Castlemaine Lawn Tennis Club will be hosting an exciting tennis event on Sunday October 4, 1 - 4pm. The Victoria UTR Series is a Tennis Victoria initiative and is open to juniors and adults. The Fast4 round robin format is lots of fun and all players will get to play three matches.
On a warm, windless evening, a good sized crowd watched Helen Kaptein play Demi Kowal for the women's singles title. It was aggressive tennis from the first serve and it looked like a 3-set thriller was inevitable. But many matches, particularly finals, are decided by a few key points. Helen won the first set 6-0 but the flow of play felt more like 3-3.
In the second set Demi adopted the "hit the ball really hard" strategy and winners started to flow, it looked like she might level the match. But Helen has stacks of trophies and flags for a reason. Receiving at 4-4 she hit two winners down the line, got the break and served out the match.
Too good... this time round. Let's hope they meet again next year. We might make them play best of 5, just so we can enjoy the show.
Demi Kowal and Helen Kaptein - Women's singles finalists
Men's singles final - Brodie 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
Our top seeds, Brodie Murray and Leigh Campbell, made it to the final without dropping a set. It was a match of contrasting styles - Brodie's athleticism, consistency and counter-punching vs Leigh's shot-making and aggressive net play.
Leigh was best early and won the first set 6-3, but Brodie settled and won the second and third sets 6-1, 6-2. In the end Brodie's patience and fitness out-lasted Leigh's know-how and shot-making. The match went for just under 2 hours.
That's two club champs in a row for Brodie and he's improving each year, so he'll be ready for a third in 2020. Some players have suggested Brodie play in gumboots or carry a few bricks to even things up - worth a thought ☺.
Leigh Campbell and Brodie Murray - Men's singles finalists
Doubles final - Linda and Maree 6-4, 6-2
Congratulations to Linda Holden and Maree Sartori for winning the doubles grand final 6-4, 6-2 against Brett Fitzpatrick and Paul Puttifoot.
It was an entertaining match (the crowd was disappointed it didn't go to 3 sets) with plenty of aggressive action on the net, and played in good spirits.
That's yet another trophy for Linda and Marie, they've won almost everything that's on offer.
Linda Holden and Maree Sartori - 2019 doubles champs
Special thanks to President Sam Beckett who organised and ran the club champs and umpired the men's final. He's also been busy raising funds for the club in the carpark during the Castlemaine Festival, working on the club's master plan and a 1000 other things. Please say thanks to Sam for all his hard work when you next see him.
A WONDERFUL BOOST FOR THE PROFILE OF TENNIS AS A SPORT IN THE MOUNT ALEXANDER REGION
Thurs PM 11:30am to 2:30 pm = Approx 210 kids from Years 3 to 4 mainly, with a few older ones from smaller schools from wider places
(Campbell’s Creek, Maldon, Newstead, Harcourt Valley, Elphinstone, Taradale, Olivet Christian)
Fri AM 9:30am to 12:30 pm = Approx 160 kids from Years 3 to 4 from Castlemaine schools
(Castlemaine North, Castlemaine South, Campbell’s Creek, Winter’s Flat)
Fri AM 12:30am to 2:30 pm = Approx 170 kids from Years 5 to 6 from Castlemaine schools
(Castlemaine North, Castlemaine South, Campbell’s Creek, Winter’s Flat)
FANTASTICALLY WELL ORGANISED BY Carly McGinniskin & a large team from Tennis Victoria - Adam Crameri (Manager), Peter Bertoncini, Susie Dundas, Gabby, + about 3 or 4 others
OUR COURTS HAVE NEVER LOOKED SO NEAT AND CLEAN AND FREE OF LEAVES, GRASS ETC (Great effort from Marion & Peter Landy to get the courts looking good with much help finishing off by Graham Forbes, Merv Dowling, Peter … )
GREAT WORK DONE BY SALLY KAPTEIN – biscuits cooked, flowers in clubhouse, water and cups out for kids
MUCH APPRECIATED 400 APPLES (every one used) BY SALLY KAPTEIN & MARGARET GRANT and these paid for ($150) by tennis Victoria, kindly
GRAHAM AND SALLY ON HAND THROUGHOUT BOTH DAYS AND JO RHONE ON THE FRIDAY – helping out where we could
AIDAN FITZGERALD THERE FOR THE START ON THURS & A COUPLE OF HOURS TO “Raise the profile of the Coaching Opportunity”
We handed out over 400 flyers about the club and coaching & hot shots
SALLY ORGANISED A DRONE KINDLY PROVIDED BY CPG Property Group which flew over the courts on the Thurs pm and tool a video of it all
Brodie Murray has taken out the Castlemaine Lawn Tennis Club singles championship in a hard fought and very entertaining encounter with Mark Nascimento on Sunday 25th March.
In a very tight first set the seventh game produced 6 deuces before Mark held serve. The set featured several long rallies from the back of the court with each player testing the other’s depth of shot. At times Mark showed an attacking style as he forced Brodie into the backhand corner of the court where he often forced an error. With 4 breaks of serve, Brodie finally held serve in the 12th game to win the first set 7-5.
Early in the second set Mark held a 2-0 advantage, but Brodie broke back immediately in the third game and then won 5 consecutive games with a dazzling choice of shot whilst showing a maturity beyond his age. Mark saved a championship point in the 8th game, before going down 6-3.
At 16 years of age, Brodie Murray obviously has a long tennis future ahead of him and it is hoped he will around for many years as the club approaches it’s 125th anniversary of the club championships in 2022. A thanks to Lincoln Fitzgerald for umpiring the final and Sally Kaptein for the refreshments.
The Castlemaine Lawn Tennis Club has just held its annual club championships.
Winners and Runners-Up of all events are
Open Singles
Winner Brodie Murray
Runner-Up Mark Nascimento
Under 18 Singles
Winner Brodie Murray
Runner-Up Stefan Maroudas
Junior 1 / Under 15 Singles
Winner Lewis Murray
Runner-Up Finian MacKenzie
Junior 2 / Under 11 Singles
Winner Noah Sartori
Runner-Up Ciara MacKenzie
Runner-Up Girls J2 Singles Anthea Carlile
Runner-Up Boys J2 Singles Raf Forbes
Big thanks to all competitors and volunteers for making the club champs a success.
Left is Runner-Up Finian MacKenzie, Centre Graham Forbes (Junior Organizer), Right is Winner Lewis MurrayLeft is Winner Noah Sartori, Centre Graham Forbes (Junior Organizer), Right is Runner-Up Ciara MacKenzieLeft is Runner-Up Stefan Maroudas, Right is Winner Brodie Murray
ANZ invited our junior members to the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Day at the 2018 Australian Open on Thursday 18 January. We are part of Tennis Australia’s Community Play program which is delivered at clubs with sessions run by local volunteers making tennis more accessible for children living in regional areas.
Each year, ANZ invites Community Play clubs to attend ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Day at the Australian Open which includes ground passes and travel costs. This year we were one of the lucky clubs chosen to attend.
The club members had the chance to meet three-time Paralympic gold medallist Dylan Alcott.
Bring the family to the club for a relaxed game of tennis on Sunday from 2pm. Balls supplied and of course the 'kettle' is always on for a cuppa.
We want to return to the days when Sunday afternoon tennis was just part of the social calendar and we hope to have a mix of people and ages- for new friendships and new tennis partnerships on court. We will help arrange games and can provide hot shot nets for the children.
Cost: $3.00 for members (to cover cost of new balls) and $6.00 for non-members
There are smiles on the faces of the players who participated in last weekend's club championships.
This was the first year that our club championships were held over the one weekend and we're delighted with the numbers and the standard of tennis. The fun the competitors had was obvious - but the competition was still keen.
The junior singles singles was hotly contested.When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object - Helen Kaptein beat Bryan Fitzgerald 10-8 in the third set. This was the match of the tournament (and there were quite a few good ones).
Winners for 2016
Junior singles - Luke Casley
Senior singles - Ben Bailey
Men's doubles - Peter Bertoncini and Matt Butler
Women's doubles - Linda Holden and Maree Sartori
Mixed doubles - Tammy and Jack Chaplin.
Junior singles champion Luke Casley.Nico Cathary presents Ben Bailey the singles trophyMen's doubles champions Peter Bertoncini and Matt Butler.Women's doubles champions Maree Sartori and Linda Holden.Mixed doubles champions Jack and Tammy Chaplin.
We also organised a trivia night on Saturday with over 80 attending and raised just over $900.