New Page 0

Central Finance Rotokare remain at the top of the table in Soffe Cup interclub tennis after beating AWE Huatoki at Rotokare on Saturday, 10-6. In an entertaining match that was close throughout, Rotokare toppled the previously unbeaten Soffe Cup holders. Twenty one year old Barlow who lives in Kihikihi, showed tremendous dedication to play in the Caro Bowl final for Mangere Combined in Auckland on Friday night, which they won; and then with her mother, travelled to New Plymouth through the night.

She then won all her matches, dispatching Kelly Toa 6-1, 6-2. Rotokare's No 2 Leith Atkins won in three sets over Saori Han. No 3, Bridgeman who has returned to New Plymouth after spending the off season in Hawkes Bay, had an epic battle with Greg Hareb in his first match of the season. Hareb prevailed 16-14 in the third set tiebreaker. Rotokare's strong men's line-up proved the difference and they will be eyeing up a place in the final at the end of the season.

Hooker Pacific Pukekura continued its unbeaten run at Manaia winning 10-6 , and are in second place. It was so near yet so far for Sandfords Manaia, who are yet to have a win. There were three, three set tie -breakers with Pukekura winning two. Pukekura were leading 5-3 after the singles, winning three of the men's matches. No 1 Michael Fleming beat Jordan Fleming 6-0, 6-4 but the other two games were close. No 2 Zac Wills, in his first match of the season, had a three set win over Michael Gates, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 and No 3 Ben Aves beat Jacob Gopperth 6-4, 7-5. Manaia's No 4 Steve Lloyd had a three set win over Meto Snegirev, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6.

The women's singles were shared with Pukekura's No 2 and 3, Donna Thorne and Jeanette Harding having easy wins over Ginny Death and Maree Gopperth while Manaia's No 1 and 4, Nicole Koch and Irene Cruickshank beat Linda Reid and Tania Fleming respectively. In the doubles, Pukekura won both men's matches while the women's were shared with Reid and Thorne winning in the third set tiebreak and Gopperth and Cruickshank winning their match 6-0, 7-5 over Harding and Fleming.

McDonalds Real Estate Matapu recorded their second win with a 12 - 4 victory over Waiwaka/Stratford/Midhirst at Matapu. Matapu won six out of the eight singles with all the men winning. The combined side were without their No 1 man, David Chamberlain and No 3 woman, Yvonne Chamberlain. Having their first games of the season were Rhys Sutton and Jayden Bruce. Matapu's men all had easy wins apart from the No 3 Rodney Perrett who won the first set 7-6 against Thomas Brown then the second set 6-1. No 1 David White beat Sutton 6-2, 6-1, No 2 Kyle Crowley beat Grant Kite 6-4, 6-2 and Brent Perrett beat Simon Momich 6-1, 6-0.

Matapu's No 2 and 4 women, Helen Kelly and Michelle Furness, won their matches against Jayden Bruce and MaryEllen Annabell, while the combined side's Krystal Oakes and Alison Chamberlain had wins over Jen White and Carolyn Koch.

Central Finance Rotokare 67, Hooker Pacific Pukekura 62, AWE Huatoki 50, Hareb Deken Oakura 48, McDonalds Matapu 42, Sandfords Manaia 30, Waiwaka/Stratford/Midhirst 25