New talent augurs well for tennis champions

USING a mixture of the new and the older, PE Club have been crowned PE and District men's premier A champions in this year's winter leagues.

It was a close finish at the end, with PE Club ending three points ahead of Victoria Park, whose rained-out game against NMMU A saw them share the points to trail PE on the final log.

In any event, VP would have needed 11 points from that NMMU game to overhaul PE, which would have been a tough task against a potentially strong varsity team.

Despite losing their clash to VP, PE Club were full value for their victory and encouraging for them is that four members of their seven-strong squad are still at school.

Shaun Watson and Dane Mechali are at Grey, while Justin Impey and Wade Hoft go to Pearson, and if PE can hang on to their services, their immediate future looks bright. Balancing the average age in the squad were No1 Andrew Stuart, still playing fine tennis at the age of 45, Brendan Dryden and Helgard Zietsman.

This season, Zietsman took the role as manager after breaking a bone in his left leg while playing Stuart in the Eastern Cape Veterans semifinals in June.

The women's first league title was won by the consistent VP outfit, spearheaded by Jayne Turner, who were seldom tested in their competition.

VP won all four matches and ended with 42 out of a possible 48 points, finishing 12 points ahead of second-placed Oval.

The final logs are:

Men Premier A: PE 52, VP 49, NMMU A 40, NMMU B 34, Rhodes 33, Despatch 17

Premier B: J Bay 62, Sunridge Pk 50, Gelvan Eagles and Oval 35, Despatch 32, Drostdy 25

1st A: Wv 54, Addo 44, VP 32, PE 28, Oval 24, Drostdy 8

1st B (three unless stated): J Bay 42, Park Ave 36, Despatch 30, Gelvan Eagles 16, Rhodes 15

2nd: Walmer 44, Wv 36, Advantage 28, Sunridge Pk 22, Summerwood 19 Oval 18

3rd: Sunridge Pk A 41, Sunridge Pk B 37, Oval 31, Walmer 29, Despatch 18, Addo 14

4th: Drostdy 46, Park Ave 45, Addo 31, NMBM 5

Women 1st: VP 42, Oval 30, PE 27, Wv 21, NMMU 6

2nd: J Bay 43, Oval 36, Sunridge Pk 25, Addo 24, Despatch 22, Rhodes 12

3rd: Wv 44, Oval 42, Park Ave 29, Sunridge 24, Despatch 15, NMBM 2