Waiata will be aiming for third time lucky when they face Parnell in the men's Caro Bowl tennis final on Saturday having scored a draw and been beaten 2-4 by the regular champions this season.
Waiata defeated a young Mission Bay side in the minor final 4-2 in blustery conditions. With the result still live going into the final singles between Andrew Batie and Jacob Olsen, Mission Bay needed a straight set win for an outright victory or three-set win which would have meant countback.
The experienced Batie beat Olsen 6-4 6-3.
Alistair Hunt proved too good for Simon Rea in the top singles, though Rea took Hunt to a tiebreak in the first set. The doubles were split as Batie and Hunt beat Rea and Olsen in straight sets while Damien Mulhane and Utu Tuima defeated Ryan Bell and Peter Blows in straight sets.
The No 3 singles went to three sets as Mulhane and Cook traded groundstrokes with Cook keeping his cool to win.
Tuima was too steady for Bell in the number four singles winning in straight sets.
The grand final should be close as Waiata seem to have the better of Parnell in the top two singles and doubles, although they have not been able to make much headway in the three and four singles.
Tennis: Waiata on song for final
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