Mount Gambier juniors too strong

Schuller Shield retained by the Mount Gambier District Tennis Association

Mount Gambier District Tennis Association has retained the South East Tennis Association Schuller Shield after the teams event was contested at Naracoorte Tennis Club earlier this month.

The event is the junior 14&U boys and girls teams event for the region. Mount Gambier District Tennis Association (pictured right) took on the combined Upper South East Team (pictured below), consisting of players from Southern Ports Tennis Association, Naracoorte Tennis Association, Bordertown Tennis Association and Keith Tennis Association. Eight boys and eight girls in each team, the 32 players came together to enjoy some great tennis on the newly refurbished courts at Naracoorte Tennis Club.

Mount Gambier has proved to be a very tough opponent in this event for many years, and again showed their depth to secure a decisive 29 sets to 3 victory on Sunday. Although the final score was convincing we believe all the players enjoyed themselves, and the opportunity to play against different opponents from across the South East.

Starting with the boys and girls doubles the kids headed out on the courts, with lots of smiles on their faces. There was some good tennis played as the players got used to pairing with new partners. The Upper South East pairs all found it tough to combat the strength and power of the Mount Gambier players, with many of the scorelines very convincingly going Mount Gambier’s way.

Hamish Gordon and William LeCornu looked unbeatable getting a decisive 6-0 win over Tom Handbury and Toby Longbottom in the boys top double. Similarly in the girl’s top double Maggie Collins and Alita Huyser combined well to also get a 6-0 victory.

It was a similar story for the remainder of the doubles matches, however, Jack Heinrich and Ben Wegener from Bordertown combined well to trouble Matthew Aarts and Archie Aitkins for a while however, the Mount Gambier pair lifted to get the win 6-3.

Zara Cole and Claire Douglas joined forces in the seven and eight girls doubles to hold off Willa Durbridge and Darcie Loller in a good battle. This one also going the Mount’s way 6-3.

The kids then contested the singles, and again although the Mount Gambier side showed their strength with some beautiful tennis played, all the players should be proud of their sportsmanship and effort.

Well done to Toby Longbottom who came back in a great match against William LeCornu getting a 6-3 win on the board for Upper South East.

Tom Handbury was also able to make amends for the defeat in the doubles getting up 6-1 over Hamish Gordon. Ben Wegener put up another good effort but wasn’t able to get there going down 6-3 to Archie Aitkin.

The girls singles were also decisively won by the Mount Gambier girls, however, there was some good quality hitting on all courts.

Maggie and Alita continued to show their dominance in the top two positions and Kiersten Cole also showed her experience with a convincing 6-2 win over Katie Rasheed in the number three position. Sienna Hawke and Georgie Midwinter had a close tousle in the number 4 single, Sienna managing to dig deep for the 6-4 win.

After a well earned lunch break it was back out for the final round of matches which was the mixed doubles. Introduced last year, it was a great success and proved to be enjoyable again this year. Mount Gambier was very impressive with their doubles play, taking seven out of the eight sets. Most of which were again convincing from the Mount Gambier pairs.

There was a closer battle between in the number seven pairs of Ben Gregory and Zara Cole playing Will Heinrich and Willa Durbridge, it could have gone either way but experience won out in the end with Ben and Zara getting up 6-4.

Tom Handbury and Anna Rasheed combined well coming back from 3-1 down to get a 6-4 win over Hamish Gordon and Maggie Collins in a very high quality and enjoyable doubles match to keep the spectators entertained at the end. The Mount Gambier was were awarded medals sponsored by SETA