IC OF SWEDEN

Match Result: IC of GB 21 – 6 IC of Sweden
Date: Sunday 21st August 2016
Venue: Bastad, Sweden

The IC of Sweden was so kind to invite us for a two day match in the lovely beach resort of Bastad, a place long known in the tennis world for its annual ATP tournament straight after Wimbledon. The match was scheduled for Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 August, so that anyone wishing to do so could be playing in the national grass court championships in Surbiton and Cheltenham. It turned out that there was great enthusiasm from our membership and twice we had to ask the Swedes if they could accommodate a bigger team, which they very kindly agreed to.

The hospitality was most impressive. We were treated to a super BBQ in the Bastad residence of the Stockholm SALK tennis club, a cocktail party and an official dinner in Hotel Skansen. The cocktail party was at the invitation of Anders Johansson at his lovely home in Bastad and thanks to the good weather we could enjoy the party and the excellent food and wine in his beautiful garden. Anders is of course a prominent member of the IC of Sweden, but also of the IC of GB. We are most grateful to him for entertaining us at his house in such a grand and generous way.

Bastad also has a tennis museum where we saw photos, stories and other memorabilia of many stars of the past (including of one of our team members).

The Swedes and in particular their secretary Ingvar Karlsson were most helpful with transport and hotel accommodation and we were all delighted to experience their warm friendship. We hope to see them soon for a return trip in Britain.

Some of the team also went on to play the ITF tournament in Karlskrona.

Results (IC of GB players listed first)

Monday

Steve Alger beat Per Hjertquist 6-2 6-2
Paul French beat Anders Hultin 6-1 6-2
Niall Sweeny beat Sven Andrén 6-4 6-3
Mark Cox beat Henrik Andrén 6-2 rtd
Keith Ajegbo lost to Anders Johansson 0-6 4-6
Henk Nijeboer beat Christer Holm 6-2 6-2
Anne Clark lost to Anna-Carin Månsson 6-3 6-3
Christine French beat Gunilla Berg 6-0 6-0
Pat Wire beat Ann Bengtsander 6-3 6-4
Pauline Fisher beat Liliana Cronwall 6-0 6-0
A.Purnell/O.Palmér lost to U.Enander/H.Ekwurtzel 6-0 0-6 1-10
P.French/S.Alger beat P.Hjertquist/A.Hultin 6-3 7-6
N.Sweeny/B.Snapes lost to U.Enander/S.Andrén 6-2, 6-2
M.Cox/A.Purnell beat H.Andrén/C.Holm 6-3 4-6 10-8
K.Ajegbo/H.Nijeboer beat S.Dahlbo/H.Ekwurtzel 2-6 7-6 10-8
C.French/A.Clark beat A-C.Månsson/M.Fornstedt 6-1 6-3
P.Wire/P.Fisher beat G.Berg/L.Cronwall 6-0 6-0

Tuesday

Steve Alger lost to Per Hjertquist 2-6 3-6
Paul French beat Ulf Enander 6-2 6-3
Niall Sweeny beat Anders Johansson 7-6 7-5
Mark Cox beat Hans Ekwurtzel 6-1 6-1
Anne Clark beat Gunilla Berg 6-0 6-1
Pauline Fisher beat Annn Bengtsander 6-1 6-1
Pat Wire beat Liliana Cronwall 6-1 6-2
Christine French beat Anna-Carin Månsson 6-4 6-2
P.French/A.Purnell lost to S.Andrén/A.Hultin 3-6 2-6
P.Fisher/N.Sweeny beat M.Fornstedt/H.Ekwurtzel 6-4 3-6 10-8