The league got off a dramatic and competitive start. Tommy was absent to June was captain and she led her troops against the Beta team of Dorothy. There was a terrific top singles as Rory and Gerry did not give an inch with nothing separating them until 11-9 in the final set Champions tiebreak with Gerry hitting a line ball lob for a narrow win. Beta equalised through an emphatic win for Brian against an out of sorts Paddy. In the Mixed June fresh from her Warrenpoint Open win was in great form as she and Gary S beat Dorothy and Sean. It was a similar story when June teamed with slice king Pat beating Dorothy and the net player James. In the Men’s Doubles matches the O’Hare clan were in the ascendancy as James and Neil used tough drives and scintillating net play to upend Pat & Diarmuid 60. Whilst MVP Neil was back again with Sean to  extinguish the hopes of Diarmuid and Gary S 61.

Team Kappa 4

Team Beta 4

The anticipated battle between the teams of Omega and Sigma proved into a triumph for one &disaster for another. Kieran and Marty are wily captains and their intensity was not as much as usual as Marty was delayed at the start. The night started badly for Omega as Kieran and Matthew who had won Newry Closed 2015 were back together but soundly beaten by Sean and Alex. Sean’s wife Colette made a welcome return to club action as she & John proved too strong for Marie and Gareth. Kieran returned to the ring sorry court with Gareth but when he fell to the ground it seemed his fate was sealed as they lost to Sean and John J. Colette teamed with doubles expert Alex for  a comfortable win over father & daughter combo Matt &Marie.  Marty beat Lee 64 63 as the crowds were enthralled. In a 2 &a 1/2 hour epic Cormac outlasted Nigel losing the second set tb then winning a Champions Tb as both cramped in the match of the funny walks. A whitewash result overall. Omega 0 Sigma 9

 

Shane’s Team Alpha won their first match of the league 5-1 against the absent Giby’s Team Delta. Giby had given his proxy to Tim beforehand. Irene and Sean started the night perfectly with a 62 Mixed Doubles win over Pauline and Paul. This was a debut for Paul in any Newry competition so well done to him.

Veterans mal Snr and Russel made it 2-0 for Alpha with a tense hard fought win over the contrasting styles of Michael and  Gary 64. The two singles matches saw mal Jnr come back from an early hiccup to beat another newbie Diarmuid 64 61 to win the first point for ? Alpha captain Shane then walloped an injured Tim 60 11 retirement. In the final two doubles  matches of the evening it was another two points for Alpha. Irene and Mal both won their second point of the nigh beating Michael and Pauline 61. Russell and Sean  progressed 62 against good friends Paul and Gary. It was a perfect evening for tennis and everyone enjoyed themselves so much. The overall  point score is

Team Alpha 7

Team Delta 1

​

There were plenty of subs in action as two teams currently contesting second place met in the League. Kieran Campbell was subbing for Cormac and rolled back the years with a return to singles for the first time since 2014 to beat Carlos Janavicius 60 63. June and Gary equalised it for Tommy by beating John & Zhihang. Gary's serve was particularly potent. Then the doubles teams swapped with Tommy and Gary leading 3-2 at one stage but lost in the end to the net play of basketball dunker Alex & John. In a nailbiting finish it went all the way to a tiebreak as Paddy & June won 86 against a spirited headmaster and pupil combination of Sean and Zhihang. 

​

​