Tennis: Victory means 'local' surface

Rotorua will look to wrap up a home semifinal spot during their final round robin match this weekend against St Peter's. Pictured is Rotorua player Sean Martin. Photo / File

Tennis teams from across the Bay of Plenty and Waikato will have their calculators out following the final round of competition this weekend, to figure out who is going to feature in the playoffs.

Things are awfully tight at the top of the table in the Waikato Bays men's premier interclub competition coming into the final round.

The last round robin matches will be played tomorrow, giving teams a clearer picture of the semifinals, although there are four teams who still need to play a catch-up game.

Rotorua captain Shaun Tamai said he spent time this week trying to figure out all the scenarios.

However, he said the one thing his team could have a say on was beating St Peter's (Hamilton) in Rotorua tomorrow.

"It's a big match. We are hoping to get the top spot on the table because at the end of the day we want to be playing at home [in the playoffs].

"Three of the other teams that are all coming in the top four all have astro surfaces."

He said the Rotorua team all preferred playing on the rebound ace courts, at the Rotorua Tennis Club on Manuka Cres, rather than astro courts.

Defending champions Rotorua are currently top of the table and a victory over second-placed St Peter's would go a long way in helping them get a home semifinal.

Teams face a long break before the playoffs which will be held in late January and February.

-Draw for tomorrow (round seven):

Games start at 1pm: Tauranga Lawn v Whakatane, at Whakatane; St Peter's v Rotorua, at Rotorua Tennis Club; Otumoetai v Cambridge, at Cambridge; Lugton Park v Hamilton, at Hamilton.

-Table: Rotorua 34, St Peter's (Hamilton) 31*, Whakatane 27*, Lugton Park 26, Hamilton 23*, Tauranga Lawn 20, Cambridge 8, Otumoetai 7*.

*Catch-up game still to play.