Tennis Geelong’s Saturday Senior Pennant concluded this week with grand finals played in trying conditions.
Highton was best represented by far, with seven teams vying for honours, with three eventual victors.
Their best win for the day went to 1 Mixed, who with only one loss for the season, continued their winning form taking the first four sets over Grovedale.
It was a battle of Blue and White in 4 Open. Anthony Eyles took the first singles for White 6-4, 7-5 while Joel Agustsson the second 7-5, 6-3 for Blue. Both doubles went to a super tie-break with Blue coming out in front in both – the final score line put Blue in front, and while the result was three rubbers to one, there were only a two games difference at the end of the day. 2 Open also managed to get over the line in another close result, this time over Grovedale. Grovedale fared better in the singles, while Highton were better in the doubles, but with Joshua Torney pushing Ishan Phule to a super tie-break, Highton went ahead on the set score while the teams were tied on rubbers. The final score 2-5-39 to 2-3-32.
Grovedale’s one shining light was 2 Mixed who were evenly matched with Hamlyn Park all season. The teams traded sets to be at two sets all with Grovedale ahead by two games going into the reverse mixed, but Ella Hill and Riley Robertson won the fifth set 6-1 to guarantee the win, the team finishing four games ahead while even on sets.
Bannockburn and Surfcoast Bellbrae were looking like the match of the day in 2 Men with both previous matches level on sets and decided only by a few games. In blustery conditions all players were pushed to their limits, but Bannockburn handled things better winning the first four sets before taking out the match 5-1.
Ryan Lange gave Newcomb a great start 1 Men dropping only one game in his first two sets, helping them to a 3-1 lead over Hamlyn Park going into the remaining two sets. While the Park managed to get up in the fifth, Newcomb proved too strong, overall winners 4-2.
Eastern Districts also had a 4-2 win in 4 Mixed over Wandana Heights Blue, but with two tie-breaks didn’t have things all their own way. Wandana fared better in 5 Open when they clashed with Highton Blue. In a match that lasted close to five hours, with three super tie-breaks and a 6-4, 7-6 Wandana’s Tom Smith, Lachlan Murphy, Martin Dean and Jeet Bhuva earned their win 3-5-45 to 1-3-42.
1 Open also proved tough in the singles, with both decided in super tie-breaks with Barwon Heads coming out on top. With the first doubles also going their way, Barwon Heads were crowned premiers with the result at 3-4-41 to 1-4-42.
Ocean Grove Red claimed the club’s one final of the day in 3 Open, with Ross Gibson leading the team winning his singles and doubles, helping them to a 2-5-40 to 2-3-24 victory.
Moolap Black came from third to win the final match of the day against minor premiers Surfcoast Torquay in 3 Mixed, buoyed by strong crowd support. The conditions were tough for both teams and the teams were tied on sets with Moolap ahead by five games going into the reverse mixed, but with the remaining sets being split and similar in score, Moolap found themselves victorious at three sets all with four games to spare.
