Creswick played host to the 69th Inter-Regional Country Championships earlier this month,
with more than 220 players from seven regions, playing on their 16 grass and seven hard courts in an action packed weekend.
The event consisted of seven age groups and an Open section, for Men’s Singles and Doubles, Women’s Singles and Doubles, and Mixed Doubles, from under 12s to over 50s. As defending champions Barwon was looking to continue its good form of previous years, and hold on to the title.
Barwon led from the top down with Nicole Mullen and Matt Hicks winning their respective Open singles, Nicole Mullen teaming with runner-up Olivia Ryan to win the Women’s doubles while Matt and Ryan Lee took out the Men’s.
Mullen then made it a clean sweep with Lee winning the Mixed over compatriots Olivia Ryan and Ben Rankin.
The team of 35 had a number of other wins with Elsa Grgic and Jemma Howat (12U Girls Doubles), Lotti McDonald and Tano-Li Quach (16U Mixed), Matilda Sutherland (18U Girls Singles), Jordyn Aitken and Mikaela Mullen (25U Women’s Doubles), Mkiaela Mullen and Rhys McNabb (25U Mixed) and Rhys McNabb (25U Men’s singles).
Other highlights of the event were Elsa Grgic and Rhys McNabb making all three of their finals, Jordyn Aitken and Ryan Lee playing their 10th consecutive inter-regionals, with their first being at Creswick for 12U, and Matt Hicks winning his seventh Open title, 30 years after his inter-regionals debut.
With strong performances across all events, Barwon was crowned Champions for the 28th time, backing up its 2024 result with 306 points ahead of nearest rival South West on 240 points.
