World Ranked Players Highlight New Zealand's Premier Tennis Competition Starting This Week In Auckland

Over 25 men taking part in the Scarbro Caro Bowl tennis competition starting this Friday at Auckland clubs for nine frantic weeks have had international world rankings, some as high as the top-180 in the world in singles and top-100 in doubles.

Last year the Parnell club hosted both finals in front of a crowd nearing 1,000 people with some spectacular tennis.

This year it seems Parnell could again be challenged for the men’s title, especially from West End, Remuera, Blockhouse Bay and maybe Campbell Park as well.

The women’s competition has seen changes with teams reduced from eight to seven with no entry from Mangere Combined.

Champions Parnell have listed another strong team featuring internationals Di Hollands, Rachel Clark and former top-80 ranked Pavlina Nola with a German pro, Franziska Etzel in the side. They take on the always solid Royal Oak led by a couple of the nations best juniors, the Canterbury duo, Leela Beattie - the nationals 16’s champion and 14-year-old Emily Fanning.

Glendowie host Pompallier. The home team have gained the super-consistent Lucy Barlow while Pompallier are once again young but could gain some valuable points.

The Mission Bay women have the bye.

In another women’s match of interest, the strong Kohi side face the strengthened Remuera team. Kohi have internationally ranked Kairangi Vano against former Fed Cup team mate, Shona Lee while top-rated junior, Briar Preston, 15, is ranked inside the world’s top-100 juniors will play at No2 for Kohi and should face former Kiwi No1 Shelley Bryce(nee Stephens).

The Kohi men are also at home against regular champions, Parnell, who are expected to be too strong, but are well worth the viewing as they consist of entirely ex Davis Cup or international players such as Steve Downs, Matt Prentice and Andrew Batie.

In other men’s clashes West End and Remuera is probably the pick of the contests. West End can lay claim to six former Davis Cup players or internationals in their team with a lineup of Adam Thompson, Mark Nielsen, Alistair Hunt, Wesley Whitehouse, Teo Susnjak and James Greenhalgh.

Remuera are tough too listing former German pro Tobias Klein followed by Kiwi William Ward who has an ATP ranking. Former professional James Shortall has transferred back to Remuera after a long absence. He was a member of the team which won in the late 90’s.

A young and reasonably inexperienced Pompallier are away to Campbell Park who if they had a full strength side every week will be contenders. Most of the play for Park will be on the shoulders of former Davis Cup player Robbie Cheyne with highly regarded junior Barrett Franks from Canterbury chipping in.

Blockhouse Bay host Royal Oak with the Bay side still the only club in the country to have the valuable indoor courts. Their team will again be spearheaded by the flashy Jackson Bodle who beat numerous higher ranked players last year. Also in the regular side are coach, Marc Paulik as well as North Harbour junior Marco Comuzzo.

 

Round 1 Draw – Friday 25 September:

Women

Home team first, 6pm start

Glendowie v Pompallier,

Parnell v Royal Oak,

Kohimarama v Remuera

Mission Bay bye

Men Round 1

Home team first, 6pm start

Pompallier v Campbell Park,

Kohimarama v Parnell,

Royal Oak v Blockhouse Bay,

West End v Remuera.

Teams (in playing order):

Men:

Blockhouse Bay:

Marcus Daniell

Julian Gely

Jonathon Sentana

Jackson Bodle

Eru Lyndon

Marc Paulik

Tim Meredith

Marco Comuzzo.

Campbell Park:

Kaden Hensel

Adam Hubble

Gustavo Gomez

Mariano Pettigrosso

Robbie Cheyne

Simon Rea

Barrett Franks

Jordan Szabo

Kohimarama:

Dan Davies

Aaron McDougal

Kyle August

Darnell Sugbin

David Clifford

Parnell:

Dan King-Turner

Rubin Statham

Matt Prentice

Andrew Batie

Steve Downs

Jacob Olsen

Anton Bettink

Pompallier:

Jordan Kelly-Houston

Nick Wiles

Adam Lee

Adam Staub

Ari Davis

Matt Brady

Remuera:

Tobias Klein

William Ward

James Shortall

Martin Colenbrander

Royal Oak:

Matt Simpson

Kiril Tcherveniachki

Wei Wei

Andrew Allan

Jaden Grinter

Scott Winnard

West End:

Oliver Statham

Adam Thompson

Mark Nielsen

Alistair Hunt

Teo Susnjak

Wesley Whitehouse

James Greenhalgh

Women:

Glendowie

Lucy Barlow

Sarah McDermott

Tiffany Wheelock

Olivia Isbey

Rebecca Lee

Iva Parapunova

Kohimrara:

Kairangi Vano

Briar Preston

Tracey O’Connor

Heidi Stewart

Mission Bay:

Imogen Golder

Christine Foote

Dana Gray

Diana D’Audney

Wendy Owen

Parnell:

Di Hollands

Franziska Etzel

Pavlina Nola

Niki Tippins

Rachel Clark

Pompallier:

Karina Bradman

Rosie Bird

Mikaela Davies

Carli Davis

Alexia Barritt

Remuera:

Shona Lee

Shelley Bryce

Brittany Teei

Ashley Siddall

Royal Oak:

Leela Beattie

Emily Fanning

Nicola Kaiwai

Angela Swinkels