"Hopefully that win inspires the troops," remarked Shane Wilson after the first singles tie in Hawke's Bay's premier men's interclub tennis final on Saturday.
In less than an hour Hughes and Smyth Unichem Pharmacy Team Wilson's No1 and captain had thrashed his Sainsbury Logan and Williams Team Curtis counterpart Damon Curtis 6-0, 6-0 at Napier's Onekawa courts.
Wilson's hopes were answered as his team went on to win 4-2 and become the inaugural winners of the Hawke's Bay Today Cup. Wilson blasted Curtis off the court.
His powerful serves continually found the corners and with Curtis struggling for length Wilson was able to hit numerous winners. Former national under-12s champion Finn Reynolds was also unbeaten for Team Wilson in the final.
Year nine student Reynolds, a member of the Napier Boys' High School team playing at this week's national secondary schools final in Auckland, beat Team Curtis No2 Andy Baker 6-1, 7-5 in singles play before combining with veteran Phil Murphy to beat Max Brewster and Mike Winkley 6-3, 6-3 in the No2 doubles clash.