Tennis juniors show prowess

Marlborough’s junior tennis strength was illustrated at the weekend when they downed their Nelson counterparts in the traditional Gardiner Trophy fixture.

Playing at the Forrest Wines Marlborough Tennis Centre on Sunday, the home side won 33-23.

The Gardiner Trophy is the biggest junior rep fixture, involving 28 team members from each region competing in doubles, singles and mixed doubles across four age groups (10s,12s,14s and 16s).

Stand out performances came from the younger brigade with Marlborough’s 10s team winning their age category 15-1 and the 12s prevailing 12-4, both results boding well for the future of junior tennis in the region.

Coach Reilly Quirk said, “We’re extremely strong in these younger age groups, and have a very exciting young group of tennis players coming though”.

The focus now shifts to the South Island 10s and 12s teams event in Timaru at Kings Birthday Weekend.

Marlborough joins forces with Nelson to form a Tasman team coached by Reilly, with 13 of the 16-strong team being earned by Marlborough players.

The Marlborough Gardiner Trophy team

10 girls: Amy Watmough-Smith, Hilary He, Maria Ricardez, Mila Scott.

10 boys: Aiden Su, Bern Cameron, William Jackson, Monty Muir.

12 girls: Zoey She, Lily Atkinson, Joy Xu, Beau Clouston.

12 boys: Joseph Gilhooly, Zihan Hong, Alex Watmough-Smith, Lincoln Hantz.

14 girls: Izzy O’Brien, Mia Harris, Emily Preece, Josephine Walkenhorst.

14 boys: Max Sowman, Flynn Weaver, Callum Wells, Rab Keown.

16 girls: Jemimah O’Donnell, Pippa Sowman.

16 boys: Leon Marusaki, Jack King.