Tennis
3 October, 2025
Tennis season ready to serve up
The Central Wimmera Tennis Association will kick off the 2025-26 season this weekend, with senior competition commencing across four grades.
Association vice-president Brett Thompson says players are keen to start the season and might take some time to adjust following the short turnaround of the winter sports season.
“The association is really excited to get tennis under way,” Thompson said.
“A fair few players are probably going to be a little bit rusty and it may take a few weeks to get into the groove of things but I’m sure everybody is looking forward to it.”
This season, four teams will compete for the pennant premiership, with Drung South dropping down to A special.
This Saturday’s opening round will see all pennant fixtures played at Horsham Lawn, where St Michaels will meet Central Park and defending premiers Horsham Lawn take on Kalkee.
Thompson says he expects a hotly contested season between the four pennant teams.
“I think the four teams will be very even,” Thompson said.
“Horsham Lawn have actually won the last two premierships in the pennant but all the teams are constantly changing with people going away to uni or people retiring.
“I think the pennant season should be very exciting.”
Keen to challenge Horsham Lawn in the pennant division will be St Michaels, with club president Chris Ellis acknowledging most of last year’s squad will be returning.
“Of the men, there'll be Steve Schultz, Peter Hayes, Eli Bailey, Nick Robertson and me so that’s five that we can sort of just rotate,” Ellis said.
“Our ladies will be similar to last year but we picked up Violet McGennisken.
"She played a few games with us last year filling in and played really well so we've got her and we've got our regulars who played last year: Mia Rees, Kassie Peachey, Barb Crough and Jess Cannane."
Ross McIntyre, president of Central Park Tennis Club, says he is excited to see the club’s young players continue to progress in the senior ranks.
“We had a few junior players in the top two grades last year as it was, and we will see youngster Sienna Nitschke step up into pennant from A special,” McIntyre said.
“Yassasri Sumanapala is stepping up from A grade to A special, and he grew leaps and bounds last season.”
Thompson, who also serves as president of Horsham Lawn Tennis Club, acknowledged the progression of several juniors stepping up into the senior ranks for the club.
"There are at least six of our juniors who are committing full-time for seniors, which will be great for the club and great for them," Thompson said.
The opening round of the A special competition sees Horsham Lawn O’Connor host Drung South, Homers will take on Natimuk at Homers Tennis Club, and Brimpaen will travel to Horsham to take on Horsham Lawn Dorman.
In A grade, Horsham Lawn Tigers have stepped up from B special and will host St Michaels this weekend; Central Park host Homers; Haven Red face Horsham Lawn McGennisken in Haven; and Haven Blue host Horsham Lawn Ahern.
In B special, Natimuk open their season against Laharum, Haven host Horsham Lawn Bardell, and Horsham Lawn Savage take on Central Park.
This season, pennant will play 16 rounds, with the other three grades playing 15.
Finals will commence on February 28 for A special, A grade and B special, while pennant will begin finals on March 14, with grand finals being played on March 21 next year.
The junior season will commence the following Saturday, October 11.