HOLCOMBE Brook’s top ladies and men’s team team will play in the finals of the Aegon Team Tennis National Open national title at Bournemouth this weekend.

The ladies will be defending the title they won in spectacular style at last year’s event. But, as has been the case all season, team captain Tony Lawson, will not be able to field his strongest side.

He said: “We have already lost our number two player Danielle Brown who can’t play because in an injury-ridden season she has not put in the minimum two appearances.

“We are just hoping that Liz Thomas, our number one can recover from a recent strain injury and will be fit to play.”

The tournament is played over three days but Holcombe will only have the services of Alice Mackenzie, whose inspirational victory over Tennis World of Middlesboro, ensured qualification for the finals, on the Friday as she is now employed as fitness coach by the Rugby League Association and cannot get the time off.

Had Lawson had a full squad to pick from Holcombe would have probably been top seeds but now he expects to be either two or three. He added: “There are eight teams in the tournament and four are seeded, so long as we are in that top group I’ll be happy.

“Even if we come out losing after the singles 3-1 we would still be in with a chance because we have strong doubles pairings. Danielle Hock and Sarah Gregg have never lost together plus we have Jane O’Donohue as a doubles specialist.”

The men’s team will be spearheaded by Simon Roberts, with captain Andrew Roberts and regulars Phil Whalley, Nathan Jones and Mike Nott. Their target, with the likes of Jamie Delgado and Josh Goodall in the opposition teams, will realistically be to improve on last year’s seventh place.