Opaki claim top spot in semis

Tennis

Opaki earned themselves the top qualifying spot for next weekend's semifinals when they scored a decisive 8-1 win over Gladstone in their Wairarapa regional one tennis match on Saturday.

It was a comprehensive victory by Opaki with five of the six singles matches and all three doubles going their way.

Stu Wyeth, Chris Davidson, Andrew Colvin and Katie Alsop all won their singles in straight sets but Brett Dymond had to work hard to see off Alistair McWilliam, Dymond winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

The sole singles success for Gladstone came from Sandra McNab who accounted for Jan Wyeth 6-1, 6-4.

Opaki won both the combined doubles through Stu and Jan Wyeth and Davidson and Alsop and also the men's doubles where Dymond and Colvin had a nail biter with McWilliam and Aidan Smith, the Opaki pair winning 6-1, 5-7, 7-6.

Scores, Opaki names first:

Men's singles: Stu Wyeth beat John Gordon 6-2, 6-3; Brett Dymond beat Alistair McWilliam 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; Chris Davidson beat Aidan Smith 6-3, 6-0; Andrew Colvin beat David Heard 6-4, 7-6.

Women's singles: Katie Alsop beat Pip Dalgleish 6-0, 6-4; Jan Wyeth lost to Sandy McNab 1-6, 4-6.

Men's doubles: Dymond and Colvin beat McWilliam and Smith 6-1, 5-7, 7-6.

Combined doubles: Wyeth and Wyeth beat Gordon and McNab 6-3, 6-1; Davidson and Alsop beat Dalgleish and Heard 6-4, 6-4.

The high number of defaults which have plagued this season's regional one competition continued on Saturday when Martinborough defaulted to Masterton.

It will be the same draw for next weekend's semifinals, Opaki playing Gladstone at Opaki and Masterton at home to Martinborough.