This weekend sees the finals of the Tennis NSW Autumn Badge competition get under way, with three of our five remaining teams set to fly the Strathfield Sports Club flag.
Congratulations to all members who participated over the 14 rounds this season and represented the club admirability – we know a lot of fun was had along the way.
Many players had to lift their game to compete in a higher division, with every team proving victorious in the final round which was indicative of the vast improvement across the board.
Here’s an update from all our captains on how their respective campaigns played out – and good luck to the three teams playing for a spot in the decider against Manly on Saturday!
Strathfield 2 (Men’s 1.2)
Much like Nick Kyrgios’ performance at the Cincinnati Masters this week our Strathfield 2 side were able to turn their form around this season but came up just short.
They rounded out the season with comprehensive wins over Neutral Bay and Sydney University and also defeated first-placed Tennis Valley.
Unfortunately they left their run just a little too late, missing out on the top four by the slimmest of margins – 0.5 point!
The team were confident of going all the way if they’d reached the semis but instead will look forward to next season knowing they can mix it with the best teams in the division.
Strathfield 3 (Men’s 2.2)
Our Strathfield 3 side also finished the season strongly, climbing to second spot on the final standings thanks to wins over Royal Sydney and minor premiers Killara.
Their reward is a home semi-final on Saturday (saving a long trip across Sydney) where they’ll play Manly Men 4.
Strathfield 4 (Men’s 2.3)
Strathfield 4 ended their season on a positive note, claiming a convincing 7 sets to 1 home triumph over Manly, adding their own chapter to this club rivalry.
The result saw them finish the season in sixth place, with wins in three of their last four ties and also denied their opposition a spot in the finals.
Strathfield 5 (Men’s 2.5)
Our Strathfield 5 side certainly took their move up to a higher grade in their stride, taking out the minor premiership for the second straight season in what proved to be a hotly contested division.
Following a slow start the side was another to finish the season strongly, claiming first by just 0.5 point after victory over Royal Sydney in the final round.
They’ll also square off against Manly on Saturday in what promises to be a tight affair.
Strathfield 6 (Men’s 3.1)
Our Strathfield 6 outfit will be fresh from a week off when they also host Manly on Saturday after finishing the season in second – just one point in front of their opposition!
Their resounding win over Sydney University in the penultimate round proved to be decisive and they’ll be confident of booking a spot in the final after claiming a solid win the last time the two sides met.
Once again congratulations to everyone involved in Autumn Badge in 2017 and hopefully we’ll see some more silverware added to the SSC coffers before the season is out.
Stay tuned for more details about upcoming inter-club competitions and tennis news and we look forward to entering multiple teams in this year’s Spring Badge!