Tennis: First defeat for men this season in tight contest

COUNTBACK: The Rotorua men's team Shaun Tamai (left), Jesse Galvin-Dawson, Ryan Beamish, Lionel Rogers, Nick Beamish and James Wilce. PHOTO/FILE

The Rotorua men's tennis team have recorded their first loss this season against a combined Otumoetai/Mount Maunganui team.

The Rotorua women's and men's teams both played at the Rotorua Tennis Club on Saturday against Otumoetai/Mount Maunganui.

While the men's match-up reached a conclusion, the women's match-up was postponed to later this week, after heavy rainfall forced the players from the court.

The Rotorua men's team of Sean Martin, James Wilce, Lionel Rogers and Ryan Beamish lost on a countback on Saturday after their six matches were tied 3-3.

The first doubles match saw Rotorua's Martin and Beamish go down to the very strong pairing of Jason Young and Oliver Petrie 6-2, 6-2.

The other doubles match had Rotorua's Wilce and Rogers play against Steve McCashin and Josh White.

It was a tight contest which saw the Rotorua team win the first set in a tie breaker 7-6 before losing the next 4-6.

The match then went to a super tie-breaker third set which Rotorua won 10-5. The number one singles match had Martin against Petrie.

Martin took the first set 6-2 but Petrie took the second set 6-2. Martin won the third set 6-2.

In the number two singles match Young proved too strong for Rotorua's Wilce taking that match 6-2, 6-1.

Rotorua suffered another loss in the number three singles match with Rogers going down to Josh White 4-6, 2-6.

The surprise package for the tie though was Beamish playing at number four, having a great win against Reuben White with a convincing 6-2, 6-1.

Though both teams had three wins each, the tie was won by Otumoetai/Mount Manganui by a countback on sets.

Rotorua women shared doubles honours as well with Otumoetai/Mount Maunganui.

Rotorua's Pang Suwanaposse and Zana Douglas lost to Ashleigh Harvey and Kalais Going while Rotorua's Leona Davis-Kaye and Weiwei Verran beat their opposites 6-0, 6-3.