Tennis: Sunday Shootout attracts top players

Finn Reynolds is playing at the Golden Homes Sunday Shootout at Mount Maunganui tomorrow. Photo / Getty Images

The Golden Homes Sunday Shootout held at Mount Maunganui Tennis Club continues to attract rave reviews and attention throughout the tennis circuit nationwide.

The innovative unisex, one-set competition has 16 single players compete over a three-hour period for $1000. Into its fourth month, the tournament has seen world-ranked players enter, as well as rising junior players and ex-pros.

The weather has not always been kind and fingers are crossed that the inflamed weather band across the Western Bay will lift in time for a 3.30pm start tomorrow at the top-class facilities of the Mount Maunganui Club at Blake Park.

Sunday's tournament will feature the winner of the last two events in Aucklander, Rhett Purcell, and the rising young star of New Zealand tennis in Finn Reynolds and his brother, Rob Reynolds. The brothers were runners-up in the nail biting final in last month's New Zealand Residentials doubles final.

Finn's highest 2017 world junior ranking (ITF) was 83 in the world.

"We are thrilled to have the Reynolds brothers come to our tournament, both are excellent players. Finn, who turns 18 this week, is a left-handed player and was runner up in the Australian Open Juniors in 2017. He is New Zealand's next big tennis star," says tournament founder Jason Helms.

Membership numbers in tennis clubs in New Zealand are on the decline, but Mount Maunganui Tennis Club is bucking this trend, with 27 per cent growth over the last year.

Former touring pro Helms says with tennis memberships in New Zealand decreasing, this tournament is important for the sport as it draws spectators to the club and they get to experience tennis culture, which is very social, supportive and health-focused.

"They also get inspired, as they watch such high-level tennis for free, and the vibe rubs off — because it is fun, fast and fancy tennis. Tennis clubs needs to innovate to attract memberships now. This might not be the silver bullet, but the spirit of what we are doing here is hitting the right mark," Helms said.

"People are time-poor, so we need to accommodate the game to fit in with our modern lifestyles."

Helms' goal was to create the effect on tennis that Twenty20 has had on cricket.

"Traditional competition tennis can go up to five sets, often taking hours to finish and people are just too busy these days to regularly watch games for that long."

Helms says top players are signing up for the competition because they like the fast-paced nature of the competition and it's not too hard on their bodies.

"Audiences are delighted to watch top women players hitting up against top male players — something you never ever see in regular singles tennis tournaments. It also provides the players with fantastic match practice and they get to play on our new courts.

"We couldn't have held the Sunday Shootout without the local sponsors, all of whom are passionate about tennis — most of them are premier tennis players. The major sponsor is Golden Homes, with the other official sponsors being Village PR & Marketing, AR&R, Sal's Authentic New York Pizza, Epic Windows & Doors, Spreadmaster Transport, Boshier Engineering Limited and Macchatio Global."

Play gets under way at 3.30pm with the finish due at 6.30pm. Free entry.