LOCAL TENNIS with Donna Schoenmaekers
It was grand final week for Tuesday Midweek and teams were primed for big results.
It was difficult to pick a favourite in Section 1 between Geelong Lawn and Surfcoast Black Torquay with both teams having convincing wins over the other during the season and the grand final was no exception.
Lawn started the match well taking the first two sets 7-5, 6-2 and from there didn’t look back, taking all but the final set to end the day with a 5-1 win.
Barwon Heads and Point Lonsdale had also scored wins against each other in Section 2, but the Heads, minor premiers, were not going to squander their home court advantage, breaking Lonny in the first four sets to give them an unassailable lead and the premiership.
Aireys Inlet continued their winning form against Surfcoast Yellow when they proved victorious in Section 3. The first two sets were split between the teams, but from there Aireys pulled out a gritty 5-1 win with the remaining sets decided 7-5 or 6-4.
Aireys were not so fortunate in Section 4 when they faced Ocean Grove. With both home and away matches between the teams decided on games after drawing on sets, the match was destined to be a belter.
The first two sets went one each way, before the Grove took the upper hand winning the next two. Aireys fought back taking the fifth set, but the Grove rallied to win the last putting them ahead four sets to two, earning them the flag.
Surfcoast were guaranteed a win in Section 5 when Jan Juc Blue hosted Torquay Black.
Black had form over their counterparts through the season winning all three of their encounters, and the final was no exception. Black jumped out of the blocks taking the first five sets before Blue got themselves on the board, but the win had been sealed by Black 5-1.
The closest result of the day came in Section 6 when Clifton Springs travelled to Surfcoast Bellbrae. The teams had been evenly matched all season with each taking a 4-2 win through the season and Bellbrae getting home in the first semi by a mere two games.
The match started with each team having comfortable wins in the first two sets 6-2 and 6-1, before things tightened with the third and fourth set also going one each way, but this time with only one service break the difference, 6-4 and 6-3. Going into the final two sets the Springs held a slim two-game lead and were determined to hold on to it. The Springs put themselves well in contention when they won the fifth 6-4, but Sue Douglas and Gail Dunstan proved too strong for Bellbrae in the last, winning 6-1, pushing them ahead in the game count and producing a one- game win.
Moolap turned the tables when it mattered this week in their match against Western Heights Uniting in Section 7. In their fourth meeting for the season, Moolap scored their first win against the minor premiers, but while the score line looked one sided, with a tie-break, 7-5 and three sets at 6-4, it was a hard fought win, with Western Heights wishing they had a little more luck.
Point Lonsdale were odds-on favourites in Section 8, when St Mary’s were unable to field a full team. Despite not playing three of the sets, St Mary’s put up a show winning the three sets that were played, leaving them nine games short, and Lonny taking the premiership.
