Top junior players set to hold court
Jono’s Serve Jono Spring
Manawatu¯ ’s junior representative tennis contingent is about to be put through their paces this weekend in the annual provincial quadrangular tournament at Vautier Park in Palmerston North.
The leading juniors from Manawatu¯ , Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa will square off today and tomorrow.
Each of the junior age groups will be represented from the 10-years-and-under bracket, through to the 16 years and under.
Four boys and four girls make up each age group and these representatives will play both singles and doubles.
Manawatu¯ is blessed with a lot of depth in each of our age groups, with multiple players eligible and worthy of representative duty.
This has not always been the case, as it is typical for a province to always be a little weaker in some areas than others.
However, for the first time in many years, Manawatu¯ provincial tennis is to be considered strong across the board.
From junior through to senior level, this could be considered our region’s purple patch.
Times like this are not merely coincidental and it has been the result of years of hard work by clubs, coaches and administrators to finally build to a stage where Manawatu¯ can be competitive throughout all age groups.
Manawatu¯ is not the only province making positive ground with their competitive representatives, with both Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay having improved considerably in recent years.
These two provinces may be the ones to look out for in this year’s quadrangular, however, we know Taranaki should never be underestimated.
The proof will be in the pudding at the tournament, which is expected to finish by midday tomorrow.
The pleasing thing is the junior team comprises players from almost every club in the interclub competition, indicating there is positive work happening in all areas of the sport at a local level.
All junior and senior Manawatu¯ interclub will restart for the second half of the season next Saturday.
This is the business end of the season, with five weeks of roundrobin play before a semifinal and finals weekend at the end of the season.