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8 January 2017 | Tennis Victoria

The Goulburn Region have won the 61st Tennis Victoria Inter-Regional Country Championships, breaking a 56 year drought in the event.

The last time the Country Region won the event was in 1960.

Hosted by the Swan Hill Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club from January 6-8, the Goulburn Region finished on top of the table with 269 points, 18 points ahead of Loddon Campaspe (251). View the photo album.

The Region had 36 participants and ended Barwon’s eight year winning streak.

“We’ve been runners up six years in a row, every time to Barwon, and every year we come back and say we’ll try and we’ll try a bit harder,” said Goulburn’s player representative David Starling.

“The last few years it’s been Heather really driving it, and without a shadow of a doubt everyone here is playing for Heather as well as ourselves, and we’re just so wrapped to be able to do it for her and get that win,” said Starling of team manager Heather Lees from Shepparton.

Central Highlands (92) was awarded the Cooke Shield for the most improved region.

In the Men’s Open Singles final, defending champion Geelong’s Matthew Hicks (Barwon) was too strong for Warrnambool’s Matthew Moloney (South West) 6-4 6-2.

“Matt and I are really close mates so we were never going to have any issues out on the court. Once you step out onto the court it gets very competitive but playing a close mate it’s always enjoyable and it’s nice to get a win,” said Hicks.

Having played in 16 editions of the tournament, the 2017 singles title is Hicks’ fourth in a row and fifth in total since 2008.

“I’m very pleased with the result, it’s a great individual honour but you thrive in a team atmosphere and being a lot older these days and being a full time tennis coach, it’s good to set an example in front of the younger ones and in front of the coaching pupils, which gives me a lot more satisfaction,” he said.

Also defending her title was Bendigo’s Eliza Long (Loddon Campaspe) who was too good on the day for Hope Curtis-McDonald (Goulburn) 6-4 6-2 in the Women’s Open Singles final.

“Obviously it’s quite a nice title to have, it sounds pretty good. The first set was quite close, I had one lucky break at the end and I managed to get it to 5-4 otherwise it could have been a different story. In the second set I managed to find a bit more rhythm and confidence stepping forward on my shots,” said Long.

Long then backed up her singles victory to take home the Women’s Open Doubles title alongside Danielle Bowles, adding to her 2016 Victorian Grasscourt and Hardcourt Doubles titles. The duo were pushed to three sets by Barwon pair Nicole Mullen and Olivia Ryan , 6-2 2-6 10-7.

Adding to Goulburn’s history making day was Jarrod Bingham and Nicholas Gattuso’s victory in the Men’s Open Doubles over Hicks and Flynn Marshall (Barwon) 6-3 6-3.

In the Open Mixed Doubles, East Gippsland’s Aidan Fitzgerald and Sophie Vickers defeated Goulburn’s Nicholas Gattuso and Hope Curtis-Mcdonald 6-1 7-6(5).

The 2018 Inter-Regional Country Championships will be held at the Wodonga Tennis Club from 5-7 January.

2017 Inter-Regional Country Championships Region by Region Final Points Standings

Goulburn 269
Loddon Campaspe 251
Barwon 237
Mornington Peninsula 203
Northern Mallee 195
Wimmera 142
East Gippsland 121
South West 96
Central Highlands 92

 

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