Women hold all the aces

After a strong showing in a rain-affected match at Hunters Hill Club in the previous round, Sydney University’s 1/1 women recorded a clean-sweep against Tennis Valley 2 at Manning courts on Saturday in Round 3 of the Tennis Sydney Badge competition.

Picking up where they left off in Perth, Sydney University’s 2010 Green and Gold champions Hayley Ericksen and Benita Milenkiewicz were a class above their opponents, winning all four of their rubbers in convincing fashion.

On the adjacent court, Rachel Assef paired with Wesley College newcomer Simone Ludeke and met greater resistance from world seniors champion Carol Campling and Robyn Rickard, before edging out the Tennis Valley visitors in two tight tie-breakers.

Assef and Ludeke picked up the pace in the reverse rubbers, defeating their young opponents Stephanie Asprey and Rebecca Jones 6/4 6/3.

The men’s 1/1 home match against competition cellar-dwellers Jensen’s was a much closer affair.

Bouncing back after a 1/6 loss in their first set, AUGs gold medallists Kris Balakrishnan and Gavin Levy won the next two sets in tie-breaks, and capped off their day with a 6/2 demolition job in the last.

Meanwhile, Brian Ly and Anthony Tuong won their first two sets easily before running into trouble. But despite a 3/6 1/6 scoreline in the final two rubbers, the Sydney University boys still managed to notched up the match victory.

“We didn’t play badly in the last two,” Tuong said. “They just didn’t miss.”

“We got the breaks when it counted,” added Levy.

Tennis Sydney Badge Competition – Round 2 – Saturday 19 March

Women – Grade 1/1

Sydney University (1) 4/35 v Hunters Hill (1) 1/24 at Hunters Hill Club (rain stopped play)

Rachel Assef & Hayley Ericksen v Belinda Crane & Allison Smith 4/6 6/2

Casey Cross & Benita Milenkiewicz v Kelly Blake & Juliann Jacobson 6/4 6/2

Rachel Assef & Hayley Ericksen v Kelly Blake & Juliann Jacobson 4/5 (unf.)

Casey Cross & Benita Milenkiewicz v Belinda Crane & Allison Smith 6/3 3/2 (unf.)

All other matches were washed out.

Round 3 – Saturday 26 March

Women

1/1 Sydney University (1) 8/48 d Tennis Valley (2) 0/24 at Manning

1/4 Sydney University (2) 5/41 d Collaroy (1) 3/25 at Manning

1/4 Killara (1) 8/48 d Sydney University (3) 0/12 at Killara

2/1 Sydney University (4) 7/47 d Beecroft (1) 1/26 at Beecroft

2/2 Manly (5) 5/40 d Sydney University (5) 3/33 at Manly

Men

1/1 Sydney University (1) 5/35 d Jensen’s (1) 3/36 at Manning

1/2 Neutral Bay (1) 8/48 d Sydney University (2) 0/26 at Manning

1/4 Cheltenham (1) 6/43 d Sydney University (3) 1/23 at Manning

1/5 Marrickville (2) 5/43 d Sydney University (4) 3/35 at Marrickville

2/1 Southern Districts (1) 7/46 d Sydney University (5) 1/26 at Southern Districts

2/2 Sydney University (6) 5/37 d Killara (4) 3/36 at Killara

2/3 Marrickville (3) 6/44 d Sydney University (7) 2/26 at Marrickville

2/3 Royal Sydney (2) 4/38 d Sydney University (8) 4/35 at Manning

2/6 Sydney University (9) 6/43 d Manly (6) 2/33 at Manning

2/8 Tennis Valley (6) 7/47 d SU (10) 1/25 at Tennis Valley 

3/1 Royal Sydney (7) 6/42 d Sydney University (11) 2/32 at Royal Sydney

3/2 Sydney University (12) 5/35 d Royal Sydney (9) 3/31 at Royal Sydney