Preston Bowl entrants 2011
(the Preston Bowl is being held by the 2010 winner)
The Preston Bowl Competition is an Open mixed doubles competition for players of all ages that has been contested annually since 1934. Like the 2010 Preston Bowl, the tournament was played as a knockout with first round losers being entered into a consolation draw. However, unlike last year, the weather remained fine and the tournament proceeded without stoppages.
The main draw first round matches were all won by the seeded pairs. The first two seeds won their matches reasonably comfortably, but the third and fourth seeds faced tougher resistance. in the next round, Harry and Samantha seemed to be heading for an easy victory in their semifinal as they took the first set to love. However, in the second set, Jason and Dawn raised their game and their attacking play overwhelmed the first seeds 6-3 to square the match. Unfortunately, they were unable to sustain their momentum through the match tie-break and so Harry and Samantha moved through to the final. In the second semifinals, the back injury that Matthew Davies sustained in his first round match became too much for him and the Davies pair retired in the second set to give Alex and Alice a place in the final.
The final was closely contested affair between two pairs playing excellent tennis. As in the semi-final, Samantha and Harry went off to a good start in the first set, but then lost a closely contested second set. In the championship tie-break, Samantha and Harry had a run of points to take them from 6-5 to 9-5, and looked set to win. Alice and Alex then won the next three points to take them to 8-9, and we seemed set for a nail biting finish. However the next rally ended with Alex hitting a deep shot from Harry into the net to give Samantha and Harry victory. Congratulations to Samantha for her second Preston Bowl win in two years.
Preston Bowl winners, Samantha Howse and Harry Kellner
The losing first round players moved into the consolation draw. Angus and Fiona found their touch against Tim and Jackie to move through to the consolation final. Craig and Helen convincingly beat Bev and Sue. Bev had pulled a leg muscle in the first set but gamely played on despite being almost unable to move in the final set. In the consolation final, the consistency of Angus and Fiona's game was sufficient for them to overcome Craig and Helen.
The Preston Bowl Competition has over 70 years of history. The following information was extracted from the club minutes of 1934:
"At the committee meeting on 23 Jan 1934 it was proposed and agreed that the Crescent Tennis Club be renamed the Abingdon Lawn Tennis Club. At the same meeting Mr A E Preston was elected President of the Club. It was agreed that a competition open to residents in Berkshire within a 13 miles radius of Abingdon would be initiated. The winner will be presented with a Challenge Cup to be given by Mr Preston. The competition is to be played on Whit Monday and to be an American Tournament. Play to commence at 11am and the final to be of 3 sets."(Note that in July 1933 the club applied for affiliation to the LTA.)