TENNIS: Taylor enjoys triumph in Jim Bailey tournament

County men's skipper Mark Taylor may decide Sunday's poignant doubles victory in the Jim Bailey tournament at Oundle may have been a personal swansong in his world of tennis.
WINNERS - Mark Taylor (left) and Andre PorrittWINNERS - Mark Taylor (left) and Andre Porritt
WINNERS - Mark Taylor (left) and Andre Porritt

Taylor partnered his Northants Over 35 team-mate Andre Porritt and secured a fourth success in the competition run by Oundle’s John Whight in memory of the former Northants skipper.

This was a third victory in a row for Taylor/Porritt while Taylor has previously been successful with Corby’s Neil Shorrock, but at the age of 45 he was feeling the aches and pains on Monday morning.

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He said: “It has always been a tournament I have wanted to support because Jim was Northants captain when I first played for the county. It was great to see people such as Bob Wenman taking part as he and Jim used to team up at Hunstanton every year.”

In the tournament, each of the nine pairs played one set against the other eight, the league leaders playing out a finale set which saw Taylor/Porritt defeat Claude Badowski and Jakob Bonnett 6-2.

“They were undoubtedly the best other pair which was great for me as I used to coach Claude while Jakob is going to be one of the stars of the future,” said Taylor.

DALLINGTON LTC is eagerly anticipating a visit by the President of the LTA Cathie Sabin on Sunday November 6.

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The club is celebrating its 130th anniversary and Sabin will be dropping in at Dallington during the afternoon following a scheduled trip to the Corby Tennis Centre during a round of the 12 Counties junior tournament during the morning.

Anniversary year celebrations came to a head last month when the club hosted a vintage event which saw about 20 players and a further 26 for afternoon tea enjoy a nostalgic tournament when wooden rackets and all white kit was the order of the day.

Former club players who returned for the afternoon included Joan Bradley, Jane and Roger Pinnock, Brenda Turner, Margaret Field, Pam and Rosemary Weston, Jill Tallett, Crystal Harris, Peter Bateman and Anne Fowler.

Committee member Lisa Hodges-Cox said: “It was a great fun afternoon with members’ old and new participating and it may become a yearly event.”

The 12 Counties tournament kicks in for the autumn/winter series when Northants 14 & under sides do battle at Corby on October 23.

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