Canberra Velocity made an impressive start to its first home tie of the Asia-Pacific Tennis League, not dropping a match against National Academy NSW AUStars.
More than 200 people watched Canberra’s best junior talent take on the young NSW line-up at the National Sports Club at Lyneham on Saturday.
The men’s team put its first round defeat on Tuesday night behind it in convincing fashion.
In a battle of the baseliners, AIS scholarship holder Alex Bolt saved three set points in the second set before defeating Jordan Thompson, the world junior No.25, 4-3 (5-2) 4-3 (5-4), while rising Canberra star Nick Kygrios beat Nick Horton 4-2, 4-2.
Local junior Andrew Zedde dropped only two games against Max Purcell, winning 4-0, 4-2, while James
Frawley accounted for Alex Deminaur 4-2, 4-3 (5-2).
In the doubles, Bolt/ Kygrios defeated Thompson/Horton 4-3 (5-4), 4-2, and Zedde/Frawley beat
Purcell/ Deminaur 4-0, 4-1.
Player/manager Todd Larkham said he was impressed at how well his team rebounded after Tuesday’s
loss.
“The match could have been much closer but we won the important points today,” Larkham said. “It was a particularly good effort from Alex Bolt, he saved a couple of set points in the second set.”
He also praised the 200-strong crowd for lending their support.
“It was a great turn-out today, and we’re hoping that the tennis community will get behind our team again tomorrow when the matches are expected to be much closer.”
Canberra Velocity’s women’s team remain undefeated in the competition, dropping only one set.
Velocity’s No.1 Alison Bai struggled early against Pamela Boyanov, but prevailed 2-4, 4-2, 4-0, while Ashley Keir defeated Maddie Antoun 4-2, 4-3 (5-0).
NSW-based baseliner Tyra Calderwood didn’t drop a game against Seone Mendez, while Nicole Hoynaski dominated Monique Belovukovic, 4-0, 4-1.
In the doubles, Bai/Calderwood easily defeated Boyanov/Mendez 4-0, 4-0, and Keir/Hoynaski beat Antoun/Belovukovic
4-2, 4-0.
Team manager Annabel Parolo said her team performed better today having adjusted to the abbreviated format (best of three sets,
first to four games).
“It was a much better performance today. I’m very happy with how the girls played, they were much more relaxed and played well.”
In the second match of the home double-header, Velocity meets the Hunter Raworth Tigers (men) and NSTA Avengers (women) at Lyneham on Sunday, from 2pm.
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