The Stratford Tennis Club held its annual Mixed Doubles Club Championship tournament this weekend. Several familiar faces and a few new comers faced off for the titles.

The ‘A’ semifinals were filled with former champions. The first semi saw defending champions Marta Andrekovic and Bob Tamblyn take on former champions Ginny Smith and Bill White. Smith and White were no match for the 2013 champs as Andrekovic and Tamblyn scored a 6-1  6-2 victory to advance to the final. The second semi was a hard hitting affair. Former champions Johanna Billings and Richard Bast slugged it out with former winner Krista Plociennik and new partner Paul Coates. This high calibre match saw some great shot making with everyone playing in top form. Plociennik and Coates took the match 6-4  6-2 advancing to the championship match. The Sunday night final see-sawed back and forth until Andrekovic and Tamblyn took control late to take the first set  7-5. The second set was dominated by the defending champions. Superior net play gave the second set to Andrekovic and Tamblyn 6-2. Andrekovic and Tamblyn took their second straight title without losing a set all weekend and played their top tennis in the final.

The ‘B’ final had 2013 champion Sandie Ennett and new partner Todd Chisholm take on first time partners Carmen Miron and Gary Henry. The match featured every tennis shot in the book; power, spins, volleys and baseline rallies. After Miron and Henry took the first set 6-4 Ennett and Chisholm took over. After taking the second set 6-0 , Ennett and Chisholm took the title with a 6-1 win in the third set, giving Ennett her second straight mixed doubles ‘B’ title and Chisholm his first.

Next weekend the men’s and ladies doubles titles will be decided. The men’s and ladies singles tournaments are being played through the next week and a half with championship matches being played Wednesday, August 21st.

Bill White

( l to r ) Mixed Doubles ‘A’ finalists Paul Coates & Krista Plociennik, ‘A’ champions Bob Tamblyn & Marta Andrekovic

( l to r ) Mixed Doubles ‘B’ finalists Gary Henry & Carmen Miron, ‘B’ champions Todd Chisholm & Sandie Ennett