Tennis back after a break

A large consignment of Hot Shots T-shirts was distributed, and it was wonderful to see the smiles on the kids' faces when they received their new shirts.

The Hot Shots program caters for novice players aged between five and seven, introducing them to the basics of tennis on smaller courts using low-compression balls. The 40-minute sessions combine skill development with fun games, keeping the kids entertained while helping them learn the fundamentals of the sport.

The next step in the Saturday morning journey is our Coaching program, which caters for players aged between seven and ten. Club Coach Grant Kendall oversees this group, helping players further develop their skills and prepare for match play. There was plenty of enthusiasm on display, and the group looks set to make excellent progress throughout the season.

Match play numbers have once again reached impressive levels, with 95 players currently registered. Participants are divided into groups of four or five, playing doubles sets and getting plenty of opportunities to develop their match skills. There have already been some excellent rallies, with parents watching on clearly impressed by the standard of tennis on display.

Boys' group winners were Darby Reid, Niklas Meredith, Jack Farr, Oliver Cummins, Tristan Meredith, Braeden Coates, Tully Ellis, Finn Angwin, Ed Withers and Tague Saunders.

Girls' group winners were Natalie Munn, Harriet Inchbold, Faith Stevenson, Maeve Inchbold, Olive Cummins, Poppy Robinson and Taylah Chessells.

Next week, Premier League will commence for the older participants involved in match play. There will be four teams, with each player competing in three sets. Wins will contribute points towards their respective teams, adding another exciting element to the Saturday morning program.

Thursday Ladies Tennis

The Thursday Ladies Competition continued with Round 3, with 15 teams of four taking to the courts. This means 60 ladies are enjoying tennis every Thursday in a friendly, social atmosphere. It really is the perfect combination for enjoying sport!

Another sensational evening of weather ensured everyone had a fantastic night. There were plenty of superb rallies and some outstanding tennis on display. The novice players are already showing significant improvement, which certainly bodes well for the remainder of the season.

Pink Floyd and ABBA competed in the first match of the night, with Pink Floyd victorious 4 sets to 2. Demi Rhodes was the standout performer, winning all three of her sets.

Bon Jovi and Rolling Stones had a very close battle, with each team winning three sets before Bon Jovi were declared winners by just two games. Highlighting how evenly matched the contest was, none of the ladies managed to win all three of their sets.

AC/DC shook the Bangles all night long, winning 5 sets to 1. Sarah Govan and Narelle Bassett combined well to win all their matches. Interestingly, on an otherwise one-sided night, the one set the Bangles did win was a convincing 6–0 victory for Erin Dowling and Maddi Gove.

There was an identical scoreline in the next match, with Bee Gees winning 5 sets to 1. Sandra Banks and Cara Bott both played superbly to win all their matches.

Guns N' Roses and KISS produced plenty of close matches before ladder leaders Guns N' Roses secured a 4–2 victory. Youngster Izzi Porter was undefeated, showing excellent form throughout the evening.

The same scoreline was repeated in the next match, with Fleetwood Mac overcoming Eagles. Chris Hawkins was in great touch, winning all three of her sets.

The final match of the night produced another 4–2 result. Queen were able to break free, with Alice Cooper the best on court, winning all three of her matches.

After Round 3, the ladder is: Guns N' Roses 18, Bon Jovi 16, Pink Floyd 16, Cold Chisel 15, Fleetwood Mac 15, Rolling Stones 14, Bee Gees 13, ABBA 12, Queen 11, INXS 10, Eagles 10, AC/DC 10, KISS 9, Bangles 6 and Beatles 5.

With 60 ladies involved each week, fill-in players are still needed. Any ladies interested in joining the fill-in list are encouraged to contact Narelle.

Wilby Tennis

The Wilby and District Tennis Association resumed after a general bye. It is fantastic to see so many different people participating in this competition. It is designed to be social and family-oriented, and it is especially pleasing to see so many juniors getting involved.

Burramine hosted Savernake at Yarrawonga. Savernake's men combined well to win five of the six sets. Jock Toms and Finn Bruce combined superbly to win all their matches.

The ladies' section produced an identical result, with Savernake winning three sets. Ange Bruce and Georgie Bruce both won all their sets. Savernake then won all four mixed sets to claim an overall victory by 46 games and take the eight premiership points. This was the perfect birthday gift for their captain, Noma Toms!

On the grass courts, last year's premiers Telford indicated they are on track to go back-to-back with a strong win over Mulwala. Craig Stevenson, Andrew Brew, Andrew Banks and debutant Ed Mulquiney all played well to win the six men's sets.

The ladies produced a similar result, with Sandra Banks, Lauren Mulquiney, Chris Hawkins and Emma Pearce all winning their matches. Telford claimed the eight points, but well done to Mulwala on some very good tennis.

Wilby visited Tungamah for the final match of the round. In a close encounter, Tungamah were able to win four sets to two in the men's section. Tague Saunders was player of the night, remaining undefeated.

The ladies were very evenly matched, with each team winning three sets before Tungamah snuck home by two games. Tungamah's skipper Elli Buerckner held her team together with three wins.

The mixed sets were won by Tungamah three sets to one, meaning they won overall by 19 games to take the eight points. The entire evening featured plenty of close matches.

After three rounds, Telford sits on top of the ladder with 30 points, followed by Tungamah on 24, Wilby on 18, Savernake on 16, Mulwala on 6 and Burramine on 2.

This week, Wilby will host Telford, while at Yarrawonga, Tungamah will travel to Savernake and Mulwala will play Burramine.

Tuesday Men's Tennis

The ever-popular Tuesday Men's Competition commenced this week, with a record 15 teams participating. Organiser Ash Wheaton is extremely pleased with the numbers, as this is the most teams the competition has ever had. This is another fantastic indication of the growth and popularity of tennis at our club.

Players can look forward to plenty of entertaining tennis each week. With so many teams involved, fill-in players will often be required. Anyone interested in getting involved in future seasons is encouraged to keep an eye out for registration details.

Goulburn Murray Tennis

Yarrawonga's Division 4 team travelled to Shepparton, with Gareth Oughton and Narges Jana making their debuts for the team. Both were warmly welcomed by their teammates.

Gareth demonstrated his class, winning all three of his matches. He was ably supported by Xavier Chessells, Amy Lairson and Renee Byrne, who each contributed two sets.

Yarrawonga continued its unbeaten season, winning six sets to four and 58 games to 47.

Numurkah's Division 1 team played Shepparton at home. In very challenging, blustery conditions, Shepparton proved too good, winning seven sets to five and by 21 games overall. Tess Bassett played well to win her doubles match before narrowly losing her other sets.

Doubles Seniors Tournament

Several Yarrawonga members travelled to Wodonga on Sunday to compete in the 30+ Doubles Tournament. The event is part of the North East Seniors Circuit and provides an opportunity for participants to enjoy competitive tennis against players of a similar ability.

Ellen Bruce continued her excellent form to win her group, while Amy Lairson finished second on her card.

The next tournament in the circuit will be held in Euroa this Sunday.

Rock Up and Play Sessions

Yarrawonga Lawn Tennis Club offers social, aggregate-style tennis at several times throughout the week, providing a fantastic opportunity for people to give tennis a go before committing to club membership.

Players can simply turn up and sign in on the day. The Tuesday morning ladies' session begins at 9.00 am, while the Wednesday men's social hit gets underway at 1.00 pm.

There is no pressure to attend every week, although once you have had a hit, you might find yourself looking forward to the next one!

There has never been a better time to get involved at Yarrawonga Lawn Tennis Club. With record numbers of juniors taking to the courts and a huge variety of competitions and social tennis sessions on offer, there really is something for everyone.

Whether you are looking to improve your game, enjoy some friendly competition or simply have a hit and a laugh, the club welcomes players of all ages and abilities.