James Murphy
MOUNT Gambier and District tennis returns to the region tonight as the 2022-23 season kicks off.
Division 1 action will start the weekend off at Olympic Park tonight, with two new teams in the competition this year.
Uniting now has a standalone team, apposed to its premiership winning combination with Centrals last year.
A Centrals/Uniting/Gambier combined side has been introduced, while Mount Schank has stepped up from Division 2.
Those two sides will go head-to-head tonight, while Uniting faces West Gambier.
The final fixture will see a heavyweight clash between Glencoe and Reidy Park, who are both expected to be at the pointy end this season.
Looking ahead to tomorrow and the remainder of the senior and junior grades will compete.
Division 2 will see West Gambier as the favourite over Mount Gambier, as the former finished runner-up last season.
With Mount Schank’s absence from the grade, West could be the team to beat this year.
The Reidy Park Tennis Club has moved homes and will now be based out of Olympic Park, with it set to host Glencoe for the season opener.
Mil Lel then welcomes Suttontown to its home courts, with the latter hungry for a taste of Division 2 tennis following a jump up from Division 3 after a successful 2021-22 campaign.
With seven teams in Division 3, Mil Lel will start with the bye, while Mount Gambier hosts Centrals and Uniting travels across town to West.
Suttontown Dons finished third last year, while Suttontown Tigers claimed the flag.
With just the one team in Division 3, Suttontown will hope to start its campaign with a strong result over Moorak.
There will again be six teams in the women’s doubles competition, with Glencoe the team to beat again.
It will play West Gambier, in what could be a tough encounter, while Reidy Park plays Allendale and Mil Lel hosts Uniting.
To wrap up the senior grades, the mixed doubles gains a side to become an eight-team competition.
Glencoe finished narrow premiers over Moorak last season, with just two games separating the sides.
Glencoe will meet Suttontown for Round 1, while Moorak has two teams this year.
Moorak Green hosts Mount Gambier Blue, while Moorak Gold visits Mount Gambier Green.
The final clash will be between Mount Schank and Centrals.
