Tennis

SPRING-like weather gave tennis an extra zip on Sunday when glorious sunshine graced final fixtures for Riverside's top three teams in the Wiltshire Winter League, and a further match for the D team, who still have three to play.

Riverside A won at Purton to finish third in Division One, although the B team lost but should still go up from Division Two.

Riverside's A team in the Sarum League secured Division One safety, with three matches still to come. Sandleheath are Division Two champions after winning at Victoria Park.

Riverside A's victory route at Purton was eased by their opponents' last-minute substitution of one of their usual ladies due to injury. The 7-1 win was Riverside's sixth from the ten-match programme.

The B team had hoped to book promotion by winning at Swindon against CS and NALGO A.

That plan misfired in a 6-2 defeat, involving loss of two tie-breaks, but 16 points from 12 matches should still prove enough for second place as rivals Ramsbury and Wootton Bassett have to play each other twice.

The C team stretched Chippenham A, who won 5-3 to finish level on points with Chiseldon B at the top. Mandy Lynch was involved in all three of Riverside's winning sets, as was Tony Loader at Swindon where his 6-0, 6-0 win with Briony Catlin was the highlight of the D team's 5-3 reverse at Nationwide.

Riverside A's win at already relegated Salisbury B left Andover and Salisbury A to battle for points to dodge the second relegation spot in Division One of the Sarum League.

Downton A have finished their fixtures and could be overtaken by both.

Sandleheath's 8-0 win at Victoria Park in their final Division Two fixture made sure they could not be caught at the top. Winchester B or Romsey will finish second and have still to meet.

A splendid entry of 89 players from across the south enjoyed the week-long junior age-group ratings tournament at Salisbury Tennis Club. Only Friday's play was marred by rain after perfect, dry conditions for the rest of the event.

The internal Winter Floodlit Leagues at the two city clubs have been completed. The quartet of Roger Witt, James Bulpitt, Mike Knight and Trina Smith topped the nine teams at Salisbury, where Will Baillie, Pete Arrigoni, Liz Bonser and Chris Daniels won the Cup event. The Kestrels line-up of Steve Archer, Jean Curtis, Tony Loader and Peter Ellis were the champions in the eight-team inaugural event at Riverside.