Hear the thunder!

Tuesday night by Max Ree-Goodings THERE was a little thunder in the air on Tuesday night, but that was nothing compared to the noise from centre court. The moment Michael Whytcross and Fiona Lindsay claimed victory in a tie-break 6(7) - 5(4) over Dan Robertson and Karyn Fraser, an almighty "Daniel-San" rang out across the courts. The war cry did the trick, with Dan rallying against Michael, winning the next two sets, but it wasn't enough as team Aldous 4-30 defeated Hutchinson 2-22. One court over, it was a one-sided affair, with court six specialist Rohan West cruising to victory in all three sets 6-2. The damage was done, and despite Greg McDermott and Keira McDonagh beating Guy Taylor and James Fox in the second set 6-4, team O'Loughlan 5-34 comfortably won against team McDonagh 1-15. Due to fill-ins and fixturing quirks, Jason Blake and Max Ree-Goodings faced each other for the third time in six rounds, and even though Jason persevered two sets to one, the team scores went the other way with Blackall 4-30 accounting for Murray 2-19. Teams switched places on the Tuesday Ladder with Blackall’s win over the ladder leader Murray. O’Loughlan 29.5 moved into top spot, Murray 25.5, Yencken 22, McDonagh 21, Crockett 18.5, Aldous 18, Blackall 18, Hutchison 15.5, Thunderstorms on Wednesday meant the night was cancelled early with coordinators and captains notifying teams. Heavy falls kept the courts drenched and sudden downpours continued through the evening. Hot Thursday night by Natalie Bergsma IT was a beautiful night for tennis, with a stunning sunset visible over the iconic Paps as the match action heated up on the courts. The picturesque setting provided the perfect backdrop for a thrilling evening of tennis, where the match of the night came down to a hard-fought contest between Let it Be and Come Together. In a thrilling match that saw both teams battling through each set, Let it Be edged out Come Together in a narrow victory, winning 26 games to 21, and taking home five match points to two. It was a tightly contested match from start to finish, with neither team giving an inch. Jenny Bell answered the call to fill in for Let it Be and when she partnered with Natalie Bergsma against Shane Richards and Hanna Aldous in the first set, they won a hard-fought tie breaker which could have gone either way. It was a terrific contest that set the scene for a long night of great tennis. As the match entered its final set, an unfortunate injury to Jodie from Let it Be halted the momentum. Despite her best efforts to continue, it was clear that the injury was too much to play through, forcing Let it Be to forfeit the game. We all wish Jodie a speedy recovery. In a beautiful twist, the final set was able to be played thanks to the quick thinking of Millie Bell, who stepped in to fill the spot and allow the match to conclude. While the scores from the final set didn’t count towards the official result, the gesture added an extra layer of heart to the evening. Millie’s presence on the court was appreciated by both teams, and it was a special to have Millie and her mother Jenny playing side by side. This highlighted the sense of community and family that tennis so often fosters. Courts one and two saw Smooth Operators take on Night Fever. The total games of 36 to 7 gave Smooth Operators 7 Match Points to 0. The young guns Arthur Gerrans and Max O’Loughlan combined in a fantastic display of hard hitting and fast tennis. Their opponents Suzie Wellborne and Bron Sly gave a gallant effort but the boys were too strong and took out that set six to one. The final match of the evening was between Changes and Let’s Dance. Changes Jason and Jo O’Brien were joined by fill ins Rob Williams and Dell Maiale who combined superbly in the first set to take the win against Laura Gosney and Zoe Richards six games to four. Let’s Dance’s Michael McCormack and Bec Wardenaar won their opening set and first partnership six games to two. Jason and Dell then took on Michael and Zoe in a thrilling second set and were the victors six to three, whilst Jo and Rob combined to take on Laura Gosney and Bec Wardenaar winning six to one. The final set saw a great game unfold between Jason and Rob and Michael and Laura. Each game was tightly contested, and this was reflected in the result with Michael and Laura winning the tie breaker eight to six. Changes won a total of 31 games to 21, taking home five match points to Let’s Dance’s two. Thursday night’s tennis is always filled with fun and laughter, and tonight was no exception. From the breathtaking sunset to the sportsmanship and camaraderie on the court, it was an evening to remember. We look forward to a final night of tennis for the year next week, and the chance to sit down and enjoy some festive cheer after the matches conclude. On the Thursday night ladder Smooth Operators 36, took top spot, with Come Together 35 now second, Let It Be 28, Changes 27, Night Fever 12, Let’s Dance 9. On Saturday morning the rain returned, and junior tennis was cancelled. Next week is the last week for the year so bring your Christmas spirit.

Hear the thunder!

Koalas and Banksias take top spots

Crucial tiebreak triumphs at night tennis

Full moon, fierce matches, and fun rivalries

Weather disrupts tennis but spirits stay high

Summer night competition back with a bang

Rufous Whistler – arrival of a summer songbird

Bombers go back-to-back in A grade

“No stone unturned” – Police committed to the long-haul in manhunt

Start your engines, Wilby Drags are back

Most popular stories