27 March 2014 | Tennis Victoria

Under threatening stormy clouds the Tennis Victoria Premier League (TVPL) semifinal action heated up last night as teams looked to book their shot int he final and a chance to win the $4000 winning prize money cheque.

In the women’s competition the undefeated MCC TC faced off against last year’s champions Delahey Recreation in an intriguing battle. MCC began the match as the favourites, and were able to overpower the Delahey team early winning both of the opening 2 doubles rubbers, with Zoe Hives and Jaimee Fourlis coming from a set down versus the Rajicic sisters Viktorija and Monika in a match winning doubles rubber. Despite Viktorija Rajicic showing a return to form defeating Zoe Hives, the MCC team showed its great depth with singles victories to Jaimee Fourlis and Sevvy Gallios to clinch a match winning result and their birth in the final.

Kooyong Lawn TC women’s team and last year’s TVPL runners up came into the semifinal with a late surge of form after a very slow start to the season, while their opponents Grace Park TC were missing key number 1 Alison Bai with injury. In an intriguing match after the doubles rubbers the match was tied at 1 rubber all. However Kooyong Lawn like MCC once again highlighted their depth of class with Molly Polak scoring a convincing win over Dani McIntyre and teen sensation Destanee Aiava extremely impressive in disposing off the highly talented Nives Baric, to give Kooyong Lawn their shot at redemption in the Final.

Throughout the men’s competition the star studded Grace Park Lawn team have simply overpowered the competition, and this was no different in their semifinal battle versus Dingley TC. Despite the heroics of Dingley’s Daniel Wendler and Matt Carroll in winning the first doubles rubbers in a faultless display, the Grace Park team turned up a gear in their singles rubbers with Dane Propoggia and Jarryd Maher easily disposing off their opponents to book their team a spot in the Final and will go into the match as hot favorites.

The Waverley Tennis team entered the semi-finals looking to take the next step with a final birth after numerous semifinals appearances recently. Last year’s TVPL Champions Kooyong Lawn TC however had other plans and boosted by the return of Daniel Byrnes and Andrew Coehlo were able to stop Waverley Tennis big guns Aaron Leeder-Chard and Daniel Ferretti in the singles rubbers after also winning both doubles rubbers, to book their Final position and shot at defending their 2013 TVPL title.

After a brilliant 3 weeks of competition, the TVPL competition juggernaut will rest for a couple of weeks to avoid clashes with the Men’s and Women’s ITF Pro Tour events at Melbourne Park and Glen Iris Valley Recreation Club. The TVPL Final will take place on Sunday 13 April at 1:00pm at the Glen Iris Valley Rec TC where in the women’s the MCC TC rated 4th in pre season rankings will face Kooyong Lawn TC rated 1st in pre season rankings. The men’s final will feature Grace Park TC rated 2nd in pre season ratings versus Kooyong Lawn TC rated 1st in pre season ratings.

Glen Iris Valley Recreation Club
260-270 High Street Road, Mount Waverley

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