This weekend, Goulburn Murray Lawn Tennis Association and Shepparton and District Tennis Association competitors will blow the cobwebs out of the racquet for the commencement of the 2025-26 season, the promise of a fresh start set to inspire some dynamic on-court action.
Leading away in the GMLTA, the top division will have new faces among its ranks, with the Tatura Grasscourt Snippers the new kids on the GM1 block.
They join Shepparton Average Joes, Shepparton The Valley, and the Velvet Tigers in the chase to quell four-time champion incumbents Numurkah Warriors, who are coming in as the hunted as they chase a fifth consecutive pennant.
A seven-game win over the Average Joes in last edition’s grand final handed the Warriors a fourth straight title in what’s become a GMLTA dynasty, which begs the question - who can bring them down?
The first chance will go to The Valley, who face the Warriors at Numurkah in round one, while the Tigers host newcomers Tatura in Nathalia.
The Average Joes will have a first-round bye.
From a competition perspective, the GMLTA’s Gather Round will take place in round three, with all grades converging on five venues throughout the region.
A potential interleague clash is also on the cards, with the GMLTA set to battle Albury and Bendigo associations.
Throughout the grades, the competition continues to grow, with GM2 swelling from 10 teams to 11, GM2 Open from six to seven, and GM3 from 11 to 14, with the reintroduction of Yarrawonga one of the key ins.
Meanwhile, the Shepparton and District Tennis Association is set for a shake-up this season.
The SDTA is shaking things up with a move to Friday evening matches, kicking off at 6.30pm, offering a perfect start to the weekend for tennis enthusiasts.
The five-team competition of Shepparton North, McEwen Reserve, Lemnos, Murchison, and McEwen Reserve take flight for the first time in the Division 1 season on Friday.
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