Tennis: Reynolds right call at 1

Finn Reynolds gets some pace on a forehand return during his singles loss to Craig Giddy. Photo / Duncan Brown.

Some pundits may think giving 13-year-old Finn Reynolds a No.1 role in Hawke's Bay's premier men's teams tennis competition is a tough ask.

And Reynolds' results during Saturday's opening round for his Shed 2 side at Napier's Onekawa courts will add weight to their argument. While Reynolds' team beat Luke Donovan Team Tracta 4-2 he was beaten 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 by Craig Giddy in his singles match despite having three match points, before combining with fellow 13-year-old Jonty Sabiston for a 7-5, 6-2 doubles loss to Giddy and Trevor Hinton who are both in the 50-plus age bracket.

However Reynolds' form in the buildup to the competition was proof he deserved a promotion from the No.2 role he had last year. A fortnight ago he won the New Zealand Masters under-14s title in Auckland.

"This tournament involved the country's top eight players in each age group. I'll be able to play in the under-14s again next year," Reynolds explained.

The Napier Boys' High School Year 9 student experienced some outstanding success during a seven-week stint in Europe, which ended in October. Playing with Northern's Macsen Sisam, Reynolds won a European doubles title in Amsterdam, finished second in another tournament and reached the semifinals in another.

"It was a really good experience and I learned heaps," Reynolds said.

It will be a surprise if the left handed Reynolds isn't later this week named in the New Zealand under-14 team to travel to Australia later this month to prepare for the Tennis Australia December Showdown. Last year Reynolds became the first Kiwi to win the Australian 12-and-under Spring Nationals title and then he was unbeaten as the New Zealand team won the 12-and-under Australian teams title.

Should he be selected, Reynolds will have the opportunity to repeat these feats in another age group. Playing No.1 in Hawke's Bay's premier men's comp is an ideal way for Reynolds to prepare for international and national assignments in his age group.

Saturday's other tie saw the first draw in the two-year history of the Cancer Society competition. Reynolds' 16-year-old brother Robbie's Team Bisson Moss and Shane Wilson Team Sainsbury Logan and Williams drew 3-all in matches, six-all in sets and 50-all in games.

Robbie was unbeaten. His 6-2, 6-0 win against Wilson was Wilson's second loss in the competition's history.

He then combined with Zac Atkins to beat Wilson and Mike Hunia 6-3, 6-3. These close matches suggest the "plum pudding" system used to select the teams was fairly accurate and all five teams, provided they are at full strength for the bulk of the time, will have a chance of making the February final.

Along with Giddy and Robbie Reynolds, Reuben Cooper and Jason Kitching of Shed 2, Atkins, and Duane Redward, from Wilson's team, were unbeaten on Saturday.

Andy Palliser Team JP had the bye on Saturday.