DORCHESTER Tennis and Squash Club are celebrating a highly-successful summer with a number of team and individual trophy winners.
Dorchester men’s tennis first team won the Dorset Division One League this summer after going undefeated throughout the season, acquiring 40 out of a possible 42 points.
Team captain Kevin Willemse was delighted and said: “The highlights this season were beating both the West Hants and East Dorset tennis clubs in great style.
“The level has been very high throughout and I’d like to congratulate Raffy Davies, Ed Keegan, Alex White, Ellery Ford, Ethan Robinson and Joe Chambers on a successful season.”
READ MORE: Dorchester junior stars win tennis titles
Elsewhere, in the Yeovil & District League, Dorchester also had success with their women's B team comfortably winning Division Four.
Dorchester also enjoyed some amazing individual successes and have had two national tennis champions in the club.
Belinda Blackburn is now the British Open Masters Singles champion in the over-75 category on hard, grass and clay courts and Robert Milner in the over-85 category is the British Open Masters Singles champion on clay and the British Closed Masters Singles champion on grass. Blackburn is also currently captaining the over-75 Great Britain team in the World Masters Tennis Championships in Mallorca, Spain.
Club chairman Al Clark said: “I’d like to thank all our men and women who have represented the club over the summer in our tennis teams and particular congratulations go to our women’s B team in the Yeovil & District League and our men’s first team in the Dorset League.
“It’s great to know that our men’s team, from which the majority of players have come through our junior coaching programme, are the best in the county.
“Not only that, but in the Spring our men’s squash first team were also crowned Dorset Division One champions, so our squash team are also the best in the county.
“This is a stupendous achievement for a small club like ours and a great testament to our coaching team and the wonderful playing facilities we have.”
Back in Dorchester, the club have just held a fun Peter Cox tennis handicap tournament.
Some 24 competitors of all standards played in the sunshine and the champions were Julie Nash and Mike Williams who beat Al Clark and Dugald Lockhart in a closely-fought final.
Peter Cox Championship results: Semi-final 1: Dugald Lockhart & Al Clark beat Duncan Heath & Des Lenehan 6-2; Semi-final 2: Julie Nash & Mike Williams beat Grahame Bennett & Stephen Hockaday 6-3; Final: Julie Nash & Mike Williams beat Dugald Lockhart & Al Clark 6-3.
Anyone interested in finding out more about joining the club, either to play tennis for fun, have some coaching, enter a tournament or play in a team should look at the club website www.dtsc.org.uk or email: admin@dtsc.org.uk or phone 01305 268103 from 9-11am on weekdays for more information.
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