Strong off-season training serves singles tournament winners well
Local tennis players have reaped the rewards of an off-season full of training by pulling together victories at recent singles grade tournaments at the Manawatu¯ Lawn Tennis Club.
The Tennis Manawatu¯ ‘‘S grade’’ tournaments were held in the region over the past two weekends and it was an ideal opportunity to put into practice the work of recent months.
First, the weather came to the party and provided a decent platform for the tennis to take place. Actually, touch wood, this spring has not been as windy as previous spring seasons.
All tennis players out there can vouch for the fact that wind is one of the toughest conditions to contend with. Nothing compares with trying to hit a ball over the a that is moving sideways just as much as it is moving forwards.
The highlight of the tournaments was the success of local players taking the honours in the majority of the grades.
Terry Lee, from the Manawatu¯ Lawn Tennis Club, won the top grade played for with a dominant display over the rest of the field. Lee beat yours truly in a relatively quick-fire 6-3, 6-3 match. Knowing how much work Lee has put in over the winter, it is no real surprise to see him performing at the top of his game. The next grade down, S8, was won by Bulls player, but Manawatu¯ Lawn Tennis Club member, James Wineera. Wineera had to fend off a stiff challenge by promising local junior Rhys Workman, who was last season’s Tennis Manawatu¯ recipient of the ‘‘most improved junior male interclub player’’. Workman had beaten two tough opponents before succumbing 7-5, 7-6 to Wineera.
The S9 grade, the next grade below S8, was won by Marist player Tom Cairns. Cairns had the best tournament of his young career and beat Te Kawau youngster Cory Pinfold-whanga 6-2, 6-1 in the final. Cairns has gone from strength to strength over the winter.
Also gaining in strength over the winter was Laura Silva, who took out the S10 category. Marist club’s Silva had to beat many other promising local junior girls to take the title, with an eventual win over Ayla Giesen 6-4, 6-2 in their final.
The final grade played for was the S11 category, won by Feilding local Taryn Backhouse. Backhouse showed great determination in clinching this title and also showed the benefit of winter training.
It was a great showing by local players, who will be looking to springboard off this success into the upcoming interclub season.
The next local competition on the calendar is the Tennis Manawatu¯ primary schools tournament on October 17, where the best of year8-and-below children get the opportunity to square off against each other in an attempt to eventually reach the North Island championships later in the year. The top two performers from each draw go on to higher honours.
Hopefully the good weather will continue, because if it’s anything like last summer, we are in for another fantastic season of tennis.