Summer Sport Season Starts Early - Scarbro Caro Bowl - Tennis Season Hits Auckland

The summer sport season gets underway this Friday, night (26 September) with the start of the Scarbro Caro Bowl tennis competition which is fiercely competitive and features the top players from New Zealand past, present and future with a few foreign players thrown in too.

 

The eight men’s and eight women’s team competition can be played in front of big and sometimes raucous crowds as the odd personal grievances appear to be vented on court.

 

Defending champions in the men’s draw are Parnell who are virtually an all-professional team, while Managere Combined are the women’s winners from last year.

 

First round major clashes feature a replay of the 2007 men’s final as Parnell travel to West End. Parnell should have a team around former pros Andrew Batie, Matt Prentice who may be over his surgery on his arm and ex top-200 ranked Alistair Hunt with Jacob Olsen and the enigmatic Steve Downs.

 

West End may have Davis Cup team member Adam Thompson and should be able to call up ex-top 200 player Mark Nielsen to make them even stronger. Martin Colenbrander,

Davis Cup captain James Greenhalgh along with former Davis Cup player Teo Susnjak who will once again be difficult to beat in the lower order make up the remainder of the team.

 

Royal Oak with former Chinese Davis Cup player Wei Wei at the helm take on the new team to the competition, Campbell Park, who are an unknown side. If they can call-up Simon Rea and fast-rising teenagers Ben and Riki McLaughlan they could challenge.

 

Remuera host Kohimarama in a battle of two teams who will be looking for early points while Pompallier are at home as they clash with Blockhouse Bay. Pompallier have ATP ranked teenager Finn Tearney from Wellington along with two former Davis Cup players, Rob Cheyne and James Shortall. The Bay should be using world ranked junior James Meredith from Canterbury.

 

The big match in the women’s section is between Parnell and Kohimarama where, if all things go to plan a matc between two WTA internationally ranked players should eventuate in the top singles match as Dianne Hollands takes on Kairangi Vano.

 

Vano, 18 has a WTA senior world ranking of 776 and will be backed up by 15-year-old Briar Preston, one of New Zealand’s best juniors at No2. Parnell have former world No68, Pavlina Nola in the side as well as top local player Niki Tippins.

 

Mission Bay who have professional player, Shona Lee at their helm replacing Ilke Gers in the top spot take on Pompallier at the Bay with the ever-stronger Tanya Samodelok who is well worth watching in the second spot.

 

Defending champs Managere with ex-professional players Tracey O’Connor and Shelley Bryce(nee Stephens) face Remeura who have Brittany Teei in the top spot.

 

The new side to the competition, Glendowie will start with a home tie as they host the ever-steady Royal Oak. Glendowie will have Sarah McDermott who has some experience at this level while Deanne Alter is a former player for Zimbawe at No2 followed by Ioana Teu from last year’s Glen Eden side while Glendowie College student Rebecca Lee is also in the side.

 

Royal Oak have listed Abigail Guthrie at No1 followed by the rising star of Kiwi tennis, Leela Beattie, 14 of Canterbury named in the team.

 

Women’s first round (home teams listed first, all matches start at 6pm)

Mission Bay v Pompallier,

Glendowie v Royal Oak,

Managere Combined v Remuera,

Parnell v Kohimarama

 

Men’s first round (home teams listed first, all matches start at 6pm)

Pompallier v Blockhouse Bay,

Remuera v Kohimarama,

West End v Parnell,

Royal Oak v Campbell Park.