Tairāwhiti tennis players enjoy wins in Hawke’s Bay

ACE EFFORT: Members of the Tairawhiti team (above) who earned overall honours at the annual Eastern region Wilson and Garland shields representative tennis fixture. From left are Fran Gibson, Trish Mackey, Hamish Arthur, Masa Takahashi, Andrew Powell, Josh Masangkay, Te Aorangi Harrington, Robyn Tomlinson and Carolyn Baty. Picture supplied

Tairāwhiti tennis players enjoyed success at the annual Wilson and Garland shields doubles challenge in Hawke’s Bay over the weekend.

Tairāwhiti men won all three of their ties to reclaim the Garland Shield, the women were third in the Wilson Shield and Tairāwhiti topped the four teams overall when the men’s, women’s and mixed doubles results were combined.

The shields, contested between Eastern Region representative teams, have a history dating back to 1948.

Tairāwhiti took on Napier at the Lindisfarne College courts on Saturday morning.

The Tairāwhiti men’s top pairing of Te Aorangi Harrington and Andrew Powell impressed in a hard fought 9-7 win while Josh Masangkay and Masatomo Takahashi won convincingly, 9-5.

The women lost both doubles. Carolyn Baty and Robyn Tomlinson were beaten 9-2 and Trish Mackey and Fran Gibson were edged 9-7.

Tairāwhiti won three of the four mixed doubles to seal the overall team win, 5-3.

Afternoon matches were hosted by Hastings Tennis Club where Tairāwhiti competed against Hastings/Havelock North.

Honours were shared in the men’s and women’s matches,

Powell and Mark Robertson had an impressive 9-4 win, however, Hamish Arthur and Masangkay fell 9-7 to their determined Hastings/Havelock opponents.

In the women’s matches, Mackey and Baty fought a good battle to come out on top 9-6 while Gibson and Tomlinson lost 9-4 after a great start.

Tairāwhiti dominated the mixed doubles, winning all four matches to take the overall win 6-2.

Tairāwhiti were full of confidence heading into their tie against Central Hawke’s Bay at Havelock North, and it showed.

Powell and Robertson put Tairāwhiti on the front foot in a match that went down to the wire, the Tairāwhiti duo winning a tiebreaker to take it 9-8.

In contrast, Harrington and Masangkay took no prisoners in blitzing their rivals 9-0.

Mackey and Tomlinson defeated the top CHB pairing 9-7 and Baty and Belinda Castles won 9-3.

Tairāwhiti continued their charge in the mixed doubles, with three wins for a 7-1 team win.

At the completion of the weekend, Tairāwhiti men’s emerged deserved Garland Shield victors, having won all three of their ties. Tairāwhiti women’s were third in the Wilson Shield won by Napier.

There is no actual trophy for the overall honours but Tairawhiti earned “bragging rights” by three matches.

Tairāwhiti are already looking forward to hosting the Wilson and Garland shields next year.