Sport
30 March, 2023
Kalkee storms to premiership success
KALKEE has claimed Central Wimmera Tennis Association’s pennant premiership after a blistering display over minor premier Central Park on the courts at Haven on Saturday. The ‘Kees claimed premiership success after finishing runner-up last...
KALKEE has claimed Central Wimmera Tennis Association’s pennant premiership after a blistering display over minor premier Central Park on the courts at Haven on Saturday.
The ‘Kees claimed premiership success after finishing runner-up last season, stamping themselves as one of the powerhouse teams over the last 10 years with four premierships and a grand final appearance in 2020 when competition was cancelled through Covid.
Saturday was a hive of activity on the courts at Haven with all four grades competing for premiership honours which saw wins to Natimuk in A Special, Haven in A Grade and St Michaels in B Special.
Players were in a rush through the pennant grand final with only one match reaching a scoreline of 8-4 with all other matches being decided with an 8-0, 8-1, 8-2 or 8-3 scoreline.
Kalkee’s final scoreline of seven sets, 64 games to Central Park’s five sets, 50 games, was built on some powerful play from its mens department who did not drop a set for the match.
Kalkee opened proceedings through Jeff Friberg and Jimmy Sayles who claimed an 8-1 win in the opening doubles before Willow Sainsbury and Sue Walter produced the same scoreline in their opening doubles match to level scores for Central Park.
Kalkee grabbed a vital break through the first round of singles when Steve Schultz blitzed an 8-0 victory over Brendan Nitschke before Paul Weidermann claimed a vital 8-3 win over Adele Joseph.
The win would prove significant for the Kalkee ladies who battled hard against a powerful opponent who claimed five of their six sets.
When Friberg and Schultz teamed for an 8-0 win in their doubles clash against Reece Harman and Nitschke, the Kees were in a strong position leading four sets to one, 33 games to 12.
But Central Park hit back and kept their noses in the mix with three wins in the next five sets starting with an 8-2 win to Sainsbury and Joseph before Walter continued her good form with an 8-4 win over Mel Beddison and Walter and Joseph combined for an 8-0 win over Beddison and Weidermann.
But the Kalkee men were on fire as Sayle answered the challenge with an 8-2 over Justin Slade before teaming with Schultz to claim an 8-2 win and give them six sets and one hand on the premiership cup.
And that was confirmed in the 11th rubber of the day when Kalkee claimed its seventh win when Friberg won his third set for the day with an 8-2 win over Harman as Kalkee led 63 games to 42 heading into the final match of the day.
The last set saw Sainsbury top a strong day when she claimed an 8-1 win but it was all Kalkee who had the corks popped and celebrating its premiership victory.
The day produced some eye-popping tennis as Friberg, Schultz and Sayle won all sets for the day, while Sainsbury and Walter enjoyed a clean sweep of matches for Central Park.
On courts one to three, the A Special premiership went to script as Natimuk completed a dominant season to claim premiership honours over Horsham Lawn Thompson.
The final scoreline of eight sets, 80 games to six sets, 74 games included the last two sets being forfeited by Natimuk after securing the premiership in the 12th rubber of the day.
A big start had Natimuk on the road to victory winning the first three sets, 8-5, 8-2, 8-4 and after six rubbers had built a lead of five sets, 45 games to one set, 22 games.
Horsham Lawn cut the margin when they won the seventh and eighth rubbers 8-3 and 8-4 but Natimuk was quickly back on track when they claimed wins in the ninth and 10th rubbers 8-3 and 8-4.
The wins saw Natimuk lead seven sets, 68 games to three sets, 45 games before rubber-stamping its premiership when Lana Brown and Beth Sudholz claimed an 8-5 win in the 12th rubber to give them their eighth win of the day.
With the premiership in their keeps, the last two sets were not required as Natimuk had the celebrations underway to secure victory.
Like the A Special, the A Grade premiership went to script when minor premiers Haven topped a dominant season to claim premiership honours when they defeated Central Park who contested the grand final from third position.
This contest was the match of the day with the final result not known until late in the day when Haven finally broke the shackles of a determined Central Park outfit.
The final result saw Haven win seven sets, 71 games to five sets, 68 games with the contest unfolding in the final two sets after sets were locked together at five each after 10 rubbers.
An opening 8-4 win to Haven was quickly matched by Central Park who claimed the next two sets to lead 20 games to 16 before Haven hit back to take the lead by one game after four rubbers, 24-23.
The next block of four rubbers were split two each as Central Park took the lead again with an 8-2 win in the fifth rubber before Haven claimed an 8-5 victory to level sets.
Central Park took back the lead with an 8-4 win in the seventh rubber which gave them a four sets to three lead, 44 games to 38.
The eighth rubber of the match proved pivotal when Haven’s Lia Landrigan and Breanne Mills won a tense tie-breaker which levelled sets at four each and five games separating the teams in the Parkers favour.
Central Park again took the lead on sets when Shaun Alexander and Roger Kotz won a decisive 8-1 match as Haven produced its second pivotal match of the day when Bob McQueen and Bailey Loft won another tense tie breaker to level sets at five each.
Central Park led by 11 games with two sets to play and went in search for its sixth win and a possible unassailable lead but it was Haven who maintained its presence when Sarah Hateley and Landrigan dominated the 11th rubber to claim an 8-1 win and close the margin to four games with one set to play.
And again, it was Haven who made the most of their chances when Rachel Hateley and Mills dominated the final set to claim another 8-1 win to close out a thrilling day on the court.
On courts four to six, the B Special premiership was dominated by St Michaels who stormed to victory and topped a big finish to the season.
Despite finishing two games behind minor premier Central Park at the end of the home and away season, St Michaels dominated the grand final with a big start to the day.
Five of the first six sets went the way of the Saints who celebrated an eight sets, 77 games to four sets, 60 games victory.
St Michaels put the first two sets in their sky rocket with 8-2 and 8-4 wins before Central Park hit back with an 8-0 win in the third rubber.
But the Saints responded with fury winning the next two sets 8-0 and 8-1 before Rebecca Pohlner and Becky Schmidt claimed a tense tie breaker to make it five of the first six.
Central Park then put themselves right back in the contest when they claimed the next three sets, winning 8-1 and 8-5 and also claimed a tense tie breaker when Rebecca Clough and Fiona Jones prevailed to give their team their fourth rubber of the day.
After nine rubbers, St Michaels led five sets, 53 games to four sets, 46 games and it was game on for the remaining three rubbers.
And it was St Michaels that took their chances winning the next two sets 8-2 and 8-6 to rubber stamp its victory before icing the contest with another tight 8-6 win to Schmidt and Zeena Kelm.