Rapaura tennis titles decided

The heat was well and turned up, both on and off the court, when the 2022 Rapaura doubles tennis tournament welcomed in the new year at the grass court complex.

Sixty-four combinations battled in sweltering conditions over the past three days to find a winner in men’s, women’s and mixed doubles competition.

The on-court action culminated in a thrilling men’s doubles final, late this afternoon.

Involved in the main court decider were last year’s champions, top seeds Remi Feneon and Gareth Robb, from Christchurch. Across the net were Marlborough player Lee Harborne and nationally-ranked Nelson junior Harry Pugh, ranked second.

Remi and Gareth went into the final as clear favourites, having dropped just three games in their previous three matches. However, Harry and Lee had also breezed into the decider, winning all their matches in straight sets.

The first set was tight, the younger pairing breaking Gareth’s serve early, only to be broken back immediately as Remi and Gareth consolidated to take it out 7-5.

Another early break in the second saw Harry and Lee push out to a 5-2 lead. Playing with enthusiasm and energy the youngsters served and volleyed superbly to take the set 6-3 and level things up.

However, the vast experience and court craft of their opponents came to the fore in the final set, some superb returns, coupled with a few thunderous overheads from Remi, creating a 5-2 lead. Harry held his serve with the match on the line, but he and Lee had no answer as Remi brought his imposing serve into play to ice proceedings, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

Remi said a combination of the heat and tenacious opponents had made it a tough proposition.

“The heat didn’t help … it was very hard to find energy.”

Gareth was full of praise for their young rivals. “It felt like we were just not seeing [the ball] well but [Harry and Lee] played extremely well … they played like they had nothing to lose and momentum was with them for what felt like a long time."

“It didn’t feel like we were playing well at any stage,” said Remi. “We were just doing enough to win but not playing at our best … that happens some time, but we got there.”

Gareth pointed to a pivotal game in the third set which swung the momentum their way.

“We had one good return game on Harry’s serve in the middle of the third to get the break and then I was able to hold. We always know that we have a very good chance [of holding] on Remi’s serve so we eventually got the job done.”

The pair were non-committal regarding a return for a hat-trick of titles, but said they had thoroughly enjoyed the tournament.

Winners of the women’s doubles title, contested on the main court prior to the men’s decider, were Remi’s wife Joelene and their daughter Jade, the top seeds.

The pair, who lost in the corresponding fixture last year, made amends in emphatic style, dominating Nelson-based second seeds Suzanne Spencer and Mandy Beynon 6-0, 6-1 in the final.

The combination of Jade’s power game and Joelene’s courtcraft proved irresistible on both Sunday and Monday as they swept their opponents aside.

Jade said that while the duo were keen to go one step further than last year their main motivation in the final was “just to play well”, which they felt they had done.

“Although the final score looks one-sided it was actually much closer than it suggests,” said Joelene. “I just left the big points up to Jade,” she suggested with a laugh.

Jade had praise for the tournament organisers. “It is really well-run and they have provided plenty of shade … very enjoyable,” she added.

The Feneon family also had a major presence in Saturday’s mixed doubles tournament, which was contested by 24 combinations.

The final turned into something of a family affair, with Jade and Liam Adams combining superbly to come out on top in a thriller against Remy and Joeline. Jade and Liam staved off a couple of match points at 8-7 before levelling at 8-8, then going on to win a tense tiebreaker 7-5.

The senior Fenions made their way to the decider with a 9-0 victory over Wayne Thompson and Fiona Wikaira, while Jade and Liam booked their place by seeing off the stern challenge of Harry Pugh and Lucia Gale 9-3.

Harry and Lucia beat Wayne and Fiona 9-2 in the third/fourth play-off.

Doubles results:

Finals

Men: Remi Feneon and Gareth Robb beat Harry Pugh and Lee Harborne 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

Women: Joelene Fenion and Jade Fenion beat Suzanne Spencer and Mandy Beynon 6-0, 6-1.

Semifinals

Men - Remi Feneon and Gareth Robb beat Joseph Sandford-Jury and Lucca Wiseman 6-0, 6-2; Harry Pugh and Lee Harborne beat Liam Adams and Cameron Lyons 6-3, 6-2.

Women: Jade and Joeline Feneon beat Sharon Pugh and Ava Doddridge; Suzanne Spencer and Mandy Beynon beat Eveline Apthorp and Renny Spruijtenburg 6-4, 6-4.

Third and fourth place

Men: Liam Adams and Cameron Lyons beat Luca Wiseman and Joseph Sandford-Jury

Women: Eveline Apthorp and Renny Spruijtenburg beat Sharon Pugh and Ava Doddridge.

Special plate

Women: Jane Bay and Caroline Cornelius

Men: Todd Breeze and Nic Burnie

Plate

Women: Helen Redshaw and Sheena Grey

Men: John Mawkes and Jonas Asmussen

Consolation plate:

Men: Angus and Robin Doddridge

Mixed doubles (Saturday)

Winners

Liam Adams and Jade Feneon beat Remi and Joelene Feneon 9-8 (7-5).

Third place: Harry Pugh and Lucia Gale beat Wayne Thompson and Fiona Wikaira.

Special plate: Angus and Ava Doddridge Consolation plate: Donna Clark and Stu Campbell

Plate: Josh Joseph and Joey Beckett.