Super 8 Tennis – Tauranga - Third Place
The event was played in Tauranga at the Papamoa Tennis Club.
Day 1 Monday
Round 1 Tauranga Boys’ College #2 Won 6-0
A comfortable victory for the team.
Round 2 Hamilton Boys’ High School Drew 3-3 (lost on sets, 6-7)
A very close tie. 2 all after doubles, but a set down, the team had to win both doubles. The team won one, but couldn’t manage the other. A disappointing result and our first loss to Hamilton in two years
Day 2 Tuesday
Round 3 Bye
Round 4 Tauranga Boys’ College Semifinal Lost 4 – 0
The team struggled against an in-form Tauranga side. The first sets in 3 out of the 4 singles went to a tie break. The resulting losses and the loss of the matches soon after, was disappointing, but a deserved.
Day 3 Wednesday
Napier Boys’ High School 3rd/4th Playoff Drew 3-3 (won on sets, 8 -6)
After the disappointment of the previous losses, it was hard to lift the team for this match. Overcast conditions matched the mood of the Squad. 2 all again after singles, but this time a set up. Needing a clean win in the doubles, the team won one and lost the other in 3 sets to guarantee a solid win and a confidence booster for the National Qualifier the day after in Wellington.
National Secondary Schools Tennis Tournament – Qualifier
Hutt International Boys’ School Won 4 - 2
This match was always an uphill battle. HIBS were the second ranked Wellington School and seeded above us. Singles again went 2-2, and in similar circumstances to the Hamilton game only 2 days earlier, we were a set down.
Needing to win both doubles, the team had to trust the process. Bottom doubles had a convincing win, top doubles bounced back from losing the first set to force a 3rd. Winning the 3rd set comfortably (in the super tie break) meant we had qualified for the National Secondary Schools tournament in Christchurch as the second ranked Zone 3 (Central) school. More importantly, the team had fought back from a losing position to triumph in the end, proving the phrase ‘diamonds are made under pressure’.
