James Murphy
AFTER a week off for the long weekend, Mount Gambier and District tennis action returns to the region with the 2022-23 semi-finals.
All grades – bar the mixed and women’s doubles – will start their finals series this Saturday with winners to progress into next weekend’s grand finals.
In the top grade, Glencoe and Reidy Park with face off in the Division 1 first semi final.
Finishing the minor rounds in first and fourth respectively, Glencoe will be hot favourites to progress.
The club lost just two rounds for the home-and-away season to take out the minor premiership, with its most recent win an 8-4 result against Reidy.
Reidy will have its work cut out again, with Glencoe in prime position for a shot at the season honours.
The second semi final will be played between West Gambier and Centrals/Uniting/Gambier.
They last met in Round 13, where West prevailed 7-4.
Both teams have beaten Glencoe once each this season and are worthy of a chance at premiership glory.
The match could go either way, but West will be the safer bet based on recent form.
In Division 2 Mount Gambier should breeze into the decider when it faces Mil Lel in the first semi final.
Gambier claimed the minor premiership with 12 wins for the season, while Mil Lel scraped into the top four with four wins and a draw.
Their last meeting was an 11-1 result and another large margin should book Gambier a place in the grand final.
The second semi final will have West Gambier and Glencoe battle it out.
The two teams were well matched in their last meeting, where West claimed a two-set win.
Another close contest could unfold, with the winner likely to meet Gambier in the big game next week.
The Division 3 competition has been dominated by West Gambier this season and it will be out to build further momentum when facing Suttontown in the first semi final.
A closer affair is expected in the second semi final when Mount Gambier plays Uniting in a do-or-die contest.
The pair have had some close encounters this season, but Gambier has had the best of all three.
The team will hope for the same result this week, before a grand final showdown on March 25.
Lakes Junior Tennis finals will also kick off this weekend, ensuring plenty of action for local tennis enthusiasts.
SENIOR SEMI FINAL FIXTURES
Division 1: Glencoe v Reidy Park (Olympic Park), West Gambier v Centrals/Uniting/Gambier (Olympic Park); Division 2: Mount Gambier v Mil Lel (Uniting Church), West Gambier v Glencoe (Mount Gambier); Division 3: West Gambier v Suttontown (Mount Gambier courts), Mount Gambier v Uniting (Olympic Court).
