Tennis: Champs on road for challenge

Rotorua player Lionel Rogers. His team meet Otumoetai in a re-match of last season's grand final tomorrow. Photo / Ben Fraser

When you are at the top everyone wants to knock you off your perch.

That's the reality facing the Rotorua men's tennis team this season as they look to defend their premier interclub title.

Rotorua won the inaugural Waikato Bays men's interclub competition last season and got off to a winning start again this season, defeating Tauranga Lawn a fortnight ago.

The local team, made up of players from the Rotorua Tennis Club and Lynmore Tennis Club, will head to Tauranga tomorrow to play Otumoetai in the second round.

The Otumoetai club will be looking to avenge their defeat at the hands of Rotorua in the men's grand final last season. The fixture starts at 1pm tomorrow and will feature two doubles matches and four singles matches.

- Round two draw tomorrow (1pm starts):

Men's draw: Cambridge v Lugton Park, at Lugton Park; Hamilton v Whakatane, at Whakatane; Rotorua v Otumoetai, at Otumoetai; Tauranga Lawn v St Peter's, at Tauranga Lawn.

Women's draw: Mt Maunganui/Otumoetai v Tauranga Lawn, at Mt Maunganui; Gate Pa v Cambridge, at Gate Pa.