Tennis: Helensburgh teams enjoy mixed early season fortunes

Having lost three members of last year’s team, playing in Division 1/1 will be a challenge, but the ladies were in a positive frame of mind and competed well.

At third pair, Gay Black and Alison Fotheringham lost the first two sets but came back strongly to collect the third 6-4, while Suzanne Marshall and Carol Bews at second faced a strong couple who only got better as the match went on and who won all three sets.

Katie Hope and Ann Morison took a while to find their form, but, having lost the first set, won the remaining two 6-4, 6-3.

Sadly, the result of the team’s second league match was as miserable as the weather, with a 9-0 defeat in continuous rain against a very strong David Lloyd Renfrew team.

However, the club’s 60+ ladies’ first team redeemed the week for the club with a 4-2 win over Milngavie: Gay Black and Ann Morrison raced through the first set 6-0, and though Milngavie got their act together, the Helensburgh pair weren’t to be denied and won the remaining sets 6-3, 6-3.

Second couple Jackie Hunter and Janette Howieson also won the first set, but their opponents managed to overhaul the home pair 6-2, 6-2.

The ladies’ second 60+ team also enjoyed an encouraging start to their season, with Phyllis Fullarton, Janette Green, Frankie Hanmer and Carol Young drawing 3-3 against East Kilbride/Busby.