SEMI-FINALS bring out the best, from experienced tennis players seeking one more title to juniors chasing the holy grail of State League.
This round had both with an upset at Cottesloe in the women’s competition and the Mosman Park men too powerful for Hensman to make their second grand final in a row.
In what was a replay of last year’s women’s grand-final, Cottesloe hosted Blue Gum and led by Federation Cup captain Alicia Molik, got away to a good start with a 6-3 6-2 win over Katy O’Shea, who has carried an illness all season.
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READ NOWBlue Gum fought back with two wins by Sheridan Currie over Lexie Weir and Marissa Gianotti over Brenda Plint to have Cottesloe in trouble.
It all came to a crashing end when Cottesloe’s Luna Jokanovic sadly went down heavily with a twisted ankle at 4-4 against Hannah Innes and both her singles and doubles had to be forfeited.
Blue Gum recorded a 4-1 win to make their second grand-final in a row.
In the other semi, the rampant Royal Kings Park women’s team demolished City Beach in a one-sided match led by Bojana Bosbusic who beat Steph Watson 6-1 6-1.
With the same team as last week, Janelle Cuthbertson and Brittany Sheed delivered one-sided wins and as soon as Nina Catovic took the first set against City’s Tsige Lacey, Kings Park had made the final of the competition they have dominated all season.
In the men’s event, Mosman Park were away to Hensman, which was also a replay of last year’s controversial final, with Mosman Park victorious four rubbers to one.
With a powerful team led by touring pro Brydan Klein who beat Zach Itzstein 6-3 6-2 and Aaron Leederchard who won 6-1 6-4 over Cameron Fenner, Hensman were going to be hard to beat.
Hensman number two Rhys Johnson kept them in the match with a straight sets win over Brenton Bacon and it took a gutsy three set win by Alex Downey for Mosman Park to secure the fixture.
Down 4-6 and facing five match points in the second set against James Stuttard, Downey dug in to hold on for a fighting 4-6 7-6 6-2 win.
In the other men’s semi-final, Cottesloe delivered a workman-like win on grass against Royal Kings Park.
Andrew Roberts’ win over Royal Kings Park’s number two Jake Robinson and Will Hann’s straight-sets win over Ryan Maxwell put Cottesloe well in front.
Cottesloe junior and number one player Tristan Schoolkate ground out a 4-6 6-1 6-3 win over Royal Kings Park’s Sam Ashenden and with Cottesloe’s Joel Pleydell scrambling a set against Darren Slater, Cottesloe had done enough.