In a remarkable turn of events, Kyvalley Black pulled off a one-game victory in its second straight Kyabram District Tennis Association match to defeat Undera in the semi-finals.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Two weeks ago, in the last round of the regular season, Kyvalley Black defeated clubmates Red by a game and repeated the feat at the weekend, splitting the sets with Undera but winning on games 5-58 to 5-57.
Undera won two of the three ladies’ doubles sets, with Kyvalley Black doing the reverse in the mixed doubles.
Ryan Cooper and Jared Mioni again won the two singles rubbers for Black, by dominant scores of 6-3 and 6-2, while Undera swept the men’s doubles, winning both sets 8-4.
In the end, the match was decided by the margin of victory in sets, with a win of 8-2 in the ladies’ doubles and Cooper and Fiona Owen’s 8-3 win in the mixed doubles proving crucial.
In the other semi-final, Kyvalley Red confirmed the decider will be played between clubmates by cruising to victory against Girgarre.
Red went into the clash as a heavy favourite having finished top in the regular season, and only dropped one set on the way to a 9-75 to 1-24 victory.
The win was led by dominant performances in the men’s singles and doubles, as Kyvalley did not drop a game across the four sets, winning both singles rubbers 6-0 and both doubles rubbers 8-0.
Red also swept the mixed doubles rubbers, with an 8-0 win by Jack Forde and Melissa Williams a standout, as Girgarre offered much more resistance in the other two sets.
Girgarre had one set to celebrate with a win in the ladies’ doubles, as the pairing of Fiona Smith and Adele Seabrook triumphed in their game 8-7.
But that was only consolation, as Kyvalley Red progressed to book a meeting with clubmates Black in the grand final, the two sides renewing acquaintances this weekend, less than a month on from their tightly contested round 14 encounter.
The KDTA decider will take place this Saturday, March 21, beginning at 1pm at Kyvalley Tennis Club.
Juniors
In the section two semi-finals, it was deja vu from the seniors as Kyvalley Red comfortably brushed aside Girgarre 8-48 to 0-9.
Red were particularly dominant in the singles rubbers, with Tilly Forde, Paige Berner, Byron Chapman and Zanna Chapman winning their sets 6-2, 6-0, 6-0 and 6-0, respectively.
KLTC stopped Kyvalley White from setting up another all-Kyvalley grand final by cruising to an 8-48 to 0-20 victory in the other semi-final.
Max Hausler stood out for KLTC, winning his singles rubber 6-1 and teaming up with Chloe Berner to devastating effect in a 6-0 doubles win.
In the section three semi-finals, KLTC Black and Kyvalley played out a thriller as Black progressed to the decider with a 3-20 to 2-18 victory.
Waiting for them in the grand final will be Kyvalley/KLTC, which defeated KLTC Blue 4-27 to 1-21.
The junior grand finals will act as a curtain raiser to the seniors, also being held at Kyvalley Tennis Club and beginning at 9am.
Results
Juniors - Semi-finals
Section 2
Kyvalley Red (8-48) d Girgarre (0-9) – T. Forde/P. Berner d J. Pratt/R. Gebbie (6-3); B. Chapman/Z. Chapman d C. Gebbie/L. Saunders (6-2); T. Forde d J. Pratt (6-2); P. Berner d R. Gebbie (6-0); B. Chapman d C. Gebbie (6-0); Z. Chapman d L. Saunders (6-0); T. Forde/B. Chapman d J. Pratt/C. Gebbie (6-1); P. Berner/Z. Chapman d R. Gebbie/L. Saunders (6-1).
KLTC (8-48) d Kyvalley White (0-20) – M. Hausler/C. Berner d A. King/Z. Wakenshaw (6-0); M. Donaldson/A. Buntine d C. Greenshields/ X. Graetz (6-4); M. Hausler d A. King (6-1); C. Berner d Z. Wakenshaw (6-4); M. Donaldson d C. Greenshields (6-3); A. Buntine d X. Graetz (6-2); M. Hausler/M. Donaldson d A. King/C. Greenshields (6-3); C. Berner/A. Buntine d Z. Wakenshaw/X. Graetz (6-3).
Section 3
KLTC Black (3-20) d Kyvalley (2-18) – R. Simpson/T. Moss d H. Fitzgerald/J. Sweeney (6-3); A. Halstead/L. Young d M. Forde/R. Morris (6-1); R. Simpson d H. Fitzgerald (6-2); A. Halstead lt M. Forde (1-6); T. Moss/E. Berner lt J. Sweeney/R. Morris (1-6).
Kyvalley/KLTC (4-27) d KLTC Blue (1-21) – O. Halstead/E. Alamaris d J. Hausler/J. Alley (6-4); A. Morris/E. Morris d N. Thomson/A. Guerra (6-2); O. Halstead d J. Hausler (6-5); A. Morris d N. Thomson (6-4); E. Alamaris/E. Morris lt J. Alley/A. Guerra (3-6).
Seniors - Semi-finals
Kyvalley Red (9-75) d Girgarre (1-24) – Men: E. Forde/B. Chapman d E. Seabrook/W. Seabrook (8-0); J. Forde d C. Kelly (6-0); E. Forde d E. Seabrook (6-0); J. Forde/B. Chapman d C. Kelly/W. Seabrook (8-0). Ladies: M. Williams/C. Berner d B. Seabrook/F. Smith (8-6); M. Williams/P. Berner d B. Seabrook/R. Owen-Horn (8-2); T. Forde/P. Berner lt F. Smith/A. Seabrook (7-8). Mixed: J. Forde/M. Williams d C. Kelly/B. Seabrook (8-0); E. Forde/T. Forde d E. Seabrook/F. Smith (8-3); B. Chapman/P. Berner d W. Seabrook/R, Owen-Horn (8-5).
Kyvalley Black (5-58) d Undera (5-57) – Men: J. Mioni/B. Scott lt J. Cocca/R. Slee (4-8); R. Cooper d D. Phillips (6-2); J. Mioni d J. Cocca (6-3); R. Cooper/B. Scott lt D. Phillips/R. Slee (4-8). Ladies: Z. Wakenshaw/R. Gell lt A. Slee/JP. Slee (6-8); Z. Wakenshaw/F. Owen d A. Slee/V. Pell (8-2); R. Fleming/F. Owen lt JP. Slee/V. Pell (6-8). Mixed: R. Cooper/F. Owen d D. Phillips/A. Slee (8-3); J. Mioni/R. Gell d J. Cocca/JP. Slee (8-7); B. Scott/Z. Wakenshaw lt R. Slee/V. Pell (2-8).