Hailsham and Meads tennis aces serve up close encounters

Seaford & Blatchington’s fourth team were the opponents but strong wind and showers punctuated the match, making it hard to get going.

But despite the conditions, Hailsham’s first pair, Neil Downer and Johan Jooste, were on form, winning their first match 6-1, 6-1 and their second match 6-0, 6-0.

It was more of an uphill struggle for Hailsham’s second pair, captain Johnny Chea and Simon Underwood.

In their first match they had a hard-fought first set, coming through 7-5, before taking the second set 6-1 for a victory.

Their second match followed a similar pattern, winning the first set on a tie-break 7-6, before easing through their second set 6-1.

The 4-0 result gives the Hailsham team their first win of the season in the Wilson Sandford Doubles League.

Their next scheduled match will be at Mayfield in June.

* Meads ladies firsts won 3-1 when they took on Wickwoods in the Wilson Sandford Summer Doubles League.

Bursts of rain and a blustery wind could not prevent Meads ladies from securing a hard-fought victory against a spirited Wickwoods outfit.

In their first match Jess Gisby and Lucy Parkin combined power with some finesse to produce a swift straight sets victory.

Meanwhile Hazel Sneath and Mary Sherlock were always competitive but could not quite get the better of their opponents leaving the overall match score delicately poised at 1-1.

In the reverse fixtures Gisby and Parkin maintained their dynamic form racing to a 6-1 victory in the first set before clinching the second set 6-4.

Sneath and Sherlock ensured that braving the elements was well worth it for Meads by completing a 6-4; 6-3 win over the Wickwoods second pair leaving the final score 3-1 to Meads.