President's grade tennis finals go down to the wire
The victorious division one Rapaura Masters team. From left Jared Bell, Stu Campbell, Pauline Fudge, Daniel Riordan, who did not play in the final, and Donna Clark. Photos supplied.
Close encounters marked Tuesday night’s Marlborough WK+ President’s Grade tennis finals.
Results in the region’s most popular senior competition went down to the wire, the division one title decided on countback while the division three winner was decided in a tense super tiebreak.
Two Rapaura teams met in the division one decider, Rapaura Masters coming out on top of Rapaura Just Move 32-27 on countback of games after the matches were shared 2-2.
Just Move made a strong start, Emily Stenhouse and her sister Heidi Allen beating Donna Clark and Pauline Fudge 9-6, then Kyle Heagney and Darin Herd prevailing 9-8 over Jared Bell and Stu Campbell in a tiebreak.
However, Masters took control in the mixed, Donna and Stu beating Heidi and Kyle 9-5, before Jared and Pauline downed Emily and Darin 9-4 to clinch the tie and the title.
Division two was take out by Renwick Mighty Four, a side who have made a steady rise through the ranks. Andy Glackin, Tom Trolove, George Guthrie, Sarah Dillon and Vic Struthers have played together as a team for many seasons, Sarah and Vic since they were 15. They began in division four, which they won in 2011-12 and 2012-13. They took out division three in 2015-16 under the Rapaura club’s umbrella, then this season won division two as the Renwick Mighty Four, earning promotion to division one for 2023-24.
Taking the division three title this season was Rapaura Matador, who have had something of a roller-coaster ride through the grades. Theirs was the closest encounter on Tuesday.
After finishing 2-2 in matches won and equal on games won, they embarked on a super tiebreaker, with Ramon Smith and Marianne Pecchenino eventually edging out Blair Hantz and Joey Eade under lights to clinch the title.
The division four decider was contested on Tuesday, February 21, and taken out by Renwick Racquets who beat Rapaura Shiraz 3-1.
Results from the WK+ Presidents Grade finals on Tuesday:
Division 1: Rapaura Masters 2 (32) Rapaura Just Move 2 (27)
Division 2: Marlborough Swallows 1 Renwick Mighty Four 3
Division 3: Rapaura Matador 2 (32) Rapaura Blenheim ITM 2 (32) Won super tie, 10-7
Division 4 (played on February 21): Renwick Racquets 3 Rapaura Shiraz 1.