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