Legacy Fund Launch
A beautiful if somewhat chilly evening saw the launch of the Rye LTC Legacy Fund at the house and garden…
Despite torrential rain throughout the winter, the Club’s eight grass courts were at their very best for the 270 people who entered the annual tournament this year.
Held between Friday 2nd and Monday 5th August, the ten talented young players from Harvard and Yale playing at the tournament this year pushed the standard up to an even higher level than usual.
Since the early 1960s, the Harvard and Yale teams have attended the Annual Rye Tennis Tournament every four years before playing the Prentice & Seabright Cup – an international intercollegiate tennis competition held alternately between the All England Lawn Tennis Club and Seabright Lawn Tennis Club in New Jersey.
The Club’s relationship with Havard and Yale dates back to when a number of the people who played at the Annual Rye Tennis Tournament or belonged to the Club were, and some are still, on the committee of the Prentice Cup.
Both the men’s and ladies’ open singles, played on Monday 4th August, were dominated by the Harvard and Yale teams. Danny Milavsky from Harvard beat Theo Dean from Yale in a close match which finished in a tie break. In the ladies’ singles Stephanie Yakoff from Harvard fought hard to beat Shyla Aggarwal from Yale.
Hurlingham’s Max McAlistair teamed up with Danny Milavsky from Harvard to narrowly beat Camden Hill’s Dusan Miljevic and Henry Moore in the final of the mens’ open doubles.
The ladies’ doubles final was another contest between members of London’s Cumberland Club. This time Marine Beugre-Guyot and her partner Emanuela Falletti beat Caroline Lynch & Muriel Wacker.
In the open mixed doubles the Americans dominated again with Shyla Aggarval of Yale and her partner Ryan Mcelvenny beating Henry Moore and Caroline Lynch from the Cumberland Club in a tie break.
In the B groups and Handicap sections, designed to cater for a much broader range of ability, the winners included Rye Lawn Tennis Club members Sarah Walsh and Phil Harper who beat Anna Gorringe and her son Billy.
Councillor Andy Stuart, Mayor of Rye and his wife Nicky who came down to the Club to watch the finals says, “We spent a lovely afternoon at Rye Tennis Club watching the men’s and women’s finals: the quality of the tennis was truly outstanding. And the warmth of everyone I met from the Club matched the weather! We were made to feel most welcome.”
Players and spectators alike enjoyed meeting many of the Club’s new sponsors over the weekend.
Shepherd Neame’s Spitfire Lager and Whitstable Bay Blonde lager, served from their Spitfire branded Land Rover Defender, went down so well the area manager Neil Reynolds had to source some more stock half way through the weekend. For those who preferred a glass of wine, there were six available to try at the Oxney Organic Estates VW Transporter Van.
In the marquee, the local family-owned sports retailer Wisdens were doing a brisk trade alongside the NFU Mutual Ashford, Tenderden & Whitfield stand and Dermatology Consulting.
Up in the clubhouse Rye Lawn Tennis Club member, Dr Sarah Walsh was doing skin checks, Kerry Best from Dermatology Consulting was giving free 30-minute skin consultations, alongside nutritionist Georgina Stephenson and osteopath Nick Griffith.
Clare Crawshay-Williams, a Club volunteer responsible for sponsorship, marketing and communications. “We are immensely grateful to all our sponsors for supporting the Club. Their involvement will not only be instrumental in helping us maintain our exceptional facilities for members and guests, but also enable the Club to play an even bigger part in the local community”, says
115 Military Road, Rye,
East Sussex TN31 7NY