Steve Chapman. PHOTO/FILE
TENNIS
JAKE BELESKI
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Martinborough maintained their lead at the top of the Shirley Corlett Trophy regional one tennis standings with a dominant win over Greytown on Saturday at Gladstone.
Chris Wilkie and Steve Chapman were the Martinborough representatives, and it was Wilkie who played first against Greytown’s Henry Isaacs.
Wilkie comfortably took the first set 6-2, and the second set was even more dominant as he cruised to a 6-1 win.
The second singles match followed a similar pattern, with Chapman winning the first set 6-1 over Greytown’s Andrew Clouston, and the second set by the same margin.
Greytown would have been hoping to salvage a point from the match-up by winning the doubles clash, but it was not to be as the Martinborough pair swept to a 6-2 6-1 win.
Saturday’s other match had Gladstone and Opaki meet in a battle to decide who would finish the round in second spot on the points table.
Both teams had been tied on 11 points before Saturday, placing extra importance on the outcome of their match.
Both singles matches were tight encounters, with Gladstone’s Lochie McNab taking on Chris Davidson of Opaki in the opening match.
McNab took control of the match after claiming the first set 6-4, but Davidson bounced back to win the second set 7-5.
The third and deciding set was as one-sided as they come, with McNab eventually winning 6-0 to win the match.
That meant Opaki would need to win the second singles match to give themselves a chance of winning, and that responsibility fell on the shoulders of Brett Dymond, as he took on Gladstone’s Kelby Courtney.
Dymond showed plenty of determination and fight to win the match 3-6 6-3 6-3, leaving both teams heading into the doubles match with everything to play for.
Gladstone showed their class when it mattered most in the doubles match, with McNab and Courtney winning 6-3 6-2.
The results mean that Martinborough are now out in front on the points table with 16 points after six rounds, followed by Gladstone [14], Opaki [12], Greytown [6] and Carterton [0].
Round seven will be hosted at Martinborough this weekend, with the home team taking on Opaki, and Carterton playing Greytown. Gladstone have the bye.
