Chris Wilkie gave Martinborough One an early lead. PHOTOS/FILE
TENNIS
CHRIS COGDALE
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Masterton and Martinborough One are guaranteed the top two seedings for the semifinals of the regional one pre-Christmas interclub competition, but both were made to work hard for their victories on Saturday.
All three ties in the penultimate round of the Shirley Corlett Trophy were played on the lush grass courts at Martinborough and were decided in the doubles.
Masterton were always going to face a tough challenge against Gladstone, with the return of Lochie McNab to fill the number one spot, with the talented teenager William Day dropping to number two.
Boon Huxtable won the battle at the top of the order in two sets, 6-4 6-1 to maintain his perfect record at number one. But Day claimed the second singles over Chad Parson in three sets, 3-6 6-4 6-2.
That sent the fixture to the decisive doubles, with Huxtable and Rhys Hooper prevailing 7-5 7-5 in two tight sets.
Chris Wilkie gave Martinborough One an early lead over Opaki with a 6-1 6-4 defeat of Duncan Oakly in the battle of the number ones. Chris Davidson evened the tie with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Steve Chapman at number two.
That left it to Marco de Groot and Chapman in the doubles, and they made no race of it cruising to a 6-3 6-0 win.
The third fixture between Kuranui College and Martinborough Two was also decided in the doubles.
Josh Hutchings defeated Jaimie McMaster 6-2 6-4 to give Kuranui the early advantage, before Martinborough’s Ed Wilkie equalised with a hard-fought 6-7 7-5 6-4 win over Henry Isaacs.
Mike Jones and Matt Nicholson took the first set in the doubles 6-1, but Isaacs and Hutchings fought back and won a tough second set 7-5 before running away with the third set 6-1.
The win keeps Kuranui chances of making the semifinals alive, with two catch up fixtures to be played.
STANDINGS
Men: Masterton 14 points; Martinborough One 12; Opaki, Martinborough Two 4; Kuranui, Gladstone 3.
Women: Martinborough 12 points; St Matthew’s 7; Wairarapa College 5; Opaki 4.
