Tennis Seniors Western Bay of Plenty are staging their popular three-day tournament beginning tomorrow and continuing over the weekend.
The tournament will be held at Tauranga Lawn Tennis Club with some games being played at Otumoetai Tennis Club tomorrow and Saturday morning, starting with the men's and women's singles tomorrow,doubles on Saturday and mixed doubles on Sunday, starting at 8.30am each day. The entries have increased every year and 150 players from all areas of the country are competing.
Top players to return this season to compete include the 2013 Division 1 singles, doubles and mixed champion Feleti Sofele. He will be hard pushed in singles this year by Aucklander Steve Buckmaster, Waikato players Steve Pett and Philip Hemstead, plus local players Mike Callard from Gate Pa and Quentin Maisey from Tauranga Lawn.
The women's singles draw is also strong with last year's winner Weiwei Verran from Rotorua, being challenged again by Sandy Tritt from Waikato and Victoria Kerrison from Hawke's Bay. The doubles and mixed combinations are all strong and it will be difficult to pick the winners.
The tournament is popular because it attracts competitive tennis players aged over 35 of a high standard, who enjoy the tennis format used of eight individuals or double combinations in each draw with similar ranking. This ensures tight games for the players and great tennis for spectators.
