For the first time in 30 years Ngatitoa Tennis Club is sporting a men?s team in the premier one competition. Club Captain Greg Ratcliffe says Ngatitoa Tennis Club is very proud of the achievement. ?The majority of this team has been with the club for many seasons and are committed to their support of Ngatitoa Tennis Club,? Mr Ratcliffe says. The club has two men?s teams playing in the Slazenger competition, both looking good on early season results. Ngatitoa Tennis Club also has two women?s teams in the premier division of Wellington tennis. ?In the women?s team our number one is Kelly Southwood, and she has had a great start to the season with only one loss out of five games to date. ?Our aim is for them to join the men in the premier one competition,? he says. The women?s premier two team are currently second in the competition. Mr Ratcliffe says the blustery spring weather has not dampened their season. ?We have been blessed by being a hidden haven from the northerly winds of Wellington,? says Mr Ratcliffe. Since last season the club?s membership has grown to include 60 senior players and 50 juniors and has seen an increase in both leagues this season. Ngatitoa Junior Tennis Club is ?on the re-build? and has five teams in the regional competition. Meanwhile at the Tawa-Lyndhurst Tennis Club membership has seen an increase of around 20 percent this season. They have 12 junior and 11 senior interclub teams playing in social and competitive competitions across Wellington region. ?This season we fed in 12 juniors into senior interclub teams...hence our future competitive playing base is strong and growing. ?This is the first time in a long time the club?is managing to?feed junior players into competitive senior players,? says club manager Julie Roberts.? Francis Glover is Tawa-Lyndhurst?s head coach and is supported by qualified assistant coaches who all play high-level interclub tennis. ?There is a huge increase in coaching groups with 55 hours of weekly court time coaching now happening at the club,? Mrs Roberts says. Junior successes are beginning to emerge, with junior players winning tournaments all over the country. Pratt Keerasuntonpong is ranked 18th in the country for under 12s and moving up fast. The club is focused on raising $30,000 to resurface their back three courts that are currently out of action due to cracking and mounds. They plan to get this completed in January so they can cater to growing membership. In Petone the local tennis club caters to a more relaxed crowd with Epuni mid-week ladies club using the court twice a week. Mid-week veterans? play on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon and members of Forty Club use the courts on Saturday morning. ?The club has a friendly environment and members are very keen players. ?On any given club day, 10-12 members usually come for playing,? says Petone Tennis Club treasurer Amit Acharya. Around 60-70 players use the club facilities, which includes 3 tennis courts and a cosy clubroom. Club days are on Saturday, Sunday and public holiday. On these days, the games are organised from 1pm to 5pm. ?Club members regularly participate in various Inter club Wellington and Hutt valley region tournaments,? Mr Acharya says. Petone tennis club is open all year round and has a steady membership of 30 people. ?
