The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailThe Apsley fixtures are flowing now! Guest host and Twyford B team captain Rob Ernsberger helps Dave dissect the best of the weekend action to come across all five divisions. Along the way Rob shares his goals for Twyford B this season, and the three teams in Division Two that he fears the most this summer. Before that, we discuss listener feedback from another Apsley captain, Alex Dukes from David Lloyd West End B, and we debate if playing ringers is really worth it, and if it is theoretically possible to play a ringer in an A team. We also check in with Mat Johnstone to see how his quest to break into the world Top Ten in Para Standing Tennis is coming along. Spoilers, he’s doing quite well!We’re now on YouTube: Find future and archive show clips on YouTure using the handle @tennishampshirepodcastSend us your thoughts for (or about!) the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailWeek Two of the Apsley League brought the first weekend of fixtures with all five divisions involved for the first time this summer.So far Dave and Tom’s top picks for the summer are all off to winning starts - with some very big wins for some of them. Two 8-0 shellackings in Premier show us that it will very likely be a season of “haves” and “have nots” at the elite level of play in the Southampton LTA. Dave calls out a few ringers b being played in Division Four, only to (naturally) end up on court opposite one of them within hours of recording the show. Turns out he’s doing it for the very best of reasons.We’re now on YouTube: Find future and archive show clips on YouTure using the handle @tennishampshirepodcastSend us your thoughts for (or about!) the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailSummer is here. At last!We know because the Apsley tennis season is now underway. A well-endowed Division Four has already started playing its fixtures. With a ponderous ten teams - including three new entrants and two teams relegated from last summer’s Division Three, Div Four is shaping up as Hampshire tennis’ Group of Death. As Dave’s natural hunting ground, it looks like there are a few tough shifts ahead. Meanwhile, we preview all the action from the Premier Division onwards.Beyond Apsley, Dave took on “Pistol” Pete Guerreri in the Hampshire & Isle of Wight singles league, and much discussion on how to handle rampant foot faulting ensures from there. Hear more from Guerreri from Episode 2.20, where he joined us to discuss tennis mercenaries. We’re now on YouTube: Find future and archive show clips on YouTure using the handle @tennishampshirepodcastSend us your thoughts for (or about!) the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailWe close our winter coverage with a courtside interview with Michael Isaacs, the chair of the Portsmouth & District LTA.Michael has led a rejuvenation of inter-club tennis in the Portsmouth area for more than 15 years, helping re-establisb a league that is now fully competitive with every district in Hampshire. We talk about Michael’s journey to become chair, why it is that league leaders are so busy, and what exactly it means to support “normal tennis players”.Michale also shares some of the origins of the Solent Cup, and hints at what might be done to spark more membership at clubs among under-40s.We’re now on YouTube: Find future and archive show clips on YouTure using the handle @tennishampshirepodcastSend us your thoughts for (or about!) the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailThe battle for the 2026 Solent Cup left honours split between Southampton and Portsmouth. Gate-crashers Riverside and winter-warriors Warsash took home the top winter prize in south coast inter-club tennis. Dave Ernsberger & Robin Ellison were on site for six hours of top class tennis. Even furious wind and a biting chill couldn’t stop some top tennis being played. In this episode we review the day itself, with a closer look at the teams that showed up and a deeper dive into how the spoils were shared.We hear from the captains of mens champions Riverside at the end of the show.   Also in this episode - closing the books on the Southampton LTA’s winter season. 13 clubs took divisional titles this winter, after virtually all of the fixture backlog managed to clear over three frantic weeks of tennis. Just one division left fixtures unplayed - Mens Division Five.And resolving once and for all exactly how far away Salisbury is from Thornden Tennis Club. We’re now on YouTube: Find future and archive show clips on YouTure using the handle @tennishampshirepodcastSend us your thoughts for (or about!) the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailWinter is SO over! That leaves us with just one question to be answered for the season: are the very best teams on the South Coast from the Southampton LTA or the Portsmouth & District LTA?Dave Ernsberger & Robin Ellison preview Winchester v Warsash and Court X v Salisbury, as the titans of Hampshire winter tennis get ready to meet at Thornden on April 11th.We also discuss our plans to cover the event live from Thornden, and we hope to see you there!We’re now on YouTube: Find future and archive show clips on YouTure using the handle @tennishampshirepodcastSend us your thoughts for (or about!) the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailWe're back with another Quick Hit, this time looking at the five fixtures that will shape the Southampton LTA's winter leagues. Some of the men's divisions (we're looking at you, five and six!) are in a bit of a shambolic state, so instead we focus on the divisions that got their acts together, and where relegations, promotions and championships will be decided on the next two weekends. In county news, it's a bit of good news/bad news for padel fans out there, especially if you like to play at Winchester. We look at some of the of pre-summer championships around the county.Learn more about the HIOW East Championships here: https://competitions.lta.org.uk/tournament/3471A94B-4773-457E-ABFD-3746B6502225Sign up for Milford on Sea's Seniors Championships here: https://competitions.lta.org.uk/tournament/6A561F66-E6DF-40D3-B453-D7A9508CC129Send us your thoughts for (or about!) the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailWelcome to Episode 2.40, where we revisit the Portsmouth & District LTA — with a proper guide this time!Robin Ellison cut his teeth with Southsea and moved on to take on captaining roles with Court X. Along the way, he started a weekly news report on tennis in Portsmouth & District, which makes him an ideal addition to the show. Who are the big dogs in Portsmouth tennis? How do people sort out when to go to the Isle of Wight and when to call it a day on the weather? Learn the answers to these questions and more. Plus Robin takes us through Portsmouth’s enviable teas culture and boisterous awards nights. Before all of that, we also hear from Mat Johnstone, who kicked off his defence of his number one spot in GB Para Standing Tennis with a convincing win in Sweden. Yep, we sponsor Mat now, so we look forward to regular updates from the world of PST3 tennis and Mat’s pursuit of a top 10 global ranking this year. He can do this, we believe.Follow Robin’s reporting here: https://www.portsmouthlta.info/pressarticlesRead up on the Malmo Open here: https://www.malmo-open.comSend us your thoughts for (or about!) the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailIt's a Quick Hit with Dave this week as we look at the results from the past two weeks across the Southampton LTA's Mixed Doubles, Ladies Doubles and Men's Doubles divisions. First though we check in on some Hampshire tennis news. The Apsley League dates are beginning to appear online, which means all you captains out there need to start dusting off your tennis rolodexes and getting your teams ready to roll. Podcast favourites Magda Kornijczuk (Episode 2.30) and Toby Samuel have started their 2026 campaigns, and we check in with how they are getting along. There were 45 fixtures scheduled over the past two weeks, and 29 of them were successfully concluded, despite the usual tricky weather. We look at what that did to the tables. And in the end, we hear doom Lloyd Smith how Waterside bested a plucky Twyford side. 

Send us Fan MailKingsgate and Wellow are clubs on the march across the winter and summer leagues, and it turns out that they are both on the cusp of promotion to Hampshire’s elite first division in the Southampton LTA’s Winter Ladies Doubles league. They are two of only four teams that still have perfect winning records as we head into the business end of the winter, but that can’t last for long - unstoppable force meets immovable object in February. Elsewhere, Riverside top the first division for now, with Thornden close behind. Dave’s Basset and Tom’s Winchester have work to do to help them in their predictions league showdown. Before all that, we celebrate the return of tennis to the telly with the Australian Open, discuss news Naomi Osaka, and Dave tells Tom what Gen X’ers thought about Millenials when they erupted onto the scene way back when. Well, he asked! And he’s got some punchy views of his own on Gen Z!Send us your thoughts for (or about!) the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailRiverside and Thornden are slugging it out in the Winter Mens Doubles leagues, taking half of all the top spots across the Southampton LTA’s seven divisions. Riverside hold the edge on ultimate honours right now, but how will things end? It’s still too close to call. Before we get to that, Tom offers his defence for rough & smooth racquet calls, and we cover the latest news from Hampshire’s clubs and players. Send us your thoughts for (or about!) the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailThis week on the show we take a look at how the Southampton LTA's Winter Mixed Doubles leagues are stacking up as players get ready to restart all the action after the Christmas & New Year break. Rob Ernsberger, captain of Twyford Mixed, joins us to talk about life in Division Two for the team that has secured back-to-back-to-back promotions. But first, Rob & Dave competed in their first ever match with LTA Umpires. We talk about what that was like, and our main takeaways from that experience. Learn from our do’s and don’ts, hopefully BEFORE you get on court with an umpire!Send us your thoughts for (or about!) the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailThis week we welcome to the show Mat Johnstone, Hampshire tennis native and the UK’s Number One PST3 Para-Standing Tennis player.Mat shares his journey from an up-and-coming tennis junior at Warsash to top Para-Standing Tennis player with an eye on the World Top Ten rankings for 2026. Mat shares his early experiences in tennis, the life-changing impact of meningitis at 17, and his subsequent rehabilitation. We talk with Mat about his transition from wheelchair tennis to para-standing tennis, the challenges he faced, and his aspirations for the future. Mat’s life story highlights the importance of resilience, adaptability, and a lot of what's great about the Hampshire tennis community. Mat also describes the nuances of walking and parastanding tennis, including the similarities and differences in rules and performance. We also talk a bit of Sabalenka and Kyrgios!Mat is on Instagram, where you can find him using the handle @matjohnstone23. You can find out more about Mat, including how to sponsor his pursuit of global top ten, here: https://sponsorseeker.co.uk/listing/mat-johnstone-para-standing-tennis/You can follow the global Para Standing Tennis sport here:https://www.parastandingtennis.comThe LTA’s initiatives in Para Standing Tennis is described here: https://www.lta.org.uk/play/inclusion-disability/para-standing-tennis/And you can send us your thoughts for (or about!) the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailWelcome to the show Richard Cutler, Charity Director and Councillor at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Tennis, the county authority for tennis that brings rhyme and reason to the way tennis functions across the county. Have we had a better opportunity so far to better understand how tennis works in Hampshire than this interview? I don’t think so!Richard was well prepared for this one - lots of engaging discussion and plenty of facts and figures. Ever wondered how many tennis players there are in Hampshire? How Hampshire stacks up nationally? How the county is doing on its RAG deliverables, and which district LTA is the best of them all? Richard has answers for all those questions, and shares his views on all of them except the last one… he has relationships to maintain of course!We also explore Richard’s work with the LTA at the national level - the mothership on which Richard has been a board member for the past few years. In fact he’s alongside LTA President Sandi Proctor in the cover art for this episode. Both Richard and Sandi are completing their time with the LTA Board at the end of 2025.Towards the end of the show we get into some Padel-chat (that starts at around 47 minutes) and Richard’s ambitions for Totton & Eling Tennis Center, where is is the Managing Director (that starts at around 62 minutes).You can find Hampshire & IOW Tennis at: https://hampshireiow.tennis and on Instagram at @hampshireiowtennis. Keep an eye out for their Showcase event and awards ceremony, due to be held on April 18, 2026. Send us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailWe’re back from travels just in time to do our final Southampton LTA winter leagues check in before the end of the year. This time we take a look through ladies doubles where 33 teams representing 21 clubs are midway through the season across five divisions.There are a few surprises up and down the divisions, with the biggest of them all being the relative performance of last year’s dominant Bassett and the resurgence of Thornden in Division One. But is it sustainable?Send us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailWe recreate the magic (or the tedium, if you’re of that persuasion) of the big end of year league AGMs, not least for Tom’s benefit since family duty called him away. Would things have ended differently if he'd been there? Before the AGM reviews, we discuss the emergence of a Hampshire tennis player in the professional world tour - will 2026 be the year that Ringwood’s Toby Samuel cracks the code on the tour? We’ll be watching. And the men’s winter doubles leagues are far enough along that we get a sense for who this winter’s winners should be, who’s having a tough time, and who really are the Absolute Men in Division Six. Find the Bournemouth Echo story about Toby Samuel here: https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/25672639.hampshire-tennis-player-secures-career-high-atp-ranking/Send us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailWe’re back in Hampshire this week, where Annual General Meetings are in full swing at clubs around the county. We’re excited for the Southampton LTA and Apsley AGMs set for December 3rd. Will anyone run against the incumbents for leadership positions? And what happened to Tom’s committee position, which he was voted into last year? He’s not a happy chappy. Before that, there’s a bit of news from around the county, including a green light for building Winchester’s Acoustic Wall. Surely a candidate for Jamie Noyce’s next band (he plays the songs that open and close the show).And we go deep on the SL:TA Mixed Doubles winter league to see how things are shaping up a third of the way through winter. Send us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailJoin us on the podcast's first ever Road Trip, which takes us to Indiana, deep in the US Midwest, where we find young Hampshire tennis star Magda Kornijczuk at the very beginning of a two-year tennis journey at the University of Indianapolis. Magda shares her journey from the UK to the US, some of the cultural differences, the intensity of college tennis, and the supportive environment of her team. She reflects on her training, competitions, and the importance of mindset in sports. Magda also offers advice for aspiring players considering college tennis in the US and shares her experiences with team dynamics and rivalries.You can follow Magda’s tennis journey on Instagram using the handle @magdakornijczukYou can follow the Indy Greyhounds on Instagram with @uindytennisGo deep on the team and the university at https://athletics.uindy.edu/sports/womens-tennisSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailThis week on the pod we catch up with Twyford’s Dick Moulds - groundsman, trustee, diplomat, gentle club godfather and sports omnivore. A member for 50 years, Dick is the man behind the scenes for most of what you may know already about Twyford tennis club, and a fountain of wisdom on club lore. Did Matt Le Tissier really play for the club? Are there strategically placed divots in the grass? And how do two bona fide grass courts survive hidden away in one of the most exclusive property belts in the Hampshire area?Your questions (and ours!) answered about one of the most historic clubs in the county - the little club with the big heart that is Twyford Bowls & Lawn Tennis Club. Send us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailJoin us for our 50th episode, with a HUGE thanks to all of you who have supported the show over the past 18 months. Whether you've been a regular listener, an occasional visitor, a correspondent or a guest, your support is the fire in the belly of the show.In this episode we look back on 50 episodes and think about how to grow the show from here, wonder if our recording sessions at the Utilita Bowl might be raising eye brows, discuss club news from Winchester and, of course, take a metaphorical trip to Portsmouth to check out their district LTA. Send us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast 

Send us Fan MailWinter is here! And it's the best part of winter... the very beginning. Everything is still possible, and it isn't even that cold, that dark or even that rainy. Remember this feeling when December arrives.We talk festive calendar dates (the tennis kind - get ready to mark your calendars for AGMs and the Solent Cup). We also examine the start-of-winter split in the David Lloyd tennis community, a county-interest topic given that every club has at least one David Lloyd player in its ranks, even if they pretend otherwise.We also discuss the Southampton LTA's Winter Leagues, including Dave and Tom's predictions for the ultimate winners of each and every division. Did we get it right? Let us know. Also, time will tell...Send us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailWe ran out of time on summer wrap up last time out, so this week we take the deep dive on how ladies and mens doubles closed out the summer. We review Warsash's remarkable run to win mens doubles overall. Is this the springboard they need to have another go at the Apsley next summer? Where are they in the winter leagues?Tom's troops from David Lloyd WestEnd also had a go in the mens doubles, we look at where they ended up. Over in ladies doubles, Thornden and Winchester battled it out for top honors. We also discuss how Victoria Park - Wiltshire's third club - are quietly storming the leagues.Send us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailDivision One ended in style, so we take a final canter through the Apsley League to celebrate the winners, and commiserate with the losers. No fewer than three teams managed to trip the Apsley League's new points deduction rule, giving up two points each for every fixture that they conceded as a walkover. All three went down in the end, and it didn’t have to be that way. Have clubs learned a lesson? We’ll see next summer, but the new rule was certainly effective.We look back on our expectations from the start of the summer, and see who won the predictions league between Dave and Tom. The Hampshire Singles boxes also closed for the summer, bringing us a new Champion of Champions in Group One, and nine champs in total across the groups. We mull over whether the time has come to cut non-players once and for all. Swing that scythe, league admin! And we are campaigning for players to join up, as well. Thanks to all of you who did - we saw a ton of new players pop up in the boxes when they were unveiled on Saturday, including lots of listeners and previous show guests. Learn more about the HIOW singles boxes here:https://competitions.lta.org.uk/box-ladder/5799c945-d321-4a8d-af94-98821eb2d3ef/event/1/round/8Share your summer stories and winter aspirations with us! Send us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPODFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailThe sun is dropping that bit earlier, players are dropping out of the pro tour to rest and there are just four fixtures left in the Apsley League - summer is well and truly coming to an end around us. With the final weekend ahead, we look at the biggest prize left on offer - Division One survival. All four teams at the bottom of Div One are in action this weekend. Which two teams will survive out of Riverside B, David Lloyd Southampton B and Thornden B? One of them will be toast by Sunday. Well, in Div Two anyways. We salute Riverside, who played both their remaining Premier Division fixtures to finish as high up the Premier Division as possible with maximum points from a busy weekend of road tripping. Elsewhere, the current round of the Hampshire singles boxes also come to a close this weekend, and Tom’s been padelling again. Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailThornden have won the Premier Division for a third successive summer, but Riverside took them all the way in their fixture - so nearly getting the win, and forcing a tie. Wellow are on the up, we debate whether their new courts - subject to local press interest this week — will be enough to help them stay in the Premier Division next season, now that they are locked in for promotion out of Division One. Twyford A went down in the end, but at least the C Team (featuring Dave!) had a good day out against Winchester C. Tom may have to recalibrate the age brackets in Div Four, however. Relegation scrambles continue in Divisions One, Two and Three, so there’s still plenty to play for  here in Spillover Season. Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailSaturday September 13 was originally scheduled to be the end of the summer season when Apsley schedules came out all the way back in April. As it happens, this summer’s rollercoaster of heatwaves and washouts means we will still have a dozen fixtures left after Saturday is done, but plenty of things will be decided this weekend. Tom doesn’t see any way Thornden can’t realistically wrap up the Premier Division, but the Inception-level scenarios around Premier relegation mean things could extend into the post season there.  Winchester A played the best team that any division has seen this season, the biggest of the big guns. Was it enough to stay up? Meanwhile Division Three gets an official winner, a week after e declared the winner. Were we right? Find out this episode. Elsewhere, we’re getting ready for winter. Old man Dave made sure his boiler got checked, and whipper snapper Tom managed to finish his Winter League meeting in 40 minutes. Where’s the fun in that? Thanks to the listeners who sent Dave videos of the Winter meeting so he could feel like he was there all the way from Singapore. That’s a lot more than Tom, or indeed Dsve's brother Rob, did….Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailWe’re getting to the business end of the season, which is a terrible time for Dave to be stranded in America and Tom to be busy in Southampton. We can’t unite for a dual podcast this week, but we’ve got a Quick Hit update here to get you up to speed. The County Champs are over - it looks like a changing of the guard among some of the elite men could be on the cards, while on the women’s side of things it’s good to see last year’s runner-up go one better this time.In the Apsley League, two more divisions have been wrapped up, leaving just the Premier Division and Div Two in contention for gold medals heading into the final few weeks. There are still plenty of promotion and relegation battles to keep us going!Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailWe're reunited in the UK and joined by another special guest! Pete Guerreri, from tennis royalty in Swanmore and currently captain of the National League team from David Lloyd West End, joins this episode.There's certainly plenty to talk about. Pete and Tom shares some memories from their debuts at the Hampshire & Isle of Wight County Championships, which wrap up this weekend. They give their own experiences some pretty high ratings. But... we can all strive for better, and they've got some thoughts for Winchester and the event organisers for future events. Shockwaves up and down the leagues late in the season have people wondering about paying players in county tennis. There seem to be a few mercenaries out there - racquets for hire - who might be giving some clubs a leg up. Is that bad, or just how sports goes these days? And maybe there are legit reasons to offer compensation to some players, some times. We hear from the league, the pod and we want your views too. Find Pete at: www.youtube.com/@peterguerreri7143Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailThis week we look back on a high-octane weekend of action that made Thornden champions-elect, brought Winchester A its first win for almost three seasons, and shows us that South Hants B could sweep in on Division Three out of nowhere.The County Championships start this weekend. Tom is taking part, and we get his thoughts on signing up, the onerous availability requirements (turns out it's not so bad actually!) and how deep he hopes to go. In the weekend ahead we have some pretty chilled out fixtures to look forward to and a Bank Holiday Monday to boot. The weather forecasts says low 20's and sunny all weekend. These are happy days in Hampshire tennis. We'll miss all this come the winter. But why spend any time thinking about that now?

Send us Fan MailClub summer seasons will be made and broken this weekend in the Apsley League, so how could we possibly leave you hanging without an episode?Dave is in Greece and Tom is working hard on the day job but we found a way to make this episode against all the odds. We talk about where the tables stand now that the season is 75% complete — and who has promotion or relegation on the line this weekend. Before all that we congratulate the Hampshire warriors who played at the Masters in Wimbledon this week. One of our very own is a champion, and kudos is due!We also celebrate the return of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight County Championships. Who’s back to defend their 2024 titles? Which of the pod members signed up for this year’s Men’s singles championship? And is there really a Southampton Filipino Tennis Club?? Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailMike and Jay Barry join as our sixth and seventh guests on the podcast. We talk about the origins of Riverside Tennis Club, who they consider their biggest rivals, and what the future holds for the club.On a more personal note, we reflect on sibling rivalry, their pathways into coaching, and their advice for young Riverside players who want to push on into semi-pro tennis.Stick around for the Barry Brothers’ Dream Club Challenge at the end! Who created the best Dream Club… Tom or Dave?  Find Mike and Jay at https://www.riverside-ltc.org/projectThe brothers’ other recommended podcasts: Great Base Tennis: https://greatbasetennis.com/podcast/Nothing Major Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nothing-major/id1756744318Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailThe summer is flying by, and this weekend could bring the first crown in the Apsley as Compton look to see off resurgent Winchester in Division Four. Elsewhere, Riverside play Destroyers of Dreams as David Lloyd Southampton make the pilgrimage to Wiltshire. Can they equal or better Twyford's 1-7 loss last week? Premier Division survival could depend on it. We had a lot of great feedback o our Ladies Doubles episode, including a voce message from David Lloyd. Listen in as we get gently roasted, British style, by their captain. Dave loves that stuff, Tom is a bit mortified. We also talk Wimbledon ballots. Don't forget to submit your ballots now via LTA Advantage. If you listen to this podcast and you're based in the UK, you almost certainly have an LTA Advantage account. Get on the ballot now!Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailThree out of five Summer Ladies Doubles divisions have been won, but the very highest honours are still being disputed by Bassett and Thornden. Could Winchester sneak through and take the top prize? We discuss from around the 18 minutes mark.And there's nothing more dangerous than Tom with a spreadsheet... we find shenanigans in Division Four. Though we're sure no one did anything in purpose. Will the league notice? Where's that Michael Jackson popcorn gif??Elsewhere, Dave gets a win in the Hampshire singles league, Tom hasn't started. We look at Apsley results from last week, including a surprise win for Warsash, and what the fixtures this weekend could bring. Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailAfter last week’s grim statistics showing age spreads across the Hampshire inter-club leagues, Venus Williams gives Dave some inspiration this week. Tom has been in deep correspondence with Apsley League chief Geoff Prince on how the league positions work. If things are looking a little wonky to you too, there’s a good reason for it!Meanwhile, who needs league tables when there are winners and losers to recognise - stats, metaphysics and philosophy are our friends here. We pick five and a half winners and wonder what’s up with two losers in the summer so far. Finally, it’s a nice and chunky weekend ahead, so we look forward to ten fixtures on Saturday. Well, nine, since one team has already fallen on its sword and given a walkover. Any guesses who it was? Get the rant klaxon ready!Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailMens Doubles is the most popular Hampshire & Isle of Wight doubles event over the summer, so take a deep breath with us as we run through all nine divisions to see how things are shaping up now the end of the season is in flight. Two of those divisions have already been won — congrats to Riverside and David Lloyd West End on getting some early titles in. The men's doubles review starts at 27:21.Meanwhile, last weekend’s heatwave turned the tables upside down for Apsley League planning — nine of the scheduled 13 fixtures were postponed in the end. There’s chatter of revisiting the rules around hot weather, and the big end of season finales now look a little upside down, especially in the Premier Division.Twyford got the first top flight win of its 120 year history in the Apsley League. Player of the fixture Sam Hunt shares what it means to the A team and how it sets up the back of the summer season. Sam's interview at The Bugle Inn starts at 18.42.Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailA major heatwave is grabbing the southern UK during peak tennis season for the first time in two years, so new rules created back in 2023 will be put to the test this weekend. In this episode we discuss the moral quandary around postponing a match in 29 degree weather (feels like 31!), and whether or not there will be any funny business going on after fixtures start, should one side fall behind quickly in any of the Apsley's 13 fixtures this weekend. It's inevitable, isn't it? Falling behind quickly in some fixtures, we mean, of course...  Plus Dave and Tom are in the Hampshire singles boxes, and we chat a bit about Wimbledon too. Maybe electronic line calls aren't the answer after all?Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailWe take a step eastwards in Episode 2.11, exploring how the East Hants league works for clubs that lie out towards the border with West Sussex. The East Hants chat starts on the 20 minute mark.We find a smaller but more perfectly structured set of events out there, but no website to help us make sense of it all. Does East Hants have a website? Please let us know if there is one. Analysing the data that’s available, we look at the overlaps with Southampton LTA, discuss which clubs that serve as the big dogs out east, and try to assess their relative strength against other leagues in the county. Before that, we take a look at what happened during Survival Saturday for Premier Division teams in Week 11 of the Apsley League, take a little look through other Apsley results and preview the fixtures coming up on July 5.  Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailWe dropped an epic episode last week (thanks for all the feedback!), so it’s just a Quick Hit with Dave this week.It took nine weeks, but Thornden are back at the top of the Premier Division. Will anyone knock them off their usual perch from here on out? Wellow also made big gains in the league, but we're keen to see if they can build on that this weekend.Meanwhile the latest round of the county singles boxes have ended, and we tip our cap to the Spring champions in the top two boxes in the Hampshire & Isle of Wight LTA. Spoiler alert… what are they drinking at Warsash? And we take a quick look at Box 6 to see if wayward cohost Tom got promoted in the end. Let’s just say the outcome there could explain why he’s trotted off to revisit his previous Brat Summer glories with Charli XCX at Glastonbury this weekend...Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailDave's on the road and no one's heard from Tom since he went to that stag do in Poland a week ago. But never fear, Edwin Lau is back! And just as well, since we have a bumper round of Apsley fixtures to talk about. Bassett's winning streak came to an end at the top of the Premier Division, Division Two bought us a real slugfest, and it seems we've all been sleeping on Willow. Who knew?In our special topic this week, we dig deeper into cheating in tennis. Why is it happening so much, why does it matter, and how can we stop it?Also thanks to the LTA for writing to us about the Tennis Awards, we set the record straight on a few points there too. Links for this episode: Shout out to Dumbarton Tennis Club for adopting Edwin: https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/DumbartonTCSend nominations for the LTA Tennis Awards, especially for Hampshire: https://www.lta.org.uk/what-we-do/lta-awards/Learn more about rules around line calls and much, much more: https://www.lta.org.uk/4ae9d8/siteassets/roles/officials/files/regulations/lta-competition-regulations-2025.pdfRead about "hooking" between professional tennis players: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jan/08/ive-been-hooked-scourge-of-shady-line-calls-baffles-raducanu-and-othersResearch into cheating: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28446891/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223266546_Blame_it_on_the_racket_Norm-breaking_behaviours_among_junior_tennis_playersFollow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPODPS, we did hear from Tom. He's just not... pod-fit after his adventures....

Send us Fan MailThere are only three Saturdays in the summer when 28 teams go out and do battle over 14 fixtures, and this weekend is one of those Peak Apsley moments. Bassett face a proper test in the Premier Division against Riverside, who have their own Super Day to worry about at the same time. Division One will be fully in action, with just one of the nine teams left to sit things out. Division Two has the pick of the non-Premier action with some very spicy matches lined up. Meanwhile, Dave can’t do the Winter League meeting unless Tom brings him along on WhatsApp or Facetime. Feels like a stretch, even for award-winning Hampshire tennis enthusiasts...Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailThis week we take a closer look at Ladies Doubles in Hampshire, and see who's battling it out for top spots across the county's five divisions. That discussion starts at 27 minutes in.The contest to find the best women across the county also has a big impact on the Apsley League, and we take a look back at Week Five's results, plus check in on the tables. Two clubs had Super Days last weekend, and we celebrate Winchester - who have done the best so far out of any club to have faced a Super Day this summer. We also discuss The Tennis Mentor, who is local apparently! More here: https://www.thetennismentor.co.uk/Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts for the show:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailParanoia strikes this week, as Dave spots something suspicious in the Hampshire Tennis Awards, and Tom dissects A versus B team selection theory. Are shenanigans afoot, or are we just seeing ghosts in the shadows? It’s all just tennis, right?Meanwhile, we've got one of the county's blockbuster weekends ahead. 26 teams will be on court in the Apsley, and there are two club Super Days. We look at 13 fixtures that will change the tables. Follow us at:Instagram @thampshirepodTikTok: hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire PodcastSend us your thoughts:[email protected]/THPOD

Send us Fan MailAfter a busy start, the Apsley League is in a bit of a lull. So after covering Twyford's Super Day and looking ahead to this weekend's four fixtures, we take a look at Men's Doubles. There are nine divisions, 48 teams and more than 200 players in the men's doubles competition. But the real question is... can Tom do well enough with David Lloyd West End to join Dave's mighty Littleton warriors in Division Four? In Padel-land, Winchester Racquets & Fitness won't take the noise complaints lying down, and this week outlined to members a plan to bring it all to an end -- hopefully before a court hearing set for late November. Looks like Winchester will build a wall, and find a way to get the neighbours to pay for it too. Cunning! Sounds familiar, somehow. Get in touch with us at: [email protected]/THPODInstagram @thampshirepodTikTok @hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailSix ambitious clubs field three or more teams in the Summer Apsley League. At least once a season the league organizers oblige each of those clubs to field al of their teams at once -- a phenomenon we call Super Day. This week we look ahead to Twyford's Super Day, which hits on May 17, and look back on Swanmore's Super Day last weekend. After that, there are four more to come - how can clubs survive, and even thrive, on these tests of planning and execution?Get in touch with us at: [email protected]/THPODInstagram @thampshirepodTikTok @hampshiretennispodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailWe've got one week in the bank for the season, and we've learned a lot about how things are shaping up in the Apsley league - Hampshire's best tennis tournament. Tom and Dave dissect the action from up and down the divisions, and take stock of what it all means for the May 10-11 weekend, where 28 teams go into battle. The sun is shining and we take this pod outside (pardon the occasional police sirens and enjoy Hampshire's intermittent birdsong). In news outside the tennis tourneys, Dave reveals how far his application to join the LTA singles league went, and we think about whether or not Jack Draper will indeed win Wimbledon for the Brits.Summer madness, indeed!

Send us Fan MailThis week we interview Mark Jackson, racquets manager at David Lloyd Southampton West End. Mark picked up tennis at a young age up in Lincolnshire, but it wasn’t necessarily the sport he’d had in mind as a starry eyed kid. His path to managing racquets at one of the biggest clubs in Hampshire came via a year looking at a possible life in pro tennis, and a coaching career that made him one of only a few Level Five coaches in the area. We cover the pandemic, most common coaching requests, his expectations for the DL team captains, the inner workings of the UK padel scene, and much more. Find Mark at https://www.tennistennis.co.ukMark’s other recommended podcasts: https://www.thetennispodcast.nethttps://thetennistribe.buzzsprout.comhttps://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/baseline-intelligence-with-jonathan-stokke/id1602516705Get in touch with us at: [email protected]/THPODInstagram @thampshirepodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailWe’re back! Commissioned for a second season, we start with a little look-back at Season One before jumping right into the Solent Cup. Will Portsmouth recover from its 8-0 mauling by Southampton’s finest? And if the league organisers want more attendance for this big county event, why id there no advertising? Maybe we can help with that. Meanwhile, Tom has discovered the HIOW Singles League, and he was ushered in right away through the front door. But is it a club that Dave can get in to?And of course we’re buzzing for the start of the summer’s Apsley action. We give our predictions for who will win each of the five divisions, before giving our heat ratings for the opening weekend of fixtures. Get in touch at: [email protected]/THPODInstagram @thampshirepodFacebook: The Tennis Hampshire Podcast

Send us Fan MailChampions have been crowned in 11 of the 18 Winter Divisions in the Southampton LTA. We weren't among them this time, but we're happy enough with how our winter went, how about you?It's a big weekend for the remaining seven divisions. By next week we should know how the rest of the divisions squared away, which leaves us with a few weeks to get ready for... THE SUMMER!Speaking of which, we got some listener feedback ahead of sunny season - you too can get in touch through [email protected].

Send us Fan MailAll Brits love a quiz, so we put Tom’s local knowledge to the test with our Hampshire Club Explorer Quiz, His response is… pavlovian!In other testosterone-driven news, it’s time to check in with the Men’s Winter leagues, where Dave is pleased and relieved to report that he is back in the top half of the individual performance table.Welcome to Episode 21 of the Tennis Hampshire Podcast!

Send us Fan MailThe Apsley fixtures are out, which means it's time to start marking your calendars for another great summer of tennis ahead in Hampshire. We check in with the Winter Ladies Doubles leagues, and Tom finds a thrilling conclusion underway in the top division. Just about any club can win it... except for the one club that is currently at the top!We've created the Hampshire Tennis Club Explorer. Ever wonder how far away your next match will be, which clubs are most active in the county, or even which club is closest to you? Check out our new explorer at our website, THPod.uk. And we discuss the passing of Hampshire tennis coaching legend Bash Kara. You can find the Just Giving page launched in honour of his remarkable life and contributions to tennis here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/bashkara1