Tennis: Caro winners best line-up for 30 years

Parnell continued their dominance of Auckland's Caro Bowl tennis championships on Saturday, winning both men's and women's titles for the third consecutive year.

It was the men's sixth win in seven years. Beaten finalists West End were in the competition for the first time since the 1950s. The last time they had a team in the final was 1951, when their women's side lost to Parnell 3-7.

Parnell's win showed that they have probably the best overall side in the Caro Bowl in the past 30 years.

West End started badly by losing both opening matches as the Parnell combinations of Steven Downs and Andrew Turner in the top doubles and Willy Laban and Nick Turner proved too good, winning both matches in straight sets.

Teo Susnjak kept the tie alive by winning the top singles match, defeating Downs in two tough tiebreak sets, which reminded spectators how much of a loss they will be as both are retiring from international tennis when they are only 22 and 25 respectively.

The final was all but won when Turner demolished Nigel Allen at No 4 in straight sets, leaving Parnell requiring just a single set from the two remaining matches for the title.

Laban duly obliged by defeating one of his pupils, World Youth Cup team member Damien Mulhane, in straight sets, but not without an initial battle, 6-4 6-1.

West End earned one back for pride as Justin MacKenzie defeated Turner in straight sets in the No 2 singles.

The women's final was a little more clearcut as Parnell beat an under-strength Royal Oak 5-1.

Royal Oak found themselves without regular No 2 Ivana Yovanovich, who is playing in the Orange Bowl tournament in the United States.

Royal Oak were forced to use a lower-graded player to fill in at No 4, making any chance of a win improbable, especially after dropping both doubles in straight sets.

The sole win for Royal Oak was in the No 1 singles, where Irina Yarikova defeated Amanda Trail easily.

In the Chelsea Cup competition on the North Shore, the Milford women will face old rivals Northcote in this weekend's final after winning the minor final in a straightforward manner 5-1 over Campbells Bay.

All the wins came in straight sets as the consistency of Milford singles players Katherine Young and Rebecca Watson showed through.

The only bright spot for Campbells Bay was Melanie Black'retaining her undefeated record for the season as she beat Tamina Hemehema at No 3.

The Mairangi Bay men may have finished fourth in the regular season, but they were able to beat Birkenhead 3-0 and gained the extra set in the minor final to set themselves up for a grand final appearance against Campbells Bay.

The win came on the back of a good performance by Goran Gerdin over big-serving rival Lee Russell in the No 1 singles.