Summer County Cup was a successful week for both our Men’s and Ladies’ teams.

Having been relegated from Division 1, last year, the Ladies were determined to get back there for 2019.

Ladies Division 2 was this year being played in Havant, the team consisting of Fran Brewster (captain), Danielle Daley, Megan Forster, Holly Hutchinson, Scarlett Hutchinson, Essence Martins, Constandena Nicolaou, Ella Taylor and Aleksandra Topalovic.

Day 1 Middlesex Beat Sussex 8-1
Holly and Ella started off the scoreboard with a 6-2 6-0 win on Day 1. Fran and Constandena battled hard but lost the second rubber in 3 sets 4-6 6-3 4-6 to make it 1-1. Danielle and Megan defeated the Sussex pair of 6-7(3) 6-3 6-3 in 2 hours 20 minutes. Routine wins in Rounds 2 & 3 gave Middlesex the 8-1 score line.

Day 2 Middlesex Beat Cheshire 5-4
The toughest match of the week was played on Tuesday, with Cheshire quickly taking a 2-1 lead in Round 1. Holly and Ella followed up their first-round win, with a 6-4 6-0 win, however Megan and Danielle couldn’t convert, losing 1 & 4. Constandena and Aleksandra fought back a comeback from Cheshire to win 6-2 4-6 6-4. Constandena and Fran lost 4-6 0-6 to give Cheshire the first advantage. The next two pairs of Megan and Danielle, Holly and Ella both converted their matches to give Middlesex 2 out of 2 wins.

Day 3 Middlesex Beat Yorkshire 7-2
Opening up on Day 3, Pairs Holly and Ella, Constandena and Aleksandra won their opening sets 6-3 6-1 to give Middlesex a 2-0 lead. Danielle and Megan faced a tough first pair from Yorkshire and lost out 6-4 6-4.

Middlesex sealed the win in round 2 with a 2 hour 35 minute match from Holly and Ella to beat Yorkshire’s first pair 6-4 5-7 6-3 and wins for Danielle & Megan and Constandena & Aleksandra to go 5-1 up and sealing the win.

Day 4 Middlesex Beat Northumberland 5-4
Middlesex started off well on Day 4, including another epic from Holly and Ella 2-6 7-6(4) 7-6 (4) in 2.5 hours and the team were quickly 4-2 up heading into round 3. Holly and Ella sealed the Tie with a 6-1 6-1 win in 50 minutes, however Northumberland proved to strong against Pair 2 & 3 so the score ended as a tight 5-4 win.

Day 5 Middlesex Beat Lancashire 5-1
In the last match of the week, Holly & Ella and Danielle & Megan won the first two matches of the day to go 2-0 up. Scarlett and Essence just missed out 4-6 2-6 to make it 2-1 Middlesex. All 3 pairs won their matches in the second round granting Middlesex a fifth win of the week.

An undefeated week mean the Ladies Top Division 2 and gain promotion to Devonshire Park in Eastbourne for 2019.

The Men’s team under the captaincy of Andy Fyfe had keys wins against Derbyshire and Cambridgeshire to stay in Eastbourne for 3rd year in a row.

The team consisted of Oliver Golding, Oliver Hudson, Jack Macfarlane, Luke Milligan, Damian Nzekwu, Joshua Page, Joshua Paris, Ravi Patel, Harry Skinner.

Day 1 Middlesex Lose to Hertfordshire 2-7
A tough start to their week, against a very tough and experience Hertfordshire team. Middlesex fought hard in the second round to get 2 wins and make it 4-2 heading into the decider, but Hertfordshire were too strong and claimed the win.

Day 2 Middlesex Beat Derbyshire 5-4
Jack Macfarlane & Joshua Page and Oliver Hudson & Joshua Paris gave Middlesex a 2-1 lead after the first round, however Derbyshire levelled in Round 2.

Derbyshire got a 6-3 6-2 win against Luke Milligan and Ravi Patel to give Derbyshire the first advantage. Oliver Hudson and Joshua Paris had a comeback to win 6-7(2) 6-2 6-4 and Jack Macfarlane and Joshua Page sealed victory with a 4-6 7-5 6-2 win.

Day 3 Middlesex Lose to Essex 1-8
Another tough match for Middlesex, with Oliver Golding and Joshua Page being the only pair to secure some points in this match with a 4-6 6-4 6-3 win against Essex first pair Robert Carter and Richard Wire. Essex were dominant in the other matches and secured the 8-1 win.

Day 4 Middlesex Beat Cambridgeshire 7-2
Middlesex were put under pressure with Oliver Hudson & Luke Milligan and Jack Macfarlane & Joshua Page missed out in two very close 3 set matches and being 2-1 down at the end of the first round.

In Round 2, Oliver Golding & Joshua Paris and Oliver Hudson & Luke Milligan produced some dominant displays to take a 3-2 lead, and Jack Macfarlane and Joshua Page played in another close 3 set matches, this time taking it in the third set tie break to make it 4-2 to Middlesex. All 3 pairs produced some excellent tennis to come through some tight matches and give Middlesex a 7-2 win.

Day 5 Middlesex Lose to Suffolk 1-7
With 2 victories to their name and Cambridgeshire and Derbyshire both on 0 wins, Middlesex could relax on the last day as they successfully managed to stay in Group 1. Suffolk needed to secure victory against Middlesex to gain the title and again they put together a very strong team to deliver a 7-1 defeat to Middlesex.

Well done to all players that took part. We look forward to 2019 with both teams competing in Eastbourne.