This Is Guernsey

By Aaron Scoones and Andy Bradshaw

Patrick Ogier claimed three points for Guernsey playing with Jimmy Wood in the men’s doubles and Jo Robinson in the mixed. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0457882)

GUERNSEY have lost the tennis inter-insular after being holders for three years. The loss comes as the format for the big match of the year is set to be changed.

Playing at the Caesareans’ club on Sunday, the Sarnians went down  15-9. They had held on to the trophy since winning in 2005 and drawing the next two occasions.

The fixture is currently made up entirely of doubles matches but calls are afoot to include singles matches in the future. ‘The inter-insular is a great event, but with the cost of flights now, we are seriously thinking, is it right that we should be spending that amount of money on what is a doubles tournament?’ said Jersey Lawn Tennis Association chairman and Jersey captain Matt Harris.

‘The Island Games, the Commonwealth Games, inter-county matches, the National Club League and tournaments in France and Germany all include singles matches. If it is approved, I’m sure it will be a move that will take tennis forward in the islands.

‘We don’t want to lose the tradition of the inter-insular, but doubles is generally played by older players so that restricts the younger ones from representing their island.

‘We have a lot of young talent coming through and it would be better for them to be involved at an earlier stage in the inter-insular rather than them coming through later when they play more doubles.’

A meeting has been planned to take place in both islands’ LTAs in September following the veteran’s inter-insular.

Harris’s counterpart in Guernsey Rick Denton is not so sure that singles matches need to be brought in.

‘The inter-insular has a very traditional format and over the years we’ve had some very good matches,’ he said.

‘The inter-insular isn’t part of a development plan for singles matches. It’s unique and it’s a team event.

‘But it does need a relaunch to make it more of a public event.’

The weekend’s score did not reflect how close it was, as seven of the matches were decided by final-set championship tiebreaks.

Both teams were missing a number of regular first-team players.

The Guernsey team fielded six juniors in their 16.

Juniors Jo Dyer, Megan Hearse, Charlotte Walker and Georgina Denton featured as did Nick Thibeault and Nico Robinson for the men.

However, the big performers for the Greens were Patrick Ogier and Jimmy Wood.

Playing as first men’s pair, they were undefeated.

Their match against the first Jersey pair of Harris and Andy Evans was particularly thrilling with its display of power hitting and fast volley exchanges.

Ogier also won his match in the mixed doubles with Jo Robinson, beating the Reds’ first pair of Andy Evans and Katie Gouyette.

Another notable performer for Guernsey was Sue de Garis.

The veteran won two of her three matches.

Women’s captain Robinson also performed well against strong opposition in that section.

With Claire Randell, she defeated the second Jersey pairing of Gouyette and Eva Moynihan and narrowly lost to the first Jersey pairing of Rebecca Edwards and Karen Fisher.

Guernsey team manager Denton was pleased with his side, despite the result.

‘I am very proud of the commitment and performance of our Guernsey team, who performed well against a very strong Jersey team,’ he said.

‘I am particularly pleased with the promise shown by our juniors who participated in this match, which bodes well for the future of tennis in Guernsey.’

Article posted on 17th July, 2008 - 2.29pm