The 2024 Aitken Courts “Cowes Open” Fun Tennis Tournament

8th June - 7th July £10.00 - £100.00

Tennis players of Cowes and the wider Island community…its time to step up to the base line!

Are you up for taking part in this year’s Cowes Annual Open Tennis Tournament which is taking place this June and early July?

Following the success of last year’s tournament, we’re expecting an even greater number of players to take part this year, all helping to raise funds towards the upkeep of the Northwood Park Aitken Tennis Courts. The courts are widely recognised as some of the best public courts on the Isle of Wight after huge amounts of fundraising and investment in 2019 and 2020. By fundraising we hope to help keep them this way!

The Cowes Open will comprise of three separate tournaments, all to be played on the Aitken Tennis Courts:

• 1) Cowes Open Singles:  8th June to 6th July 2024
• 2) Cowes Open Doubles:  8th June to 6th July 2024
• 3) Cowes Open “Social” Doubles:  Sunday 7th July 2024

 

The main Singles and Doubles tournaments will be played over the course of a four week period to give competitors a bit of time to complete their matches, and the “Social” Doubles tournament will take place on Sunday 7th July, the same day as the Annual Tennis Court Summer Supper on the lawns of Northwood House that evening. The supper event also raises further funds to assist Northwood House Charitable Trust cover court maintenance costs and help keep them free to play for the community at large. Trophies for the tournament winners will be presented at the supper.

The Cowes Open Fun Tennis Tournament is  a very informal competition of singles and doubles matches, open to players of all ages and at all levels of ability. Matches should be completed as soon as possible in order for subsequent rounds of the tournament to be drawn and played by the end of Saturday  6th July. The Social doubles are played through the day on Sunday 7th July to round off the tournament.

Of course, the emphasis is on the word “fun” to try and engage with the heightened interest in tennis generally over the summer period. Entry fees from the tournament are all going to the Aitken Court maintenance fund, to help Northwood House Charitable Trust with its ongoing commitment to keep the courts well looked after and free to play for the local community.

Mike Christie, founder of the Wight Proms and regular tennis court user has stepped up once again to organise the tournament and will be the person who will be liaising with all entrants to plan the games, collect the scores and manage draws for subsequent rounds of the competition.

Please enter by the closing date of Thursday 6th June, for matches to be organised beginning on the 8th June. Mike will be in touch to circulate the draws ASAP, allowing for time to schedule matches depending on the number of entries.

Here are details of the three tournaments in greater depth:

1) Cowes Open Singles: £10 entry fee

Aimed at more serious players of a reasonable perceived ability.

Round-robin format where each player plays everyone in their group like in the Football World Cup. In the case of there being only being two groups, the winner of each group shall play in a finals match. In the case of there being four groups, then the winners of each group go to a semi-final from which point it’s a knock-out to the final match.

Each match will be best of 3 sets with the result being either win or lose, and the number of games won and lost included in the group scoring. Standard tennis scoring: 15/30/40/Deuce/Advantage. The match is self-umpired and self scored in the spirit of a fun competition.

2) Cowes Open Doubles £20 entry fee per doubles team, with partners remaining together for the whole tournament. You can also enter as a single player and be partnered at random with another single player (£10 entry fee per person).

Aimed at more serious players of a reasonable perceived ability.

Round-robin format where each team plays every team in their group, like in the Football World Cup. In the case of there being only being two groups, the winning doubles pairing of each group shall play in a finals match. In the case of there being four groups, then the winners doubles pairing of each group go to a semi-final from which point it’s a knock-out to the final match.

Each match will be best of 3 sets with the result being either win or lose, and the number of games won and lost included in the group scoring. Standard tennis scoring: 15/30/40/Deuce/Advantage. The match is self-umpired and self-scored in the spirit of a fun competition.

3) Cowes Open “Social” Doubles £20 entry fee per doubles team, with partners remaining together for the whole tournament. You can also enter as a single player and be partnered at random with another single player (£10 entry fee per person).

Perhaps the most fun element of the competition, where players of all ages and abilities are encouraged to enter with a partner (or we’ll team you up with someone on the day), this will take place on the day of the Hog Roast Fundraiser and will be done within one session.

If a match can’t be completed due to the opponent(s) withdrawing before or during the match, it will be counted as a straight sets win for remaining player(s).

Players can enter all three parts of the competition if they wish, but must pay the fee to enter each one.

Sorry, over 18’s only may enter this year due to safeguarding regulations on the courts.

By entering, players agree to:

• Take part at their own risk and vouch for their own fitness to be able to compete.
• Arrange a convenient time to play their scheduled match directly with their opponent via phone or email.
• Play their matches in the spirit of a fun competition and conduct themselves accordingly.
• Report the match scores back to the organiser on the same day if possible.
• Having the tournament match draws and the results publicised on the “Tennis in the Park” facebook page so all entrants can remain informed on how the competition is progressing.

Enter below now or for more information please email Mike Christie on: contact@mikechristie.co.uk

To book tickets for the Annual Tennis Court Summer Supper, please click here!