Monday, 14 July 2014

RECENT ACTIVITIES

The Club has been far from being brought to a standstill by the series of violent electrifying atmospheric disturbances to which we have been subjected;  four such storms during the last few weeks!  Fortunately the accompanying rain, however heavy each time, has been short-lived & insufficient to stop play for more than a morning. Regeneration of the clay court surfaces has nevertheless necessitated considerable hard work each time, & we are once again indebted to our friendly Fred for his efforts.  The result has been the preservation of our 5 terre-battues in the necessary fine fettle for high-level tournament play.

Member activities over this period have been as usual joyous & varied:  the first by the initiative & organisation of member, Yann. He encouraged a series of friends employed, as himself, by Air France to arrange their free days to coincide with each others, to give occasion for a two-day tennis tournament.  Naturally time was left for a happy meal in the Club Restaurant;  here they are enjoying themselves after some vigorous exercise.




A further Club event was organised by the Ladies Group;  their usual efficient 'Round Robin' over the two-hour period.  I missed the initial fancy dress - discarded for the rigours of doubles play, but here are examples of individual strokes by Renée & Jasmin.


 
Tournament matches in the Internal Tournament continued for at least 2 months: Virginie & Sophie are figured separately & then together, to show that there was no ill-feeling although one of them had to lose!



The July Vignal Open Tournament finished yesterday (Sunday 13th) after 2 weeks hard work by Olivier, Virginie & Didier, ably assisted this time by Courentin. Here they all are:


There were about 200 entrants in the Mens' Open alone - reduced to Benjamin Simoncini (-2/6), Benoît Bottero (-4/6), Mathieu Monleau (-2/6), & Thomas Oger (-15) in the semi-finals & to Bottero & Oger in the Final. Here is the worthy winner, Thomas Oger.


In the Ladies' Open, the Final took place on Hard Court between two English-speaking girls;  Brittany Huxley from Australia, & Maika Tanpoco (-4/6) of Philippine origins.  Maika won an energetic & good-natured match 6/3, 7/5. Here she is taking her prizes:


And finally the group of participants in this very successful event.



Bon tennis tout le monde!