After a busy few months, the summer season of the Basingstoke and District Tennis League came to an end a couple of weeks ago. With more than 50 results being finalised over the past 6 weeks or so, there have been a few changes to the division standings.

Men’s Division 1:

Andover A were able to leapfrog their opposition to claim the top spot and the title of men’s doubles champions. Despite only playing 3 of their matches, Andover were the recipients of two wins via walkover, which saw them end the season a single point clear of Waverley A and Stratton Park A. Riseley A, who had been contenders, were withdrawn from the competition after not fulfilling their fixtures.

Men’s Division 2:

As expected at the being of the run-in to the end of the season, Hampshire Court A and Oakley A were the two teams who were going to contend for the title of Division 2 winners. The teams couldn’t be separated on points (with both finishing on 10), but fittingly, Hampshire Court A topped the table after beating Oakley A in the headline matchup of the division.

Men’s Division 3:

With three wins and a draw in the final weeks of the season, Beechdown B were able to hurtle to the top of Division 3. Congratulations to Beechdown, and to all the teams in a very competitive division that saw 5 of the 6 teams finish within 3 points of the title.

Men’s Division 4:

Waverley C had already secured the Division 4 title going into the final month of the season, and with Stratton Park B secure in second place, attention turned to the lower placings. Whitchurch just edged out Sherborne for third place, despite having to concede their match earlier in the season.

Ladies Division 1:

A tight battle for the Division 1 crown was won by Preston Candover A, who finished 1 point clear at the top of the standings. Andover and Goodworth Clatford pushed them all the way and finished just 1 and 2 points behind the eventual champions. Preston Candover A went unbeaten through the season, with 4 wins and 2 draws, so their positive results against their closest rivals proved crucial.

Ladies Division 2:

Riseley A and Old Basing finished their season’s level on points, with the title only being settled by the number of sets won! Riseley A just edged this, winning three more sets that Old Basing. Beechdown B were in contention and finished just one point shy of making it a three way tie at the top.

Ladies Division 3:

Preston Candover B finished well clear of the chasing pack, and had a 5 point lead by the end of the season. A close battle for second, third and fourth was played-out between Riseley B, Sherborne and Whitchurch C, and went down to the tie-breaker of sets won. This tight battle (Riseley (20 sets), Sherborne (19 sets), Whitchurch C (18 sets) showed the competitiveness of the division below the run-away winners.

Mixed Division 1:

Andover claimed another top spot in a Division 1, emerging victorious in the top tier of the mixed doubles. They finished the season with 6 wins from their 7 matches, with their sole loss coming against second placed Riseley A. There were close battles throughout the division, but Andover’s greater consistency proved the difference.

Mixed Division 2:

Aldermaston A finished just a single point clear of second placed Stratton Park B and third placed Riseley B. While they didn’t play a match in the final few weeks, Aldermaston were awarded a walkover win from one of their matches, which allowed them to leapfrog to the top of the table.

Mixed Division 3:

Another division that saw two teams unable to be separated on points, with Beechdown C and Preston Candover B finishing level on 9 points. Beechdown C were awarded top-spot courtesy of their higher number of sets won. Preston Candover will rue the two matches that they weren’t able to get played, as results in these matches would almost certainly have seen them finish top instead.