scott, Feng Eales and the umpires for helping to make it such a successful day.

Meanwhile you may have noticed that a certain Liam Broady won the boys doubles tournament at Wimbledon. On a couple of occasions earlier this season he has been a guest at Prestbury tennis club to practice on our new all weather clay courts. He was knocking up with Sean Sivewright, our U15 boys champion. It’s nice to know this club has had an input on junior success at the highest level.

Coaching

The Coaches will again be running Summer Camps in late July and throughout August. These involve fun games, coaching and some competitive tennis.

Full details of the dates, times and prices are on the application form sent to you at the same time as this Newsletter. A small extra fee is payable by non-members and entitles one week’s play on the courts 9am-5pm.

Any queries please ring Jon Cain on 07702 814 351

Summer Walk

Sunday 18th July

10.30 am prompt

Contact David Bentley (820126)

if interested

Prestbury Open Tournament

Club Security

Ladies Afternoon/Men’s Morning

Club Nights

Club nights on Wednesday and Friday continue to be popular and are a great way to enjoy some relaxing tennis in a friendly atmosphere. They run on a ‘turn up and play’ basis from 6.30 onwards and all standards of player are welcome. A facilitator is present to arrange fours of a similar standard on Wednesdays during the summer. These evenings are a good way for new members to get to know the club and for existing members to socialise, with the bar open afterwards on Fridays (and often on Wednesdays in the summer). A small charge is made to cover the cost of balls and lights (£2 in winter / £1 in summer).

Friendly Club Matches

Friendly matches will be organised with several local tennis clubs again this year. These take place during the summer months (late June to early October) and are an opportunity for those who do not normally play for the club teams to experience some competitive play against other clubs. If you’re interested in taking part, please contact either Iaian Bowman (574216 or

Clubhouse Hire

Having a celebration of some kind, birthday, wedding, anniversary? Remember you can hire the Tennis Club, especially Saturday evening, and bar and catering arrangements are very flexible. The usual hire charge is £15.50 per hour of the function but Club members have a 50% fee reduction. Contact the Secretary, Pam Dennett, for further details – tel. 613001.

Bank Holiday Tournaments

The next of these is on Monday 30th August, so put the date in your diary – it’s a great way to spend the Bank Holiday afternoon.

There is no need to pre-book – just turn up to sign in at 1.45 for 2pm start. Initial pairings are drawn at the start and change every 7 games, with play continuing until around 5pm when tea, cake and prizes take over. All standards of player are welcome.

This is an opportunity to experience some fun tennis in a sociable and competitive setting. If you’re unsure what’s involved or would like more information, please contact Iaian Bowman (574216 or

British Tennis Membershi

A further reminder of the benefits of our members signing up to British Tennis Membership. This is free, increases the number of Wimbledon tickets allocated to the Club, entitles members to enter the draw, to obtain discounts on other major tennis events and to receive a free regular LTA newsletter. It was a condition of our recent funding assistance that we increase our percentage of British Tennis Members, so please try to help us achieve that. The easiest way to join is on the LTA website –

Or you can phone

Or pick up an application form from the Clubhouse.

E-Mail Addresses

Most of the Tennis news is sent out by e-mail now and this saves time and money. There are still some members for whom we don’t have an e-mail address and must send out in the post. If you have an e-mail address but have received this by post it would be helpful if you would send an e-mail to

Racquet Sales & Restringing

Please contact Richard Sinton (01625 611639) for any of the following: 　

Some problems have been experienced recently resulting from non-members having access to the facilities and members are reminded that it is necessary, if you are the last to leave, to ensure that the lights are off in the Clubhouse, the Clubhouse door and gate pulled shut. This applies whether during the daytime or evening if there are no other members remaining on the premises.

Details are also sent with this letter of an Open Tournament being run at the Club from 16-20 August with Senior and Junior events. Closing date 2nd August.

Tournament Reminder!!

Get your entries filled in for the annual Handicap tournament - entry form with this newsletter. Spare forms will be put in the clubhouse and should be posted to the tournament chairman, or put in the tournament postbox in the clubhouse on the tournament board. Entries close 5th August.

Finals day 26th September.

Championship

If there are any questions you can Email the tournament chairman on pete.moyes@hotmail.co.uk, or call on 01625 827648.

–Finals day Sunday 12th September. The finals day is much later in the year than in previous years but it is equally necessary for participants to play their rounds by the due dates. Please assist the organisation by doing so.

Ladies Vets Tournament

The Ladies Vets Tournament is played annually for the Mainprice Trophy. In order to facilitate organisation and promote greater participation, the tournament will this year take the form of a Round Robin event to be held early in October at a date and time to be finalised as soon as possible.

Please look for details posted on the blackboard at the Club and/or contact Doreen Armstrong on 829204.

Senior Club Mornings

A further ‘turn up and play’ opportunity has been added to the club schedule, for members who are available during the day – men or ladies – all abilities.

Thursdays from 9am

£1.00 for use of club balls

Court Maintenance

When you finish playing and leave courts, please make sure you:

　　　 * Drag courts and sweep lines (Classic Clay courts)
　　　 * Remove all litter (plastic bottles, sweet wrappers, balls tins, etc.)

* Take with you all clothing and personal possessions
　　　 * Leave sweep mats in correct positions, as identified on each court.　
　　　 * Leave line-sweeps hanging on fence, with one at each end of Classic Clay courts
　　　 * Leave net measures hanging on net (one per court)

Parents: Can you please make sure all junior members are aware of these requests.

Lost Property

In the next couple of weeks, please inspect the lost property on the hanging rail inside the Clubhouse and take anything which belongs to you or your children, as it will all be taken to the Charity shop at the end of July.

Ladies’ Lunch

The Anniversary Ladies’ Lunch in May was attended by 50 members and was very much enjoyed by all, thanks to Doreen Armstrong and her helpers. Raffle takings of almost £200 were donated to the East Cheshire Hospice. £200 from the overall profit was given to the Christie Bone Marrow Bank, currently treating one of our longstanding members, to whom we send our very best wishes.