JOAN May, a stalwart of Cheddar Tennis Club, has stepped down from the management committee of the club after more than 30 years service.

JOAN May, a stalwart of Cheddar Tennis Club, has stepped down from the management committee of the club after more than 30 years' service.

In recognition of her great contribution, she was presented with a bouquet by club secretary Jennie Colton who has herself served on the committee for 25 years.

For the past seven years Joan has been club treasurer and, before that, at various times held the posts of ladies' captain, club secretary and membership secretary. She was also an active member of Cheddar Ladies' Hockey Club for many years, where over the years she was fixture secretary, chairperson and club president.

She joined the tennis club in 1966, when Cheddar had just two courts on their original site in Barrows Road and no floodlights, so play was pretty much limited to six months of the year.

This was the setting for many of Joan's finest moments on court as she dominated the ladies' game during the 1970s and 80s winning the ladies' singles title a record 11 times and many doubles titles, too.

Fortunately for the club her enthusiasm for the game is undimmed; she may no longer be on the committee, but she is as determined as ever on the tennis court and continues to play league, county veterans and social tennis several times a week.

THE first men's doubles tournament open to players in the North Somerset League proved a big success and is to become an annual event.

Winners after a hard-fought final at Winscombe Tennis Club were Jamie Allan, from Woodlands, Weston, and Craig Phillips, from Avenue, Burnham. They narrowly beat Charlie Hart and Dave Austin, from Lympsham.

Losing semi-finalists were Chris Wheeler and Jon Treen, from Woodlands, and Alastair Gregory, of Wedmore, and Greg Spink, tennis coach at Clifton College, Bristol.

Twelve pairs entered from seven clubs, with the youngest players aged just 12, and tournament organiser Peter Hucker, chairman of Winscombe, said he was delighted with the support and high standard.

Refreshments were provided by ladies from the club's social sub-committee and trophies were presented by president Clive Wheller.