Perfect timing on Sunday afternoon delivered the opening ceremony just after the rain shower and saw the first ball hit on dry court. City Beach Tennis Club began the celebrations early in the day with coaching clinics, cardio blasts, interclub social play, bouncy castle and Zumba. The players, ballkids, officials and signage added colour to the row of grass courts below the clubhouse and grassy bank. Music added to the razzmatazz and the smell of a bbq added the final touch for spectators.
After beating the Mad Dogs by a set the week before, the Slammers were favourites and Midland the underdogs. The Slammers chose to play Katy O’Shea in the number one singles against 15 year old rising star Maddy Inglis. The home crowd were thrilled when Katy won the first set 4-0, but Maddy then used her consistent forehand to resist Katy’s power shots and served well to take the next two sets 4-3, 4-3. Anja Dokic became the Slammers’ only singles winner, 4-0, 4-2 over Teiwa Casey. Midland captain Jess Chaine beat Marissa Gianotti 4-3, 4-3 at number 4 and the less fancied Kristy Jones was victorious over Shona Lee 4-2, 4-0.
With three singles in hand, the Mad Dogs had a strong lead. This soon vanished when the Slammers won the opening sets of both the doubles at a cost of only one game, stepping into a winning position. If they could duplicate that they would win the title. Dokic and Lee did their part defeating Chaine and Jones 4-0, 4-1.Then the Inglis/Casey pair dug in to win the second set 4-3, forcing a tie-breaker to decide the rubber and the match. Slammers calculations told them and their supporters that if they won the tie-break they would win on games. O’Shea and Sheed led 4-2 and then 7-5 as they changed ends. At 8 all Inglis delivered a backhand cross court to earn match point. Team manager, Cameron Fenner, held his breath for two more points, then Casey hit a volley to clinch the event and the $6000 prize money. The Slammers team consoled themselves with $3000 for their efforts, while the Midland team began planning their trip to the Australian Open for the ATL Play-offs on January 20th and 21st. In Melbourne Park they will face the Shaw Park Sharks from Queensland who also won their final on Sunday, as well as teams from 3 other Australian conferences, and Korea, Oceania and New Zealand. The girls feel that they have nothing to lose and will do the best they can to be top dogs once more.
The play-off for third spot was undecided until the last doubles with the Sara Stikic and Charleen Tiwari too strong for mother and daughter, Geraldine and Maddy Watson. The Cubs suffered without Georgia Prendergast during the ATL and the young Wizards held their third position.
The Asia-Pacific tennis league brings $350,000 in total prize money to players and clubs in Australia, with the conferences earning $100,000, plus $140,000 in player payments. During the play-offs, teams will vie for a share of $110,000. In addition, a club in each conference, will be awarded a “Places to Play” Community Spirit Award to the value of $5,000, for the best support of the ATL in their conference. 53 teams have competed in the conferences and they have 3,500+ friends, fans or followers on social media.
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