State Grade Grand Final Results
3 September 2024 | Tennis Victoria
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The 2024 Tennis Victoria Pennant State Grade season came to a thrilling conclusion on Saturday 31 August.
A bumper crowd gathered at the Royal South Yarra Lawn Tennis Club for an exciting day of State Grade tennis. As well as those who braved the weather on site, there were many more tuning in online to watch the Grand Final live via My Sports Live.
In a nail-biting finish at the Women’s finals, the match intensity remained high until the very last singles. After the first doubles, the score was tied at one rubber apiece. The tension carried through the next two singles, leaving the final two singles matches to determine the outcome. Kooyong Lawn’s women ultimately clinched the title with a win to Kooyong Lawn’s Koharu Nishikawa to give the Club a 3-8-64 victory over MCC Glen Iris Valley, who finished with 2-3-43. Reflecting on their performance, Zoe Llewellyn from Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club praised her team for “doing a really good job to get over the line” with the challenging windy conditions.
The Men’s finals proved to be just as electrifying, with every match needed to determine the winner. It was a battle of endurance and skill as the players pushed through all the rubbers. In the end it was Kooyong Lawn who defeated Geelong Lawn 4-5-63 to 1-6-61 with Kooyong Lawn’s Captain David Bidmeade winning his Singles battle over Geelong Lawn’s Taj Cayzer 12-10 in the tiebreaker that led Kooyong Lawn to another thrilling victory. Speaking about the victory, Bidmeade, said he “couldn’t be prouder of the team” and described the win as “an amazing feeling”.
The players faced difficult conditions throughout the day with gusts of wind exceeding 60km/h. The en-tout-cas courts added an extra layer of difficulty as the courts swirled into players’ eyes and faces, making precise shots even more challenging. Despite these trying conditions, Kooyong Lawn emerged victorious, capturing back-to-back titles in the Women’s competition and securing the Men’s championship, giving the club an impressive double victory.
The excitement wasn’t limited to State Grade; the Grade 1 Grand Final teams also put on a spectacular display of tennis. In the Men’s Grade 1 competition, North Ringwood Tennis Club claimed the title 3-1. On the Women’s side, it was an intra-club battle between Kooyong Lawn No.1 and No.2 with the No.1 emerging victorious.
Kooyong Lawn’s outstanding performances in both Men’s and Women’s State Grade Grand finals and the Grade 1 Women’s Final solidified their dominance, showcasing not only skill and tenacity but also the ability to thrive under pressure.
Tennis Victoria CEO Kim Kachel expressed his enthusiasm for the continued success and growth of the competition, stating, “Tennis Victoria Pennant has a rich history, and now in its 141st year it has been fantastic to see the competition continue to grow, especially in State Grade where we had 8 men’s and 8 women’s teams competing”
“Thank you to all the players and clubs who have participated each week and supported this competition, we’ve been so thrilled with your passion for it.”
Results:
State Grade Men – Kooyong Lawn 4-5-63 def. Geelong Lawn 1-6-61
State Grade Women – Kooyong Lawn 3-8-64 def. MCC Glen Iris Valley 2-3-43
Grade 1 Men – North Ringwood 3-7-52 def. Eaglemont 1-1-2
Grade 1 Women – Kooyong Lawn No.1 3-8-66 def. Kooyong Lawn No.2 2-3-46
(Score shown by rubbers, then sets, then games)
That’s a wrap on another successful season of State Grade, we can’t wait to do it all again in 2025!
WATCH THE STATE GRADE SHOW GRAND FINAL EPISODE