It’s been another brilliant summer season for both the ladies’ and men’s B teams at Sidmouth Tennis Club, with both earning promotion in the Exeter League for the second consecutive year, writes Kate Truman.

The ladies’ B team played in Division Four and finished the season just six points shy of winners Newton Abbott. However, the runners-up spot was enough to see them promoted to ply their trade next summer in Division Three. This is quite an achievement for a group that began with a core squad of four and took their place in Division Six three short years ago.

That original quartet of Marlene Maynard (captain), Vici Topping, Jackie Ensall and Kate Truman were joined this year by Sharon O’Brien, Hazel Broomhead, Sarah Peacock and Katherine Houghton-Brown, who all made a valuable contribution to the ladies’ quest to continue moving up the league rankings.

Meanwhile, the men’s B team, captained by Bob Hefill and augmented by new squad members Gregg Shipp, Harry Ensall, and Harsha Liyanage, won nine of their 12 matches in Division Seven to also finish as runners-up and secure promotion alongside division winners, David Lloyd.

The men’s promotion hinged on the result of a tense final home match against Bovey Tracey, in which they needed to win six of the eight sets. That was something they did in style, thanks to some fine play by Greg and Harsha.

As a result, next summer, the men’s B have the interesting pleasure of playing against their stablemates, the Sidmouth men’s A team, who, having lost key players to university and to injury this year, had a less successful season in Division Five and were subsequently relegated to take their place in Division Six next summer.

Elsewhere in the club, the ladies’ A team put in a strong performance to maintain their position in a challenging Division Two and the mixed team also had a solid performance to maintain their mid-table position in Division Three of the East Devon League.

The new ladies’ C team enjoyed their first season of league matches in Division Six and, with experience now under their belt, will look to try to improve upon their performance next year. For now, though, everyone’s focus is on the winter league ahead.