TAUNTON’S Tennis Club’s National Premier League men’s team started the season with a convincing 4-1 home win against Exeter University.

In the first round of matches, Taunton’s first pair of captain Matt Bernard and James Deem beat Exeter’s second pair 7-6, 7-5, while second pair Bruce Wheatley and Craig Phillips lost a cliffhanger to Exeter’s top pair 6-2, 4-6, 6-7. The final two matches both went Taunton’s way – 6-3, 6-2 to Bernard/Deem and 6-2, 6-1 to Wheatley/Phillips.

The team’s next game is against Esporta Cardiff, while the next home fixture is against Bath University on Sunday, November 22 at 10am on the indoor courts at Blackbrook.

“Cardiff knocked us out of the play-offs last year,” said Taunton captain Bernard, “and it’s crucial we beat Bath if we want to get into the play-offs again.”

“The win against Exeter follows an excellent 2008-09 season, in which the team reached the last 32 in the country in both the summer and winter competitions.

“Three of the eight teams in the South West Region group go through to the national finals and play-offs. Bernard expects Esporta Cardiff and David Lloyd Westbury to be the main threats.”

TAUNTON Tennis Club welcomed players from all over the UK for an AEGON British Tour tournament at Blackbrook Pavilion that finished on Saturday.The tournament is a stepping stone for players seeking to turn professional. Over 100 players came to Taunton from as far away as Scotland and Northumberland.

Both Taunton players involved had a tough draw. Zoe Leach was unlucky to meet eventual winner Jessica Ren from Yorkshire in the first round, and Hayley Butland lost to Dorset’s Yasmin Doost in the qualifying event.