Tennis: Double success for Luke Donovan

Luke Donovan rehydrates and cools himself down with a damp towel at the same time during his singles match against Finn Reynolds on Saturday. Photo/Paul Taylor

Luke Donovan is still pondering possible singles and doubles entries for the Wellington Tennis Open.

Considering the roll the long-time Hawke's Bay No1 is on there's a strong chance Donovan will turn out at the March 14-16 event in the capital.

If he did his likely doubles partner would be fellow Bay player Andy Palliser.

Donovan, 30, beat 14-year-old New Zealand age group representative and multiple national champion Finn Reynolds 6-1, 6-3 in their eagerly awaited No1 singles match at Napier's Onekawa courts on Saturday. He then combined with Craig Giddy to beat Reynolds and Jason Kitching 6-3, 6-1 in the doubles.

Despite these wins, Reynolds Team Shed 2 pipped Donovan's Team Tracta 48-47 on a games countback in the Hawke's Bay premier men's teams final after matches were drawn 3-all and sets were drawn 6-all.

"The previous night Donovan, playing at No4, registered singles and doubles wins for his Northcote team in a 5-1 victory against Beachhaven in a North Harbour Chelsea Cup fixture before boarding the same flight as Reynolds back to the Bay on Saturday morning.

Greendale's Donovan said it was tough playing in the sizzling temperatures at Onekawa. Although it was his first competition match against Reynolds, Donovan had regular training sessions with Reynolds before the youngster moved to Auckland last month to take the next step in his quest to be ranked among the world's top 150 players in the future.

"I though Finn had improved since our last hit. He hits a heavier ball and is physically stronger and taller which are all positives for him," Donovan said.

Reynolds, who is used to playing in hot temperatures across the Tasman when representing New Zealand age group teams, said the gusty winds rattled him more than the heat.

"But at the same time Luke was too good ... just as he and Craig [Giddy] were too good for Jason [Kitching] and I in the doubles," Reynolds said.

However, he pointed out the fact his team won and he became the only two-time winner (Reynolds was a member of last year's winning team) in the two-year history of the competition made the return flight from Auckland worthwhile.

Come 6.45am today Reynolds will be back at the Millennium Institute of Sport in Auckland to resume his weekly Tennis New Zealand Junior Athlete Programme routine.

It involves three of these morning sessions a week before his year 10 school commitments at Rangitoto College and then on court training sessions after school from 4pm to 6pm with TNZ high performance coach Marcel Vos.

No doubt the desire to do better in his next clash with Donovan will add to the motivational fuel as he strives to impress Vos.

Reynolds's Hawke's Bay Lawn clubmate Reuben Cooper won both of his matches for Shed 2. He beat clubmate Shane Aitchison 6-2, 6-0 in their No3 singles match and then combined with Ron Garrick to beat Aitchison and Trevor Hinton 6-3, 6-3.

Hinton, the competition organiser, who was beaten in both of his matches in the final, was thrilled the tie was decided by a countback.

"Obviously there were a lot of ifs and buts discussed afterwards. Had Jordan [Hinton's son] been available instead of me Tracta might have won and if Finn hadn't returned home we might have won also but to have such a close final in front of a good crowd made it a memorable day," Hinton said.