Tennis season ends, finals begin
Wimmera tennis teams played their final home-and-away matches at the weekend, firming match-ups for Central Wimmera Tennis Association finals starting on Saturday, March 19.
The home-and-away tennis pennant season ended in an anticlimax as rain cancelled two matches.
Drung South Orange-versus-central Park, as well as Horsham Lawn-versus-st Michaels matches were washed out in an unfortunate end to the summer season.
It was the final unlikely opportunity for St Michaels to retake second spot from Kalkee, with the wash-out leaving St Michaels to accept a third-place finish on the ladder.
Perhaps the rain was lucky for Kalkee, however. Drung South Purple overcame the Kees in a tight contest, 6-75 to 6-68, but the rain allowed the Kees to cement second spot on the ladder, despite the upset.
Drung South Purple now heads into its first finals match against topplaced Horsham Lawn with a string of late-season wins in its pocket.
It will take its best effort, however, to pull off a victory in the first semi-final, because Horsham Lawn remains the team to beat after an impressive 10- win home-and-away season.
Kalkee will play St Michaels in the
second semi-final in a climactic final contest between two of this season’s most equally matched sides.
Association president Jeremy Quast said the energy around the association had been great heading into finals, as it had been during the past couple of seasons.
“We were very thankful to have
our grand final last year and, fingers crossed, everything goes the same for this season’s final series,” he said.
“The grand final will be played at Horsham Lawn, which might give Horsham Lawn the advantage if it makes it, but otherwise I can’t predict who will come out on top.”
Mr Quast said Horsham Lawn finished on top of the ladder ‘for a reason though’ and they would be very competitive this finals series.
However, he said St Michaels and Kalkee were ‘right there’ at the top’ as well.
“Horsham Lawn has good depth and that’s also where its strength lies,” he said.
“But, you also can’t go past St Michaels, who finished fourth last year and won the premiership.
“We can’t right off Kalkee either, which has players hitting the ball very well at the moment.
“To be honest, it will be about who plays the better tennis on the day, who rises to the challenge and who thrives with an opportunity for a premiership win in front of them.”
A Special, A Grade and B Special division finals matchups were also locked in following last weekend’s matches. A Special: Semi-final one, Natimuk v Telangatuk East; semi-final two, Horsham Lawn Gillespie v Horsham Lawn Thompson. A Grade: Semi-final one, Haven v Drung South; semi-final two, Horsham Lawn O’connor v Horsham Lawn Bardell. B Special: Semi-final one, Laharum v Haven; semi-final two, St Michaels v Horsham Lawn.
A new ‘knockout’ finals series format will operate in 2022 for both juniors and seniors.
First will play fourth and second will play third in a semi-final, with winners heading straight to a grand- final showdown.
The finals series starts on March 19, with the grand final played the following weekend, on March 26.