Tennis: Men deliver tennis masterclass

The Rotorua men's tennis team have turned on their best performance of the season to beat Whakatane. Pictured is Rotorua's Shaun Tamai. Photo / Stephen Parker

The Rotorua men's tennis team have made a clear statement of intent after thumping Whakatane 6-0 in the Waikato Bays premier interclub tennis competition.

Most people would have expected a close encounter between the two sides on Saturday, as Whakatane went into the fixture as competition leaders.

But Rotorua showed why they are the defending champions, winning both doubles matches and all four singles matches in front of a good home crowd.

"We are very stoked. It was a great weekend for us, we all turned up," Rotorua No1 seed Shaun Tamai said.

"We were all quite nervous before the match because we knew Whakatane were playing so well. "But we got a good look at them during the doubles matches and we had a good chat with the boys [before the singles], and we were all confident we could beat them."

Tamai said the match on Saturday was their best performance of the season, but they were still surprised to win 6-0 in the round-five fixture.

"We did not expect to win so convincingly," he said.

"Everyone was just on their game on Saturday and revved up to see where we were in the competition."

Tamai said it made a huge difference playing at home, at the Rotorua Tennis Club, following three straight matches on the road.

"We know our court so well and the particular surface, rebound ace, suits all our games," he said.

"Also when we are at home in front of our supporters it makes a big difference."

The victory on Saturday will send out a clear message to all other teams in the competition now that Rotorua will be very hard to beat to the title this season.

"I think it showed that when our back is against the wall it seems to bring the best out of us."

Rotorua leapfrogged Whakatane on the ladder after their impressive win and now sit in either first or second spot, depending on other league results which were yet to be submitted as of yesterday afternoon.

Rotorua 6 Whakatane 0

Singles: Shaun Tamai bt Niko Barr 6/4, 6/3; Sean Martin bt
Paul Roberts 7/6, 6/1; James Wilce bt Mark Ratana 4/6, 7/5,
6/4; Jesse Galvin-Dawson bt Ben Howe 6/1, 6/1.

Doubles: Shaun Tamai and Sean Martin bt Niko Barr and
Mark Ratana 6/3, 6/7, 14/12; James Wilce and Jesse Galvin-
Dawson bt Paul Roberts and Ben Howe 6/3, 7/6.