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Soffe Cup interclub tennis got underway on Saturday and if the results are any indication, it will be a great competition. All three ties had a 9-7 result; all three were decided in the mixed doubles and went the way of the home teams.

The closest tie in terms of individual matches was the local derby between AWE Huatoki and Icon Sport Tariki Pukekura at Huatoki. There were 11 tiebreakers in the day which was even throughout. In the singles, 6 of the 8 matches were decided in the third set tiebreaker. Huatoki's men got off to a great start with the top two, Chris Popata and Amrit Rai, beating Mike Fleming and Callum Old in three sets. No 3 David Innes had an easy win over Meto Snegirev. Pukekura's No 4 Tony Radich beat Ajeet Rai in another three setter.

Huatoki No 1 Alice Caskey had a good win over Linda Reid 7-6 7-5. Pukekura's women won the rest of the singles matches to even it up 4 all.

After the doubles it was 6 all with Huatoki's Innes and Ajeet Rai beating Snegirev and Radich and No 1 combination Caskey and Wilson beating Reid and Donna Thorne in three sets. Pukekura's Fleming and Old were too good for Popata and Amrit Rai winning 6-3 6-2 while Pukekura's Kirsten Adam and Jeanette Harding easily accounted for Robin Hinton and Sophie Robertson 6-3 6-1.

In the mixed doubles, while No 4 Ajeet Rai and Hinton won 9-1, their team mates dug deep and came back in two matches. Amrit Rai and Caskey were down 3-6 and won 9-8 and Innes and Robertson were down 1-5 in the tiebreaker before winning it 8-6.

Stumble Inn Waiwaka gave Sandfords Manaia a fright at Manaia. They were leading 5-3 after the singles with No's 2, 3 and 4 women winning their matches. Michele Lace beat Maree Gopperth, Jaydn Bruce beat Grace Kelly and Sharon Bruce beat former Huatoki No 5 Trudy Neilsen in three sets.

The No 3 and 4 men, age group reps Nga Nicholas and Michael Lloyd beat Michael Gates and Tommy Death respectively. Manaia;s No 1 Cameron Koch was pushed to a third set tiebreaker by David Lace 6-3 3-6 7-6 while No 2 Jordan Fleming easily beat Mike Lace 6-0 6-3.

Manaia evened the score by winning three out of four doubles matches making it 6 all going into the mixed doubles. All four were tight affairs with Manaia just prevailing in three matches to take it out 9-7 overall.

Central Finance Rotokare and Hareb Deken Oakura were locked at 4 all after the singles at Rotokare. Oakura's top three men won their singles matches. No 1 Graham Mitchell didn't drop a game against Malcolm Elder and No 2 Steve Novak only dropped two games against Kyle Crowley. No 3 Tei Walden beat Shane Devlin 6-2 7-5. Rotokare newcomer Phil Teenzen beat former Huatoki player, Jamie Hareb in three sets.

Rotokare's women won three singles matches. Karen Cranston, Tania L'Ami and Frances Gray triumphed over Becky Bruckner, Chris Davies and Rebecca Scott. Oakura's No 3, Tessa McDougall beat Beccie Atkins in three sets. In the doubles, Oakura's men won easily while Rotokare's women counteracted that. At 6 all going into the mixed doubles, Rotokare only dropped the No 4 match to seal the tie 9-7.