By Sam Campbell
WITH the annual Championships done and dusted and new and defending champions crowned, Broken Hill’s spring tennis competition returned with the first week of finals.
On the Wednesday night, the qualifying final was played between Net Ninjas and Couldabeens.
With the first spot in the Division 1 grand final up for grabs, Net Ninjas jumped out of the blocks with a crushing 7-0 win by Nathan Crabb and Ken Caldwall over Glen Andrich and Jamie Passlow.
Couldabeens bounced back with a set of their own with Joe Worgan and Leonie Channing besting Praise Ukpong and Phoebe Anderson 7-5.
Ukpong and Crabb teamed up next and trounced Andrich and Worgan 7-1 to put Net Ninjas back in front.
Couldabeens struck back one more to see the match tied at two sets apiece.
Crabb secured his third set of the night as he and Anderson won a gruelling tiebreaker.
Caldwall and Ukpong got the job done in the last set of the night, claiming victory for Net Ninjas four sets 37 games to two sets 24 games.
Net Ninjas are straight through to the grand final, while Couldabeens will exercise their second chance.
In the elimination final, Macblack and Keen-On Balls did battle.
Despite a gallant fight, Keen-On Balls could not jag a single set across the night.
Macblack’s squad of Ash Mason, Jack Woods, Hamish Curtis and Luke Barnes were far too good with a 6-42 to 0-23 scoreline their reward and spot in the prelim final.
Moving onto Thursday and the Open A fixture.
Suspiciously, both matches did not have a scoresheet completed at the end of the match play.
What we know coming out of the night is that Topspins are through to the grand final after beating Backhands, while Volleys defeated Dropshots in the elimination.
