Flames and Knights progress in Asia-Pacific Tennis League
Two South Australian teams have qualified for semifinals
Adelaide SA, Australia, 2 December 2015 | Tennis SA
The NETA Knights have finished on top of Pool B in the Asia-Pacific Tennis League Southern Conference.
Round-robin stages were played over the past two weekends in South Australia and Western Australia.
The Knights went through the pool stage undefeated, with Brad Mousley and Darren Polkinghorne undefeated at number one and two singles so far.
They now meet Victorian club team the Royal South Yarra’s in the semifinals played at Royal Park Tennis Club, Melbourne on Friday night.
The Knights will need to be at their best when they face the South Yarra’s who have top 200 player Luke Saville playing at number one. If NETA can snatch two of the singles matches they will be well placed as their doubles combinations have been a strength so far with Damian Farinola, Sam Longhurst and Josh Crowe combining well with Mousley and Polkinghorne to make up a number of lethal combinations.
In the other men’s semifinal, Pool B runner-up Western Wildlings take on Pool A’s top placed team Kooyong Classics. The Classics will be a tough test for the Wildlings who need to get past New Zealand Davis Cup player Rubin Statham to have a chance of causing an upset.
In the ladies competition, Prospect Flames finished in second spot in Pool B and progress to take on the Royal South Yarra’s ladies on Friday night.
Prospect number one Jennifer Elie has been the recruit of the ATL and will need to be at her best to overcome South Yarra’s top 40 player Daria Gavrilova. Prospect will also need their impressive brigade of youngsters to continue to stand up if they’re any chance of continuing their giant-killing run in the ATL this year.
Top-placed Pool B team Western Wildlings, led by top player Jessica Moore, take on the MCC Stars, who are headlined by impressive combination Asia Muhammad and Zoe Hives.
The winner of the semifinals meet in the ATL South Conference Final to be played at Melbourne Park on Sunday 6 December, with the losers playing for third place.
South Australia’s three other teams, The Drive men, Dover Square men and Kensington Wildcats ladies finished outside the top two in the pool stage and have now finished their campaigns.