Northern Campaigners Post Promising Results Whilst Fixture Contests Go Down to Wire

A few would-be Rocky representatives missed out on participating in the Mackay Open Championships on the weekend due to a variety of reasons but those who were able to take part reported that plenty of competitive matches were on offer.

James O’Sullivan reached the semi-finals stage of his two veteran events but was knocked out in the Over-50 by the improved Jerrod Thompson from Moreton Bay while he bowed out to Townsville’s ever-reliable Max Wellington in the Over-60. Julien Wright returned some encouraging outcomes before a back complaint ruled him out of some of his favoured events and Jeff Jordan continues to produce valuable consistency to record some good results. He reached the final of his rating-event but went down to Mackay’s Lee Brake. Michelle Ilott played well in her ratings events and will benefit from the experience of tournament play.   

The last round of fixtures in open grade saw an incredible number of singles matches that were decided with very close score-lines and while some doubles ties went down to the wire. In top division four teams are currently tied in first place while in the second section three outfits are sharing the lead so interest is building all round.   

Young Cooper Bulow, who is enjoying his first year in the top division, has registered a few good wins since his promotion. He narrowly failed to upstage the tenacious game of James O’Sullivan when he went down in five good sets where he kept his positive plays in action during the whole clash. He also narrowly failed to overcome the solid game of Jakob Baker and after winning the first set to deuce went down in the next three by the mandatory two-point margin, two at deuce.

Former long-standing local Gerard Watts, who resides and plays at the Gold Coast these days, returned ‘home’ and picked up a spot as a sub and did very well. He really took it up to Rayden Smith and held a two-games to one lead where all the sets had two-point margins before Smith’s game took control and he stole a win after being in trouble. Watts and Ann-Louise Stewart also had a great battle with the occasional visitor taking the clash over four sets while Stewart just held out Glen McDonald in another five-setter.

Judd Carr, who is the youngest player in the comp, staged a good comeback win over Monica Deeth after just holding out his challenger 11-9 in the decider. Deeth must have been in good touch on the night as she ousted Nick Green 12-10, 12-10, 7-11, 11-9 in a classic encounter. In a battle between two of the club’s reliable left-handers Green took it right up the current city men’s singles champion Matthew Pettett and won two sets at deuce but the bad news for him was that Pettett played too strongly to win three.

In second division newcomer to the comp Sajan Baral went point for point with Hilton Kane before he set up a fine victory 8-11, 11-7, 10-12, 12-10, 12-10. In this match Julien Wright set up a big win over Geoffrey Geddes over four tight games. Linda O’Sullivan held out a bold challenge provided by Helga Leitner to win a good match by a few points in the decider and in a similar scenario Chris Leitner had to dig deep to keep Pam Clarke at bay over five long games where the victor lead two-zero early on. Joe Clifton set up a great win over Oliver Wright 3-2 after Wright lead by two games to nil.