Canberra Velocity women’s team today cemented its place in the final of the Asia-Pacific Tennis League’s NSW/ACT conference with a victory over NSTA Avengers.
The women, led by local Alison Bai, remain undefeated in the round robin format and will playoff in the NSW/ACT conference final at Sydney Olympic Park on November 27.
Women’s manager Annabel Parolo said it has been a dream start to the competition, with the team dropping only two matches in the round-robin competition.
“It’s a great result for us,” Parolo said. “The girls have played well throughout the competition. However, we can’t get too far ahead of ourselves as we still have one match to go before the final.”
Ranked 869 in the world, Bai, 22, dropped just two games against NSTA Avengers Deean Mladin at the National Sports Club at Lyneham today, while Nicole Hoynaski and Tyra Calderwood were also untroubled.
Ashley Keir was trailing 4-3, 1-0 when she injured her shoulder, and was replaced by Canberra’s Tarlina Tipungwuti, with the Velocity duo losing 4-3, 4-2.
In the doubles, Hoynaski and Imogen Clews easily accounted for Mladin and Bree Calderwood 4-1, 4-2 while Bai/Tyra Calderwood lost 4-1, 1-4 (10-7) against Melissa Anderson/ Lucy Gonzalez.
The Velocity men’s team has kept its chances of making the final alive with a 5-1 victory over Hunter Raworth Tigers.
Alex Bolt used his forehand effectively to keep his slate clean this weekend with a 4-2, 4-0 victory over Miladin Tepcic, and Watson teenager Nick Kyrgios beat Luke Rankovich 4-2, 4-3 (5-1). James Frawley struggled early but eventually beat Blake Smith 4-3 (5-3), 4-0, while Blake Mott lost to the experienced Cameron Smith 4-2, 2-4, 4-3 (5-3).
Todd and Jake Eames prevailed over the Smith brothers 4-3 (5-2), 1-4 (10-7) in a thrilling doubles match, while Kyrgios/Bolt beat Rankovich/Tibuet Huens 4-0, 4-2.
Larkham said he was happy to get away with the win today and was looking forward to Thursday’s night final round decider against the Asia Pacific Tennis Institute.
“It will be a tough match, and we will have to play our best to win but we have a lot of confidence from the wins this weekend,” Larkham said.
The women will meet the highly fancied Canterbury Bankstown Wizards on Thursday night.
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