ANTICIPATION was high for Southern Ports tennis grand final day at Lucindale after a tight season of competition.
The Higgins Family Shield was up for grabs in Division 1, with Robe Roosters taking the honours from an undermanned Naracoorte side 15 sets to 9.
The Division 2 Ratcliff Family Shield went to the Lucindale Koalas, with a comfortable 17-7 result over fellow Lucindale side, the Wombats.
In Division 3, the Goldfinch/Drabsch Shield went to Lucindale/Frances Eagles, 16-8 over Millicent-Beachport.
In Division 1, Robe Roosters came in as underdogs after a dominant season by Naracoorte.
However, Naracoorte was suffering, with players out due to Covid-19.
The Roosters took advantage and took a 4-2 lead after the mixed doubles.
Sid Malone and Katelyn Baker won the first set of the day, 6-0 over Tim Malone and Lisa Hall to set the scene.
In the singles the Roosters again took control winning eight of the 12 matches.
Egan Regnier claimed a 6-1 win over George White, while Lisa Hall was a 6-3 victor over Katelyn Baker and Courtney Drabsch showed her continued improvement with a 6-0 win.
As the last doubles started the Roosters led 12-6, with just one more set required to take the shield home.
Lewis Ling and Simon Ferguson claimed the 13th set 9-4 to finish the season on a high.
The Lucindale Koalas dominated the Division 2 final against the Wombats, displaying their early-season form.
The Koalas were out to a lead early, with wins in four of the six mixed doubles.
From there they only dropped two women’s singles and two men’s singles, then came home strong to win all but one of the men’s and women’s doubles.
Some tight games were played out, with Tim Durik and Chandler Smart winning in a tie-break 10-9 against Brad Hocking and Matt Waugh, while both the other men’s doubles were close at 9-7.
Winners of all their matches were Eliza Handbury, Andrea Buckett, Mark Buckett, Sam Crocker and Mel Bil.
The Frances/Lucindale Eagles were too strong for Millicent/Beachport but after the mixed doubles the score read three sets each.
The middle of the order saw easy wins to the Eagles, while other games were tough but all went the way of Millicent/Beachport, with the top double ending in a tie-breaker.
The Eagles started to pull away in the singles, dropping just the one men’s game, then winning all doubles matches.
Jacob Lang came close to a win for Millicent/Beachport in the second men’s singles but succumbed 6-4 to Bob Williams.
Millicent/Beachport’s Lachie Lang had an early lead against Eagles’ Jane Fitzgerald in what panned out as an epic clash.
Fitzgerald fought back to be up 6-5, 40/0 before Lang dug deep and a tie-breaker ensued.
Fitzgerald took an early 6-2 advantage, before Lang finally hit back and claimed the win.
From there the Eagles only needed to win one more doubles match to secure the win for the day and achieved that goal.
Three-set winners for the day were Flo Burgwin, Craig Jones, Peter Lawrie, Mon Van Dyk, Bob Williams, Sarah Hinge and Angus McTaggert for the Eagles, while Melissa McGrath was the only three-set winner for Millicent/Beachport.
Shields and other awards were handed out after a dinner at the Lucindale Country Club.
Leanne and Cheryl Fitzgerald presented the Junior honours for most singles won.
In the Boys 16 and Under, Naracoorte’s Sid Malone claimed the honours, while for the girls. Kingston’s Abby Mules won most games.
Association president Angus McTaggert presented the senior winner’s for the year.
Most singles won went to Katelyn Baker, ahead of Kelsie Moyle-Read.
Poppy Moyle-Read and Kelsie Moyle-Read won most doubles.
