LOCAL TENNIS with Donna Schoenmaekers
It was semi-finals week for Tennis Geelong’s Saturday Senior Pennant for eight team sections, and unlike Juniors in the morning, where it paid to finish fourth, all third-placed teams made it through their first semi-final.
Surfcoast Torquay and Ocean Grove Red faced off in 1 Men’s, and with a draw and a washout during the home and away matches, it was difficult to pick a favourite.
Torquay started well winning three of the first four sets, then Michael Ulanowski and Gavan Bourke sealed the win 4-2 in the sixth set, with Bourke winning his third set for the day.
Torquay also registered a win in 1 Open against Highton Bue. Michael Hili outlasted Rhys McNabb in the first singles 4-6, 6-3, 10-5 while on the other court Sam Rogers and John Stephenson took a narrow win over the Spong brothers, Campbell and Brodie 6-3, 6-7, 10-7 to give Torquay the lead going into the reverse matches.
McNabb and Campbell Spong kept Highton in it with a 6-4, 6-1 win in the doubles, but Sam Rogers sealed the win for Torquay taking the singles 6-3, 6-4.
Lara also managed a win over Highton in their 2 Men’s clash. Lara started well winning the first three sets, and eventually sealed the win when Linton Wright and Rob Ward won the sixth 6-2.
Wandana Heights spoiled Surfcoast’s hopes for three wins for the day, when they won the first four sets in 1 Mixed to book their place against Grovedale next week. Grovedale had a mixed day with two losses and a win.
All Saints proved too good in 3 Open while Moolap bested Grovedale Black in 3 Mixed.
Their highlight for the day was in 2 Open in their clash with Hamlyn Park, which was the closest match of the day. Ishan Phule won the first singles 7-5, 6-1, while the Park’s Nicholas Lunn and Ben Morgan 7-5, 6-3 countered in the doubles. The reverse rubbers were also close with Fletcher Allen winning the second singles 6-3, 7-6 for Grovedale, while Morgan and Patrick Lanyon stepped up for Hamlyn Park 7-6, 6-2, leaving the match level on rubbers and sets, but Grovedale ahead by just one game.
It was a grudge match in 2 Mixed when Moolap’s Gold team hosted the Black team. The teams traded sets in the first mixed sets with Gold ahead by one game. Black’s women put them ahead winning 6-4, but Gold levelled the match on sets and games when they took the men’s 6-3.
The pressure was on going into the reverse mixed, but the combinations of Amy Kuskunovic and Liam Thompson, and Amy Lizmore and Darcy King proved too good, with both pairs winning 6-3 to take the match four sets to two.
