Expect the unexpected in this season's Wairarapa regional one tennis competition matches that get under way tomorrow.
Carterton's withdrawal because of a lack of players able to appear on a regular basis has left just five teams playing for the premier crown and with several of the more prominent names fromlast season missing or now with other clubs the race for the title looks wide open.
As defending champion Masterton would normally go out as nominal favourite but with players of the calibre of Jono Hurley, Steve Hurley, Len Bunny and the three Atkinsons - father Luke and daughters Sade and Georgia - not fronting up for them now their chances of a repeat success have certainly been adversely affected.
Opaki will be missing their No1 woman player, Katie Wyeth, who is overseas, and Matt Stewart, who has taken up employment in Queenstown. But with Glen Bunny, Luke Atkinson, Georgia Atkinson and former Central Districts rep Leanne Sweeney stiffening their ranks, Pirinoa appear in a healthy state.
Gladstone have Emma Stevenson back and she will add to their strength while Martinborough will again be led by Steve Chapman, Marco De Groot, Rhona Lovell and Libby Paterson.
The various squads are -
Opaki: Brett Dymond,Glen Bunny, Andy Colvin, Stu Wyeth, Charlotte Mossman, Abby Hill, Jan Wyeth, Rosie Aitkenhead.
Masterton: Matt Bunny, Ian Jurczyluk, Greg Williams, George Passi, James Silverwood, Alex Silverwood, Brooke Candy, Dushka Warren, Zoe Paris, Barbara Hollings, Marie Millar.
Pirinoa: Bruce Holybone, Luke Atkinson, Tim Pickering, Andy Darling, Carl Petersen, Scotty McDonald, John Priest, Leanne Sweeney, Sissy Pickering, Tash Robinson, Georgia Atkinson, Georgie Warren.
Gladstone: Chris Schofield, Baden Stevenson, Alister McWilliams, Peter Morriss, Angus Preston, Liam McMenamin, Emma Stevenson, Zoe Schofield, Abby Bateman.
Martinborough: Steve Chapman, Marco de Groot, Matt Nicholson, Dan Nicholson, Bruce Lovell, Campbell Venning, Rhona Lovell, Carla Didsbury, Libby Paterson, Natalie Donaldson.
Tomorrow's draw has Opaki playing Martinborough at Opaki and Pirinoa up against Masterton at Pirinoa.
