Net results: Whangamata tennis club crowns season champions

The Whangamata tennis club held its championships over the weekend. It was a full weekend of women’s and men’s singles, doubles and combined tennis.

The women’s singles champion is Ainsley in an extremely close championship.

Buzz took out the men’s title in an intriguing final against Simon.

The power pairing of Buzz and Murray are the men’s doubles champions while Jillian and Helen eventually took a second-set tie breaker 10-8 to inch past Fiona and Steph in the women’s doubles. Under darkening skies the family pairing of Fiona and Tamati beat Murray and Kylie 9-7 in the combined final.

The women’s singles was a threeway battle between Ainsley, Jillian and Steph. After round robin competition each player had one win. Tournament director David Branks unravelled the maths for Ainsley to take the title as she had beaten Jillian 8-5 coming back from an early 2-5 deficit.

In the men’s singles final power tennis gave way to tactical nous and patience. Early on Simon bounced out to a 3-0 lead before the resolute Buzz dragged the score back to 3-3.

This match equalised through to 6-6 before Buzz powered three games in a row to win 9-6. Buzz then combined with Murray in the men’s doubles to prove too consistent for Frank and Roy 9-4.

The women’s final between Jillian and Helen against Steph and Fiona was a tense and nervous match. Each

pairing took a set each 6-3 then went into a tie breaker.

Jillian and Helen had nearly taken the title as they lea 9-1. But point by point Steph and Fiona closed the gap to 9-8 only for Jillian and Helen to win that elusive last point. Family unity showed out in the combined doubles final with Tamati and Fiona overcoming Murray and Kylie 9-6. Tamati excelled with precise first serves and classy two handed backhands.

A big thank you to tournament director David Branks!