It is crunch time in the 2021/22 Mount Gambier and District Tennis Association with the trophies to be decided at Olympic Park this Saturday.
Friends will become foes as the Limestone Coast’s top teams face off for the ultimate glory at the epicenter of Mount Gambier tennis.
All eyes will be on courts 1 and 3 where the score between the top Division 1 sides Centrals/Uniting and Reidy Park will finally be settled.
The pair have been head and shoulders above the rest in the top grade and were destined to play the decider.
Centrals/Uniting come into the contest as the favourite after enjoying a free ticket to ride by taking out the minor premiership.
The team led by Mark Heemskerk has won more sets and games than any other.
Many of these victories are down to Andrew van den Hurk, who can count the amount of sets he has lost in the five years on one hand.
Throw in the likes of Ashlea Dunn, Nick Thomas and doubles dominator Dane Heemskerk and the foundations of a formidable line up are there.
The team has given itself the perfect platform to go back-to-back in dramatic style, but one factor is counting against the favourites.
Centrals/Uniting has not stepped on court since the end of the minor-round season 22 days ago.
Although class is permanent, a lack of match practice could come back to haunt the minor premier and Reidy Park will look to capitalise.
Zayne Young’s team will aim to be at top intensity from the opening serve and gain some critical sets before their opponents get their eyes in.
Young is leading a young and bullish outfit hoping to take the final step of a remarkable rise.
Reidy Park has gone on a long and winding road since the end of last summer having jumped from the bottom of the ladder to a grand slam.
Last week’s semi-final win over West Gambier was the confirmation of the team’s promise and the squad could be a deadly proposition with the pressure off in the big game.
Young has been the centrepoint of the stunning accent and nothing would mean more to him than to lift the trophy after storming from last to first.
In head to head games with Centrals/Uniting, Reidy Park also holds the bragging rights with three wins from five battles, including the latest by six sets.
The likes of Young, Cade Kelly, Joel Childs, Bailey Young, Jayme Young and Sharon Edwards dominated the singles battles in the round 15 battle which is where the 2021/22 premiership could be decided.
With Centrals/Uniting boasting the experience and knowledge of previous finals and premierships coming up against the brashness of Reidy Park which has form and momentum on its side, a stunning decider is on the cards.
One team has been in a league of its own in a tight Division 2 season and it has the chance to complete the dream summer.
West Gambier Red has not put a foot wrong all season and is at short odds to finish the job in style this weekend.
Led by the likes of Henry Haywood, Shaunn Robinson, Dale Domleo, Steph Ward and Bryan Haywood the team has been untouchable being the only ones to win 100-plus sets.
But their opponents Mount Schank is on track for a fairytale finish.
After rising from seventh last year to a finals berth, Mount Schank continued to stun the tennis world by knocking over the fancied Glencoe in last week’s semi-final.
Brendan McInnes, Oscar Geddes and Alex Laube were the biggest influencers behind the win and they will be determined to spring one more surprise.
Having dominated all season, including winning the previous one-on-one battle West Gambier Red should be a cut above, but Mount Schank has developed a habit of delivering with the pressure on.
Two sides have traded blow after blow for supremacy in Division 3 and the fight will finally be settled this weekend.
Mil Lel and the Suttontown Tigers finished the minor-round season with inseparable win-loss records of 13 triumphs from 15 games.
But Mil Lel was awarded with the minor premiership after winning four more sets over the course of the season and the team is keen to keep up its pedigree.
Despite not being awarded the top spot, the Tigers carry the bragging rights into the big battle after winning the most recent head-to-head clash 8-4 just three weeks ago.
Brody Sharam, Kobe Cole, Tom Inglis and Lizzie Doyle went on a run of four straight wins which setup the success.
But the likes of Bronwyn McKinnon, Jorja Douglas and Karen Douglas will do everything to stop them.
