The end of the season is fast approaching in the Naracoorte SportsPower Southern Ports Tennis Association.
With only three games remaining, the top four teams are all in a desperate fight to secure a place in the Division 1 final.
KINGSTON 14-136 D BEACHPORT 10-99
On a fine day for tennis at Beachport, the host club faced Kingston without its top two men, Jake Harris and Tim Loveday.
Kingston also missed its number one man Matt Menz to even the score slightly.
The mixed doubles finished with three sets each and the contest looked tight.
However, Kingston broke away in the singles to win four of the men’s and four of the women’s games.
Most games were relatively one-sided, but a close battle played out on the back court between Abby Mules and Lucy Corman.
An evenly-contested match produced some entertaining rallies and shots.
In the end Corman claimed the win 7-5.
After the top women’s doubles, Kingston had claimed 12 sets, needing one more to win, but Beachport put up a fight.
Natalie Chambers and Alexis Heim won 10-8 against Nicola Crane and Jacob Mules.
In what was likely match-of-the-day and another close doubles game, Beachport pair Benjamin Lang and Todd Watson defeated Lou Leidig and Will Edwards in a tiebreaker 10-9.
Three-set winners were Beachport’s Todd Watson, Lucy Corman and Maddie Redman, along with Kingston’s Stephen Edwards, Timothy Parker, Bianca Cunneen and Stacey Lehmann.
LUCINDALE KOALAS 17-148 D LUCINDALE WOMBATS 7-95
The Koalas came up against the Wombats, with the mixed doubles setting the scene as the Koalas won four of the six games and went on to record a 17-7 win.
The top mixed double was a tight game, Eliza Handbury and Chandler Smart claiming a 7-5 win in a tiebreaker against Leanne and Sam Graetz.
The bottom mixed had a 7-5 set with the Koalas Alec Ross and Bron Snajdar taking the points this time against Toby Longbottom and Samuel Crocker.
Some long singles matches were had, with young gun Tom Handbury taking on the experience of Henry Legoe, with the experience eventually getting there 7-5.
Amelia Wood and Vander Maywald had a marathon match, with Wood winning in a tie-breaker.
The match of the day was between Samuel Crocker and Ben Wood, with Crocker winning 13-11 in a tie-breaker.
To finish the day there was some entertaining doubles action, but the Koalas showed their strength in winning all six men’s and women’s games.
The match to watch was the top women’s double, with the Koalas’ Leanne Graetz and Casey Weaver taking the points in a cliff-hanger 10-9 match over Eliza Handbury and Brittany Anderson.
Three-match winners Travis Ware, Henry Legoe, Alec Ross, Jared Oliver and Jessica Legoe for the Koalas.
ROBE ROOSTERS 17-133 D PENOLA 7-86
Robe Roosters defeated Penola on a humid day for tennis.
The scores were not reflective of the entertaining matches played.
With the wedding of Egan Regnier, the two Petes – Obst and Agnew – were called into action and they claimed five wins between them.
Robe claimed four of the six mixed doubles, then all the men’s singles.
Penola responded with four wins in the women’s singles, with only Samantha Matthews and Lisa Hall holding for Robe.
The doubles proved entertaining, especially with the ambidextrous Sam McDougal in action, but Robe was too strong in five out of the six games for a comfortable overall victory
FRANCES/LUCINDALE EAGLES 19-149 D LUCINDALE COCKATOOS 5-84
The Lucindale Country Club was the spot for tennis on Saturday, with the Frances/Lucindale Eagles up against the Cockatoos.
The Eagles were simply too strong and all players contributed to the win, while for the Cockatoos. Peter Lawrie and Mark Bucket had convincing wins in their singles to keep the flag flying for their team.
In the final game Naracoorte defeated Robe Rebels by forfeit.
Round 13 is the popular Wimbledon round, with plenty of fun on and off the court.
With the finals fast approaching, the Lucindale Koalas still hold top spot on the ladder by one point over last year’s runner-up, Naracoorte.
They are bound to be tested this week though by an in-form Kingston.
Frances/Lucindale Eagles are looking strong in third.
They have had few big wins in recent weeks and will look to steal another against the Robe Rebels.
The Lucindale Wombats and Beachport will face off, with Beachport currently sit in sixth and looking hold onto their finals position.
The Lucindale Cockatoos and Robe Roosters is the other match at Lucindale.
The only match away from Lucindale this week sees Naracoorte take on Penola at home.
Naracoorte will look to hold on to second spot and stay in the division one final.
