Farmer Tournament 2021

The Farmer Tournament, an invitation mixed doubles named in memory of RLTC board member John Farmer, took place on Sunday 8th August and, like earlier tournaments, was also dogged by wet weather and strong winds. Organised by Amy Maynard, and with a bumper turn-out of 32 couples, rain sadly stopped play after just a few matches. The bar, however, did brisk business and after an excellent lunch, provided by the Pink Kitchen, play resumed on the hard courts, with a return to the grass a short time later.

With all group matches completed, the semi-final pitted previous winners Scott Brotherton and Vicki Lowe against Tonbridge pair Petra Bailey and Ged Denning. Facing a fierce handicap against them, the former champions went down 4-6 and Petra and Ged went on to face Freddie Whitfield, great nephew of the Club’s former chairman Nick Moy, and Honor Gibbs who had come through the other semi-final against Rye solicitor Rupert Parkes and his daughter Katie. In a tense final, which went to the wire, the Tonbridge team just got their noses ahead in the tie-break to take the trophy, which was presented by Club chairman Jonathan Jempson.