THE 2004 season opened quietly in the Bolton Tennis League, with all matches under threat from the weather.

Walmer mixed A, having won their opening match in Division Two, recorded their second win as visitors to Longsight TC last Monday. They were helped to some degree as one of the home side's players sustained an injury, but it is unlikely that this affected the result.

There were wins in the mixed section from Steve Routledge and Jill Ashworth, 6-2; Mike Davies and Liza Morley, 6-3, and Mark Booth and Mandy Winskill, 6-3. Rick Morley and Gail Blackburn suffered a close reverse at 5-6. Walmer took the remaining sets with Jill and Mandy victors by 6-3, 6-0, and Lisa and Gail by 6-2, 6-5.

In the gents' section, Morley and Routledge won by 6-4, 6-0, and Davies and Booth won 6-5, 6-0 for Walmer to run out winners by 71 games to 32.

The mixed B team won their match at home against Holcombe Brook C to give an encouraging start to the season, and hopes that the campaign will be more successful than the last one.

John Biggins and Brian Richard scored heavily, and Matt Hargreaves made an impressive debut as partner to Paul Biggins, as Walmer B won by 60-38.

The mixed C team were not so successful in their match at Holcombe Brook D, where in the mixed section only Mike Booth and Carole Turner were winners at 6-5.

The Walmer men recovered ground as Andy Parton and Chris Vipond won by 6-4, 6-4, and Ray Tait and Mike Booth scored 6-4, 3-6 but the ladies' pairs found it tough as Carole Turner and Carol Chadowitz lost by 1-6, 1-6, and Val Simpson and Sarah Fleming lost 5-6, 3-6.

The league programme was suspended this week as the league cups took preference, and only two Walmer teams were involved.

The men's B team gave Guild Hall a 17-game start at Worsley, and gradually clawed back the deficit, with Phil Edge and Jay Hardy leading the way with 6-5, 6-1, 6-1 wins. Paul Biggins and Julian Nuttall scored 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, and Stuart Hardy and James Edge won sets by 6-2, 6-3 to put Walmer into a five-game lead. However, in the last set they ran into an inspired home pair and lost 0-6 for Walmer to lose the tie by just one game.

The men's D team had the advantage of a 21-game start, but the wily veterans of Lostock D proved consistent and good enough to win the tie. Jim Murray and Adam Goodie were Walmer's best pair with 4-6, 2-6, 2-6 scores.