LOCAL TENNIS with Donna Schoenmaekers
It was semi-final week for 10 of the 15 sections in Tennis Geelong’s Senior Pennant and competition was fierce across all sections.
Despite a win last week, Waurn Ponds dropped from second to third in 1 Mixed, which pitted them against Highton this week.
The teams were evenly matched, with the team’s trading sets through the day, but Highton managed one extra game, putting them through to a prelim match-up with Grovedale Black.
Highton had another close one in 2 Mixed, where the games were drawn with Wandana Heights, but they had the set advantage four to two.
Grovedale’s Yellow team in 4 Mixed enjoyed success sewing up a 4-2 win over Lara.
Grovedale started well, winning the first two sets, and with the balance of the sets being split between the teams, this proved the difference.
In 5 Mixed Grovedale Yellow travelled to Teesdale and things proved very tight. The teams were even on sets going into the final two mixed, with three game lead to Yellow. The remaining sets were split 6-3 each way so the result remained the same, with Yellow booking a match-up with Moolap.
Newcomb had a day they would like to forget, bowing out in three finals on the day. Clifton Springs/Drysdale had the upper hand in the previous meeting in 3 Mixed, so it was poised to be close, and with the teams tied with two sets to play, it was, before the away team took the final two sets to seal the win four sets to two.
In 1 Open Newcomb took an early lead against Grovedale, winning the first singles 6-3, 4-6, 10-5 and doubles 6-4, 7-5. From there Grovedale rallied winning the return singles 6-1, 6-3 and doubles 6-1, 7-5, levelling the match on rubbers, and giving them the win overall by 10 games.
Surfcoast Torquay hosted Newcomb in 2 Open and couldn’t have asked for a better start with Michael Hili winning the opening singles 6-0, 6-0, but Newcomb pushed hard in the doubles, coming away eventual winners 2-6, 6-3, 10-7. Things were closer in the reverse rubbers with each team coming away with one win each, but the initial difference was too great, meaning Torquay will play Wandana Heights for a place in the grand final.
Ocean Grove travelled to Grovedale for an elimination final in 3 Open and, as both teams had registered a win over the other during the season, the result was difficult to predict. The first singles went to Grovedale 6-3, 6-0, while the doubles went to Ocean Grove 6-4, 6-1, leaving the teams evenly poised going into the reverse rubbers. From there Ocean Grove took control winning both rubbers and match-up with Moolap Gold in the prelim.
The biggest win for the day went to Drysdale in 3 Men, when they faced Clifton Springs.
Drysdale had won the two match-ups through the season, and they continued their winning run taking the match 6-0.
