26/08/2026
What a weekend – beautiful weather, close matches, great sportsmanship and lots of sociability!
Marks Park Ladies A vs Randburg A
The Ladies A team took on a very young, very talented Randburg side this weekend – a team that arrived with an impressive statistic hanging over them: undefeated. They had even edged out the other title contenders on set count the previous week, so the message was clear – this was not going to be a leisurely afternoon of social tennis.
Lisa and Sarah were first on court, and Lisa quickly realised she might be there for a while. While players on the surrounding courts were finishing their matches, shaking hands, packing their bags and heading back to the clubhouse for a rest, she was still locked in battle for the first set. At one point, she was fairly certain she had watched three matches finish on the neighbouring courts while she was still trying to save a set point and win the game. She produced arguably her best tennis match of the year – and possibly her best match in considerably longer than that. Unfortunately, Marjan proved just too good and eventually took the match 7-5, 6-4 after almost two hours. To confirm an important league rule: time spent on court does not count towards the final score. Otherwise, Lisa would have walked away with at least three points and possibly a pension.
Randburg's young legs, speed and power proved difficult to contain, and they went into the doubles with a formidable 4-0 lead. But the A team was not about to surrender quietly. Lisa and Joc made an excellent start, taking the first set 6-3 and briefly giving everyone hope that perhaps experience really does count for something. However, their opponents came back strongly to take the second set before winning the third-set tiebreak.
The final result was a 6-0 loss, with our team winning just one set on the day. But the score line doesn't tell the whole story. There was some great tennis, plenty of competitive points and, despite the age gap, a lot of fighting spirit from our team. However, fitness, speed and power won the battle.
Thankfully, there was an excellent consolation prize waiting afterwards. The B team had very kindly provided some delicious eats, followed by plenty of friendly chatter and the usual post-match analysis – where, naturally, everyone discovered exactly what everyone else should have done differently. Congratulations to Randburg on a well-deserved victory, and to our team for fighting right to the end. The legs may have been tired, the scoreboard may have been brutal, but the spirit was definitely undefeated!
Lisa
Marks Park Ladies B vs CCJ A The Ladies B Team played CCJ this past Saturday. As expected, the CCJ ladies provided strong opposition and some very competitive tennis throughout the afternoon. The matches were played in good spirit and great sportsmanship.
While our scorecard was almost as short as this week's update, the results certainly did not reflect the effort and enjoyment that went into the day. Despite a challenging afternoon on court, we thoroughly enjoyed catching up with everyone afterwards. A special thank you goes to Erica for filling in for us this week. Carryn
Marks Park Men’s A vs Randburg B —The 61–61 Thriller!
What a battle! Marks Park A took on Randburg B in a tie that eventually had everything… except an actual winner! Neil and Rishay kicked things off against two seriously tough opponents. The guys fought hard, produced some quality tennis and left absolutely everything on court — unfortunately, the scoreboard wasn’t feeling generous.
Then came Lloyd and Uys, who apparently decided they had forgotten how to lose. Both came out firing and played some brilliant tennis, getting the tie back to 2–2 going into the doubles.
And then the doubles drama began… Lloyd and Uys took the first set, looking like theyr were cruising towards glory. Unfortunately, the batteries eventually hit 1% and Randburg fought back to take it in three.
But just when things were looking dangerous, Neil and Rishay decided they weren't done yet! Down a set, the guys produced a MASSIVE comeback to win their doubles!
With the sets level, it all came down to games… And after all the counting, recounting, double-checking and someone needing a calculator… 61–61.
An absolute thriller from start to finish. Nobody won, nobody lost — and everyone went home equally confused.
Lloyd
Marks Park Men’s B vs Randburg C
Our B team squared off against Randburg C, with Eugene once again making his singles look more like a warm-up session than a competitive match, cruising to victory with minimal fuss. Jacques, however, chose the scenic route, battling his way to a hard-fought three-set win. Leroux left everything on court but unfortunately came up short, while Marko graciously volunteered as sacrifice and received a comprehensive tennis lesson.
At 2-2, hopes were high heading into the doubles. Dreams of glory, tales of heroics, and perhaps even celebratory speeches were all briefly entertained. Sadly, reality had other plans. The doubles didn't go our way, leaving Randburg C to claim the overall victory 4-2.
Still, not all was lost. There was great food, cold beer, excellent company, and just enough tennis success to keep us optimistic for next time. All in all, a perfect day out... except for the small matter of the score line.
Marko
Marks Park Men’s C vs Pirates A - A Lesson in Consistency, and a Good Burger Afterwards
Some days on the tennis court, everything clicks. Unfortunately for Marks Park C, this was not one of those days.
Facing a polished Pirates A side, we found ourselves up against a group of players who seemed determined to donate absolutely no unforced errors. Time and again, long rallies developed into marathon games of deuces, advantages, and enough tension to keep spectators entertained. Sadly, although we were often within touching distance, Pirates repeatedly won the crucial points when it mattered most.
The score line perhaps doesn't tell the full story. Many of the games were fiercely contested, and several could easily have swung the other way. Yet Pirates demonstrated the sort of rock-solid consistency that frustrates opponents and wins matches. Every time Marks Park appeared ready to gain momentum, they calmly shut the door. The shining light for us came in the singles, where Josiah stood tall and delivered the team's only singles victory. On a day when wins were hard to come by, he found a way through and put valuable points on the board.
The doubles brought a stronger showing from the home side. The combinations gelled better, the points were closer, and we looked far more competitive. However, despite the improvement, Pirates once again proved just a little too strong. The final result was a 66-38 victory for Pirates A, a score that reflected their consistency and ability to convert opportunities.
As every seasoned tennis player knows, there is one guaranteed remedy for a tough afternoon on court: food. Thankfully, the post-match festivities did not disappoint, with the team gathering around some excellent home-grown hamburgers from the local food truck. Spirits quickly recovered as burgers replaced backhands as the topic of discussion.
With the regular playoffs drawing to a close, Marks Park C now turns its attention to the final rounds. The team remains hopeful of securing second place in the section, and if there is one thing this group does well, it's bouncing back after a difficult outing. Here's to learning from the tough days, enjoying the burgers, and saving the best tennis for the playoffs! Louis
Marks Park Men’s D vs Fairland C Fairlands C faced a determined Marks Park D team who were relying on two reserves, who supplemented the overall strength of our team tremendously – thank you, John and Daniel. Fairlands C comprised two father-and-son couples, the boys aged 10 and 12 years respectively. It was great seeing youngsters participating in the league! Thanks to John’s 13-0 win in the singles, we started the doubles with a 10-game lead. Our first doubles pair conceded only three of their 26 games, securing a 68-36 victory for our team. The match was played in a friendly atmosphere, with four great ambassadors representing our wonderful club. Well done on this victory - now for the play-offs ... Abri
Time is flying past, and we are on our way to the penultimate weekend of the league. On Saturday, our Ladies A and Ladies B teams play CCJ A and Bryanston SC A respectively, both at Marks Park. The Men’s A takes on Wanderers A in their first playoff for top honours at the German Club. On Sunday morning, the Men’s B plays Rivonia B away, the Men’s C plays Florida Park A at home, and the Men’s C travels around the corner to play Pirates E.
Happy playing!
Lynda
