Tennis: Northland 40+ women's team claim national seniors title

Northland showed strong form on the national stage. Photo / Getty Images

Northland's 40 and over women's tennis team made waves on route to a title at the 2018 National Tennis Senior Teams Event.

The team of Laurette Anderson, Julie Taylor, Jacques Fromont and Julie Gallot (North Harbour) won their age group over Western Bay of Plenty (WBOP).

Northland weren't the favourites going into the final match-up but that didn't stop them putting WBOP to the sword to the tune of a nine sets to three victory, sparking deserved celebrations from the team.

Meanwhile defending men's 40+ champions Mike Clapshaw, Terry Mitchell, Keith Cocking, Merv Tane and Innes Anderson fell agonisingly short of a second straight title, finishing second.

They were undone in the final by a very strong Waikato team.

The women's 60+ team of Janet Agnew, Raewyn Heywood, Maryanne Rogers, Francie James and Judy Hill were slightly disappointed with their result.

Although they were unbeaten in their six contests they ended up coming third because they lost sets that the other top teams did not. However our girls can say they beat the winners WBOP and drew with runners-up Canterbury.

The women's 45+ team of Ollie Smith, Cheryl Baker, Frances Coutts and Nicky Warren (North Harbour) also came third.

For most of the women's 50+ team of Jan Walters-Gleeson, Doreen Bailey, Donna Russell and Christine Frost, it was their first time competing at the teams event.

It was a tough learning curve in probably the strongest age group. But in their last match, the playoff for seventh and eighth, they finally won a set.

The celebration was such a commotion that the surrounding teams and spectators thought they had won the lottery.

To top off a great weekend Northland Tennis Seniors won Club of the Year for 2017, mainly for their efforts in putting on a tremendous National Seniors Teams Event last year in Northland.

Northland Tennis Seniors president Janet Agnew accepted the trophy on behalf of all the seniors, sponsors and tennis clubs who assisted with the event.