Matt Spooner had a comfortable win at number one for Carterton. PHOTO/FILE
TENNIS
CHRIS COGDALE
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Carterton are the Shirley Corlett Trophy champions.
The Matt Spooner and Andi Steinemann team ended Martinborough One’s unbeaten run in the Regional One Interclub pre-Christmas championship with victory in the super tiebreaker in the doubles.
Spooner was too classy for Chris Wilkie in the clash of the number ones, cruising to a 6-2, 6-2 victory.
Marco de Groot evened the scores for Martinborough with a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 defeat of Steinemann.
That meant the championship would be decided in the doubles.
Steve Chapman joined Wilkie in the Martinborough pairing, a combination that had been successful throughout the season, including a straight sets’ victory over Carterton three weeks ago.
Spooner and Steinemann drew first blood, taking the first set 6-3. Wilkie and Chapman bounced back to take the second set by the same score.
Spooner and Steinemann took an early advantage winning crucial points against serve in the super tiebreaker and never let up, sealing the victory 10-5.
Carterton’s win in the Shirley Corlett Trophy was their first since the format was changed to the two singles and one doubles’ format in 2017.
In the playoff for third and fourth, Gladstone made a clean sweep of Opaki.
Lochie McNab defeated Chris Davidson in three sets, and 14-year-old William Day was too good for Brett Dymond in two sets.
McNab and Day then beat Jon McNab and Duncan Oakley in the doubles in straight sets.
The women’s final between Opaki and St Matthew’s Gold will be played tomorrow night.
SCORES
Shirley Corlett Trophy Final
Carterton 2 Martinborough One 1: Matt Spooner beat Chris Wilkie 6-2, 6-2; Andi Steinemann lost to Marco de Groot 3-6, 5-7; Spooner and Steinemann beat Wilkie and Steve Chapman 6-3, 3-6, 10-5.
Third–Fourth Playoff
Gladstone 3 Opaki 0: Lochie McNab beat Chris Davidson 2-6, 6-3, 10-6; William Day beat Brett Dymond 6-2, 6-0; McNab and Day beat Jon McNab and Duncan Oakley 7-6, 6-4
