Tennis: Close first loss for men's team

The Rotorua men's tennis team have lost their first game this season. Pictured is Rotorua no.1 Shaun Tamai. Photo / Ben Fraser

The Rotorua men's tennis team have suffered their first loss of the season going down in a close match to Hamilton Tennis Club.

Hamilton won the fixture at home on a countback on Saturday after the match was tied 3-3.

Rotorua won one of the two doubles matches and two of the four singles matches meaning the winning team had to be decided on countback. Hamilton won on games handing defending champions Rotorua their first defeat.

Rotorua no 1 Shaun Tamai said Hamilton had a completely new-look team from last season and played very well. He said it came right down to the wire.

"It was a pretty good match-up," he said. "I'm very proud of the players for giving it their best and we will learn from this loss."

Tamai, James Wilce, Jesse Galvin-Dawson, Lionel Rogers and new addition Josh Caves represented Rotorua on Saturday. He said Wilce and Galvin-Dawson played really well to win their singles matches at the weekend.

"They're on fire ... The way everyone is playing anyone could play at number one actually."

He said they were still missing one of their stars from last season, Sean Martin, due back from Europe soon.

Whakatane continued their excellent form with their third straight win at the weekend against Cambridge.

- Waikato Bays premier interclub competition results at the weekend (round three):

Men's: Whakatane 6-0 Cambridge, Lugton Park *3-3 Tauranga Lawn, Hamilton *3-3 Rotorua, St Peter's v Otumoetai - score not submitted.

Women's: Mt Maunganui/Otumoetai 4-2 Cambridge, Tauranga Lawn v Gate Pa - score not submitted.

*Won on a countback.