Tennis Champion of Champions Tournament
Day 1 report – Tuesday 8 March
The Champion of Champions Tennis Tournament is a knock-out competition for the top two players from each Auckland school in the junior, intermediate and senior age categories. Given the cancellation and postponement of other Tennis events this term, the event has taken on extra importance.
On Day 1, Form 3 students L. M. Bland and Z. Mei represented the junior division. Mei won his first round singles match convincingly, before coming up short against the number one seed from Westlake Boys High School in the second round
Bland had a bye, before an impressive 9-3 win over his King’s College opponent. Competing against the number three seed from Westlake Boys High School in the quarter-finals, Bland produced a spirited comeback to impressively win 9-6 and move into the semi-finals.
In the junior doubles, Bland and Mei played well, but lost 9-5 to Sacred Heart College.
In the absence of last year’s junior doubles winners B. J. M. Archbold and H. S. M. Bassett, Form 5 students L. N. Barker and K. Inoue had the opportunity of representing Auckland Grammar in the intermediate competition. They were given very tough draws in both singles and doubles and sadly failed to progress, but have gained a lot from the experience and can look forward to future fixtures.
Form 6 student O. J. A. Anderson and 2022 Captain of Tennis C. Lim had some great games in the senior division. Anderson performed very impressively in his singles match against Westlake Boys High School, and was unfortunate to be on the wrong side of a 9-7 score. After receiving a bye, Lim opened his tournament with an emphatic 9-0 win over his Botany Downs Secondary College counterpart and is now through to the quarter-finals.
In the senior doubles, Anderson and Lim were unable to match the very high standards of their King’s College opponents, and lost 9-5 in an entertaining duel.
All players showed great Grammar pride, and we wish Bland and Lim the very best of luck as they progress to the finals of the junior and senior singles on Thursday 10 March.
Day 2 report – Thursday 10 March
After impressive performances on Day 1 of the tournament, Auckland Grammar had two representatives in the later stages of the Champion of Champions Tennis Tournament, in Form 4 student L. M. Bland and 2022 Captain C. Lim.
Senior singles player Lim had dispatched his opponent with ease on Day 1, but had a challenging quarter-final against a higher-ranked player from Westlake Boys High School. The game was played in great competitive spirit and to a very high standard. Despite beginning to mount an unlikely comeback from 8-2 down, Lim ended up with a respectable 9-6 defeat to the overall more consistent player.
Having had two terrific wins on Day 1 – including a 9-6 comeback win in the quarter-final – junior singles player Bland had his semi-final encounter against a tough rival from Sacred Heart College. They were in the early exchanges of what was looking to be an exciting match, when the Sacred Heart player became injured and had to retire. This was not the way Bland wanted to claim victory, but he now moves into the final next Tuesday.
All the best to Bland in the final, as he will look to bring home the junior singles title for Auckland Grammar School.