The Mount Gambier and District Tennis Association season reaches a thrilling climax this weekend when the grand finals are served up at Olympic Park.
It will be a significant occasion after last season’s finale was wiped out due to COVID-19 and some intriguing battles are in store.
The last remaining Division 1 sides have already gone head-to-head four times this season, with Glencoe holding a 3-1 advantage over Centrals/Uniting.
The most recent match hosted by Glencoe appears to be the best indicator of how close this one will be, with Glencoe taking the win by a solitary game.
Both teams will line up similar to that encounter and the result could sway either way.
While the team lists are still quite young, there is plenty of finals experience out on the court and the one who handles the warm conditions and pressure the best will come out on top.
The Division 2 grand final between Glencoe Gold and West Gambier Red will be like no other, with the teams not coming face to face this season.
The only time they were scheduled to play was back in round 8, when sporting associations had to cancel due to COVID restrictions.
Both teams were right in the mix last season too and were due to line up against each other in a semi-final which was also cancelled due to COVID.
It is difficult to tell who should go in as favourite.
Glencoe’s form has been slightly better, going undefeated throughout the season, with West Gambier Red only dropping one match against Glencoe Maroon.
In their only match up of the season just six weeks ago, Mount Gambier took the points over Division 3 grand final opponent Glencoe/Centrals eight sets to four.
Mount Gambier has been quite dominant, remaining on top of the table for much of the season.
The combined Glencoe/Centrals side will need to find some serious form to topple Mount Gambier, but tricky conditions could cause a big upset.
In the ladies doubles, Uniting Church hold a psychological advantage over Reidy Royal by taking all three encounters.
But two of the results saw the teams separated only by a couple of games.
Uniting will definitely go in favourites for this one, however one of the best performers for the season Rosie Collins (Reidy Royal) may just steal the premiership from them at the last hurdle.
In another strange anomaly, the mixed doubles finalists Glencoe and Mount Gambier Blue have not played each other this season either.
Both teams hold the same record across the season, with only one point separating them on the ladder, so it would not come as a surprise if this one was a draw, but the prediction is Mount Gambier Blue will just come out on top.
