Teams were glad that skies were clear this weekend, after the downpours over the long weekend and players made the most of the cool conditions.
Section 3 Open has been close all season and this week saw four teams change position with the outcome of various matches, however, Grovedale Black consolidated their position on top with a 4-0 win over Lara.
In the singles, Andre Attard and Ella Hill prevailed in straight sets while Hill and Beau Attard were pushed to a super tie-break in the first doubles, eventual winners 10-3.
The Attard brothers then proved too good for the Caddy brothers in the final rubber, extending Grovedale’s lead, and Lara slipping a little further from fourth.
Moolap posted their first win for the season, when they hosted All Saints, and did so in style.
Macey Purdue and Carmine Armante got the team going winning the first doubles 6-4, 6-0 while Joel Wilson battled through his singles, getting over the line 14-12 in a super tie-break.
Amarante backed up his doubles win with a win in the reverse singles, while Wilson and Purdue wrapped up the clean sweep in the doubles.
It was father versus son when Hamlyn Park hosted Grovedale Yellow, and to the younger went the spoils. Lachie Smith, teaming with Alfie Oliver against dad Andrew and Tom Sutherland, slugged it out in the first set with Smith junior and Oliver eventually winning in a tie-break, before taking control and the second 6-1.
Finn Stewart took a close first set 6-4 in the singles, before Taj de Clifford fought back winning the second 6-0. Stewart steadied to win the super tie-break 10-6 to take the rubber.
Smith senior avenged his loss in the doubles with a win over Oliver 6-4, 6-0 putting Grovedale on the board while Stewart continued his long day with Smith junior against Sutherland and de Clifford.
Grovedale took the first set 6-2 before Hamlyn Park fought back to take the second 6-4, then finishing 11-9 ahead in the super tie-break, finishing with the setting sun at 5.30pm. The win pushed Hamlyn Park into second.
It was a day of two halves for Clifton Springs and Barwon Heads, where Jarrod Cairncross and Rebekah Schoenmaekers battled to a super tie-break 6-2, 4-6, 11-9, while on the other court Troy and Remy Cairncross got over the line 2-6, 6-3, 10-6 over Ted Reid and Dex Taylor, putting the Springs ahead two rubbers to love.
In the reverse singles, Troy Cairncross started well, up 4-1 before injury struck and forced his retirement, joining the Heads’ Paddy Moulton on the sidelines, after Moulton broke his wrist during the week.
The match would now come down to the final rubber with Clifton Springs ahead two rubbers to one, but Barwon Heads up four sets to two, the winner would decide the match.
In the end Taylor and Schoenmaekers made short work of it winning 6-0, 6-1, giving them the win, and pushing them ahead of the Springs, moving into third.
