Tennis: Mates in battle for open title

Hawke's Bay's Luke Donovan (left) and Robbie Reynolds are mates again after their semifinal at Auckland's Cockle Bay Open last weekend.

Hawke's Bay's Robbie Reynolds is eyeing a United States University tennis team scholarship for next year.

The national under-18 doubles champion, with Canterbury's Connor Heap, Reynolds, proved he is on target to secure one when he won the Cockle Bay Open in Auckland last weekend. The third seeded Reyolds defeated top seeded Aucklander Dan Brown 6-2, 6-2 in the final.

Brown is a tall player with a thunder-like serve. Because the balls were heavy from the rain, which delayed the final, his serves were bombs.

But Hawke's Bay Lawn Tennis' Reynolds, who is coached by Simon Winter, was up to the challenge. He returned solidly and played some blistering backhand winners to capture the title with an impressive display of consistent tennis.

"I was rapt with this start to the season. I have set myself goals which include improving my ranking and, hopefully, gaining a scholarship in the United States. I was really pleased with how I kept intensity and focus throughout the match, not letting Dan gain a foothold," Reynolds said afterwards.

"Dan is a very good player who I haven't beaten previously so I knew I couldn't let him build any momentum."

Reynolds, the older brother of fellow multiple national champion and New Zealand representative Finn Reynolds, who is in Europe with a national squad, beat top ranked Hawke's Bay player Luke Donovan of the Greendale club 6-4, 6-1 in the semifinals. Reynolds attacked Donovan's backhand regularly on his way to victory in a rain-interrupted clash.

Reynolds, who is ranked third on the Hawke's Bay grading list, behind Donovan and his brother, has beaten Donovan three times in competition play and Donovan, 31, has beaten Reynolds once.

"I know I need to get more hard matchplay if I am going to beat Robbie in our next clash. We always push each other, whether it's a competition match or training, and this is good for the sport in the Bay.

"We're serious rivals on court but the best of mates again once play has finished, regardless of who wins, and that's awesome also," Donovan said.

Reynolds had little time to recover as, yesterday, he travelled to Palmerston North to play for the Napier Boys' High School hockey 1st XI at their Super 8 tournament. Donovan and Reynolds were two of a seven-strong Hawke's Bay contingent in action at the Cockle Bay event.

Greendale's Albert Rocard won the S6-S7 section plate. Hawke's Bay Lawn's Daniel Rowe was a beaten semifinalist in the S8-S9 section main draw.

Greendale's Andrew Shand was beaten in the open section plate final and Havelock North's Craig Giddy and Hawke's Bay Lawn's Jacob Verhoeven reached the open section special plate final which they will play in the Bay this week.