Response to doubles is anything but mixed at Bognor

It attracted an entry of 18 couples from across Sussex and Surrey, with competitors ranging from promising local teenagers Anna Woosley, Molly Warden and Lisa Phillips to tennis enthusiasts with 50 years'-plus playing experience.

In the pre-lunch session, competitors were placed into three mixed-ability groups and played seven games against each pair in their respective section.

The number of games won by each pair was totalled to enable tournament organisers to strategically re-group the couples into performance-based sections, which made the afternoon's play more competitive and challenging.

Such was the quality of play of the talented teenagers that all three went through to the top section, earning the right to face the best players.

The most outstanding pair of the day, and winners of the Hendry Shield, were mother-and-son combination Buntha and Brandon Hanley, both members of Middleton Sports Club and teachers at Westbourne House.

Runners-up with the identical total of 22 games won were Bev Carter and Dave Mullarkey (Esporta, Croydon), squeezed into second because they lost, by the narrowest margin, their group match against the winners.

The top two pairs in the middle group, all members of Wickwoods Country Club, also tied on 23 wins, but Karen Goldsmith and Paul Cullip's 4-3 win over Karen and Philip Stone saw them declared the winning couple.

In the bottom section, Dinah van der Wee and Tim Saltwell (Middleton Sports Club) won with 30 victories from 36 games, while Ruth Hendren and Paul Sabin, representing the home club, were runners-up with 20.