The Benalla Women’s Singles Tennis Championships have progressed to the knockout semi-finals stage.
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The final round-robin matches were completed over the weekend.
The pressure now ramps up for the final four surviving women with all matches being do-or-die ties.
Two women remain undefeated throughout the round robin-pool matches.
Ultra-experienced powerhouse Kate Campbell had to forfeit several matches for personal reasons, but remains unbeaten.
At the other end of the experience scale, young talent Meg Cooke has improved rapidly and consistently, taking out every opponent she has met thus far without dropping a set.
Cooke and Campbell should now progress to opposite semi-finals, depending on if Campbell can continue for the rest of the championship.
If Campbell is unable to continue, the fifth place qualifier, Italian player Giulia Franceschi, will jump into a knockout semi-final.
Franceschi could push Cooke. She is improving rapidly, having only picked up a tennis racquet for the first time just 16 months ago, after relocating to Benalla from working with Australian Sled Dog Tours at Mount Buller.
The international theme continues into the semis. Benalla-based American Mary Thornton has secured a semi-final spot.
The final semi-final spot went to Benalla stalwart Prue Calvert.
Calvert is the only left-hander in the tournament and on her day could trouble any opponent.
“It has been great to see the women wanting to compete at the highest local level in best of three-set championships matches,” tournament organiser Michael Levy said.
“Benalla Gardens Tennis Club has been rapt to introduce a new annual singles tournament for the local women which will become the one they all want to win.
“The matches have been really enjoyable to watch and we have been blessed with perfect north-east Victorian weather for the entire five-week event.”
The women’s semi-finals will be held on the hard court’s at the Benalla Gardens Tennis Club on Lake Benalla this Sunday.
Semi-final one will be held at 1pm with semi-final two to be played straight afterwards on court 1.
While the women’s 2024 championship draws to the knock-out vase, the Men’s Open Championship and the Under-19 Open Championship have just begun.
The tennis action will continue and intensify throughout May. The first round of the under-19s open event saw talented Benalla youngsters Patrick Neilson and Joe Boyd go head to head.
Despite being good friends, Neilson and Boyd gave no favour. A really high quality match was fought out on Sunday morning in front of a small crowd.
The match entertained the on-lookers, with long rallies and only a few points here and there separating the pair in the end.
Neilson prevailed, playing a brilliant match against the talented and harder hitting Boyd 6-2, 6-4.
“I am starting to get seriously excited at seeing the standard and spirit that this under-19s match was played,” Levy said.
“Joe Boyd brought out the best in Patrick. Patrick had to, and did, play his best. Neilson is calm and super talented. He has his own technique and combines it with great hand-eye co-ordination.”
Levy said he believes Boyd is going to be a great player as he matures.
“He is on a fast rise with rapid improvement,” Levy said.
“There is only three entered in the under-19s event. But with the other entrant, female talent Meg Cooke in great form, any of them on their day can win it.”
Cooke, Neilson and Boyd will each play each other in the pool rounds.
Only two will progress from the best of three-set round-robin section, straight in to a final for the 2024 under-19 title.
In the only men’s open match pool match held over the weekend, ex-Australian over 55s representative, and now Devenish and Benalla local, Ron Evans took on local talented veteran Greg Murphy.
Murphy, a local squash champion, showed great fight and brilliant hand-eye coordination throughout the match but Evans’s pure tennis smarts and skill proved to good on the day.
All events will continue to heat up in the coming weeks. Men’s open pool matches, under-19s and the knock-out of the women’s will be all be held in the coming Saturdays or Sundays.
Anyone wanting match information or times can contact Gardens Tennis president Michael Levy on 0433 520 809.
At this stage the Women’s 2024 Singles Final is scheduled for May 19 at 1pm at the Gardens tennis courts.
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