Wembley B team win premier league
SPARKED by an opening win over their A side, the Wembley B team went through the Port Elizabeth premier tennis league season unbeaten to claim the title by a solid margin.
Comprising Grey High schoolboys and guided by coach Richard Bulbring, the team of teenagers struck a blow for the younger generation by finishing the season on 60 points, 14 ahead of their club colleagues, who ended second.
Bulbring said the way they had started the season against an experienced Wembley A side, winning 10-6, had been a great morale-booster for the young players.
The team was made up of Josh and Joel van Rensburg, Matthew and Luke Stuart, Gideon van der Vywer and Gareth Howell. Bulbring himself played two matches.
“One of our strengths was the depth in the side,” Bulbring said.
“We were often able to pick up crucial points in the lower singles positions and that was important because it meant we were up going into the doubles.”
He said an example of how the boys had developed during the season came in their last match against Eagles.
“Gideon van der Vywer, playing at two for the first time, won a massive three-set match 5-7 7-6 7-6. He has grown big-time as a player in the last 12 months.”
Bulbring added that matric players Josh van Rensburg and Howell had led by example at one and two and formed a strong doubles team.
“Youngster Matthew Stuart, arguably the No 1 U14 player in EP and only in Grade 8, won two out of three singles at No 4 so the future for Grey looks bright.”
In the women’s first league, Victoria Park also maintained an unbeaten record to take the title ahead of Wembley.
VP finished on 36 points, seven ahead of their nearest rivals.
The final logs were: Men’s premier A: 1 Wembley A 60, 2 Wembley B 46, 3 NMU 38, 4 Bluewater Bay 34, 5 VP 29, 6 Gelvan Eagles 24 Women’s first: 1 VP 36, 2 Wembley 29, 3 Westview 28, 4 Despatch 22, 5 NMU 16 Other league winners were: Men: Despatch (premier B), Wembley (1st), Kirkwood (2nd), Addo (3rd) Women: Jeffreys Bay A (2nd), Wembley A (3rd)
THE Kenton Tennis Club will host the 25th annual senior veterans tournament, starting this afternoon.
There will be eight teams from around the Eastern Cape, each comprising four men and four women.
“We are anticipating tennis of the highest quality to be on display,” tournament coordinator Anthony Bayley said.
The tournament starts with the draw and a social gathering this afternoon and play will take place tomorrow and on Sunday. – Additional reporting by Yonela Mofu