Presidents tennis expected to be close
Renwick Whitehaven and Rapaura Viognier made it two wins from two when the second round of WK + Advisors and Accountants presidents grade interclub tennis was fought out on various courts around Marlborough on Tuesday.
Renwick beat Rapaura Drylands while Rapaura Viognier downed Marlborough Simply Smashing, both ties decided on a on a countback of games.
This season the ever-popular presidents grade comprises six teams in division one, division two and division four and eight teams in division three.
The division one competition promises to be a tight tussle, involving six strong teams – two from the Marlborough Tennis Club and the Rapaura Tennis Club and one each from Renwick and Grovetown respectively.
Significantly, the Grovetown Top Shelf team is playing again this year. After being absent last season the team will be striving to get their name on the trophy again having won it for many years in succession. The Grovetown men are Brendon Sutherland, Darin Herd and Owen Dodson while their female line-up remains the talented partnership of Raewyn Heta and Venice Longrope.
Defending champions Rapaura Viognier include Donna Clark and Pauline Fudge, while Mark Evans is joined by the experienced Tony Fenemor and Hiro Kishida.
In division two six evenlymatched teams promise a close competition. Defending champions, Rapaura Pinot, return this year while the other top performing team last year, Marlborough Swifts, return with Debs Simpson, Jillian Redwood and a new men’s line-up of Bill Taylor and Leighton Shearer.
In division three there is a new team, Marlborough Rock U, and in division four, a new team of Marlborough Amigos.
The second round of premier tennis was washed out on Wednesday.
Rapaura Viognier: Mark Evans, Tony Fenemor, Hiro Kishida, Donna Clark, Pauline Fudge. Rapaura Drylands: Bay. Grovetown Top Shelf: Brendon Sutherland, Darin Herd, Owen Dodson, Venice Longrope, Raewyn Heta. Marlborough Simply Smashing: Garry Tait, Brian Martin, John Patchett, Lynne Murray, Eveline Apthorp van der Linden, Ros Suter. Renwick Whitehaven: Chris Nott, Peter Rogge, Mieko Kimura, Victoria Scott. Presidents grade results from October 25. Division 1: Marlborough Forresters 0 Grovetown Top Shelf 4; Renwick Whitehaven 2 (28) Rapaura Drylands 2 (23); Rapaura Viognier 2 (30) Marlborough Simply Smashing 2 (22). Division 2: Picton Power 1 Rapaura Newhawkes 3; Marlborough Swallows 2 (28) Rapaura Pinot 2 (30); Rapaura Mighty Four 2 (30) Marlborough Swifts 2 (30). Division 3: Marlborough Cloudy Bay Slams 2 (23) Rapaura Sauvignon 2 (22); Rapaura Riesling 3 Grovetown Turf & Tackle 1; Rapaura Matador 4 Marlborough Rock u 0; Renwick Rebels 3 Marlborough Restrung 1. Division 4: Grovetown Tamers 0 Marlborough Amigos 4; Rapaura Chardonnay 4 Rapaura Shiraz 0; Marlborough Tennis the Menace 1 Marlborough Bjorn Again 3.