Risbygate Tennis Club relegated from LTA National One Men’s South East despite victory against Roehampton II

Despite winning their final game of the season 10-6 at home to fifth-placed Roehampton II, Risbygate Tennis Club have been relegated from the LTA National One Men’s South East.

Asa Sumner-Keens’ side did all they could on Sunday, June 16, but were made to undergo an agonising wait to hear if already-relegated Gidea Park could provide them with a miracle and snatch a victory against their relegation rivals, Queen’s Club.

However, Queen’s saw off the bottom-of-the-table side in convincing fashion – running away 12-0 winners – to confirm Risbygate’s fate.

The Bury St Edmunds-based club named a strong side for the visit of Roehampton, on what was a crucial day for both sides, as if the winning margin had been greater, the away outfit could have stared relegation in the face.

Will Cooke-Wharton, Oscar Wai, Sumner-Keens and Ben Slade made up Risbygate’s team line-up as they faced a Roehampton outfit that contained Matthew Short – who was previously Roger Federer’s practice partner at Wimbledon –, Robert Leck, previously-professionally-ranked Bojan Jelovac and Louis Aubry.

The singles matches failed to separate the two sides, with the score tied at 2-2 following Sumner-Keens’ comfortable 6-2, 6-2 victory over Jelovac and Slade’s 7-6, 6-3 win against Aubry.

Meanwhile, Cooke-Wharton lost 6-3, 6-4 against Short while Leck saw off Wai (6-4, 6-2).

Christof Schaertlin-Coffey was drafted in by Risbygate for the doubles, replacing Slade, who was victorious with Sumner-Keens (7-6, 6-3).

And Risbygate claimed the win thanks to Cooke-Wharton and Wai’s efforts (6-3, 4-6, 10-6 tiebreak) but results elsewhere condemned them to relegation.