It was a great weekend with nearly all the matches going to three sets which showed the handicaps were spot on. There was a good crowd for the Mens Doubles and the presentations on the Monday night.
A Grade Handicap Singles
Wayne Spring gets his name up on an honour board for an amazing 47th time with a 6/1 2/6 6/4 tight win over Michael Williams. I reckon Wayne would be pretty pleased with this … he’s only ever won this A Grade handicap title once before and that was 18 years ago. Come to think of it that was probably the year Michael was born … spooky eh.
B Grade Handicap Singles
Doug Grant slugs it out with Ewan Barker in a hard pressed 2/6 6/5 6/4 win. I know that Doug altitude trains on Mount Everest while Ewan trains on the lowly Mount Helen … that probably explains the difference.
C Grade Handicap Singles
Andrew Pipkorn smites Steve Wright 5/6 6/4 6/3. This would have been a tough match with both players having similar handicaps and similar easy wins against me over the years. Andrew has a slight edge because Steve has to do the catering for the weekend and this proves decisive.
D Grade Handicap Singles
Stephanie, that quiet achiever of the Williams hegemony, knocks off Terry McDonough 6/0 6/5. You may not realize it but this is Stephanie’s 11th title … more than her noisier siblings not to mention her presidential father. Good on you Steph.
E Grade Handicap Singles
Annie Strange defeats Tom Parker 6/3 3/6 6/4. I think this is Annie’s first ever singles win in the championship so well done. Listening to Stuart and David coaching from the sidelines would have been an interesting experience.
Masters Handicap Singles
John McClure has the closest possible win from Steve Yung 6/2 3/6 6/5. The Masters is the toughest and largest section of the championships and this match would have been a ripper. Steve has been in fine form but I fear appearing on the front page of the local magazine Ballarat Enterprise last month has created Rudd-like delusions in him. John’s coach has advised against any magazine appearances for him.
Junior Handicap Singles
Ben Shepherd wins from Tom Parker 6/0 2/6 6/3 in a see-sawing affair. It’s Ben’s first appearance on an honour board where he joins some pretty handy players.
Ladies Handicap Singles
The Williams oligarchy strikes again as Stephanie battles out an epic 6/2 2/6 6/3 over Jo Edwards. Hard match for Jo … there’s the big handicap difference and of course years of physical abuse to her body. They say Jo’s right elbow and shoulder are being studied by Chinese medical science … they want to know how she could possibly have won 42 previous club titles. They plan to clone her and make genetic improvements for a title match against Rob Fahey in 2014.
Ladies B Grade Handicap Singles
Elle Hoskin wins from Annie Strange in 3/6 6/1 6/2. I think this might be Elle’s first appearance on an honour board so well done. Since Will is up there somewhere already this entitles the pair of you to be known as the Hoskin Dynasty.
Mens Doubles
The feature match before the presentation sees Wayne Spring and David Parker win from Daniel and Michael Williams 6/5 6/1 6/5. Four of the lowest handicaps in the club and it was fierce … I wouldn’t like to be defending the galleries whenever any of this bunch were having a go at it. The Williams bunch actually had set points in the first and third sets so the match could very well have gone to five sets. Anyway it was not to be but it was still some of the best doubles you could hope to see. Wayne’s shot into the winning gallery to win the first set was a highlight.
Mixed Doubles
David Parker and Wendy Whitehead defeat Mark Hartnell and Jo Edwards 6/5 6/1. This is the seventh time this pairing has won the title. Interestingly Wendy has also won it previously with Bill Faull and Andrew Fowler … so that makes it mixed-mixed doubles that Wendy is playing.
2009 Survivor Series
Voted the most mysterious tournament on the calendar … Ian Chambers takes it out 6 months after it was supposed to finish. Is this what it is all about … surviving till all the other competitors become aged and infirm?
Most Improved Player
As President Paul Williams pointed out this is the only title you can buy … have enough lessons with Brett and he has to award it to you otherwise his lessons obviously weren’t much use. Now I don’t know if Robert Lagerberg really had lots of lessons but I do know he has improved mightily. Mind you there should be also a Least Improved Player Award … I’d like to see Brett teach me how to win that one … or would I have to rely on natural ability.
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