Game, set, championship

Above: Shane Murphy plays a massive forehand shot in the 2019 Narrabri and District Tennis Association senior club championships final against Rod Kirk on Sunday.

The Narrabri and District Tennis Association hosted the 2019 senior club championships on Sunday at the Dangar Park Tennis Centre.

There were three divisions contested on the day – men’s A-grade, men’s B-grade and open ladies.

Narrabri Tennis head coach Shane Murphy was one of the seven entrants in the men’s A-grade tournament, and the competition favourite won it in style.

He won all six of his round robin matches before cruising through a semi-final to qualify for the decider where he downed Rod Kirk 6-1.

The 2019 ladies’ club champion is Laura McFarland who also went through the tournament undefeated.

McFarland won both of her round robin games before winning the final 6-2 against Sonia Garbutt.

The B-grade men’s tournament was also claimed by an undefeated player as George Bennett won the final after winning all of his matches on the day.

He won all three of his round robin games before defeating Callum Wales 6-4 in the final.

This year’s senior club championships were the first since 2002.

Narrabri Tennis head coach and 2019 NDTA club champion Murphy said that numbers were lower than expected but the association would build on this year’s event for 2020.

“These club championships will be held annually from now on after not being played since 2002,” Murphy told The Courier.

“The A-grade men’s singles attracted seven players, B-grade men’s attracted four players and the open ladies’ singles had attracted four players but only three played due to a late withdrawal.

“The club considers these numbers on the low side but is using it as a foundation to get the ball rolling, in reinstating this tournament back into the NDTA comp schedule.

“The NDTA also has on the horizon the next tournament which will be the club championships doubles events.”

Murphy was an unstoppable force on Sunday, winning all six of his round robin matches.

In those contests he only conceded two games, in one match against eventual semi-finalist Josh Campbell, and won matches against Brock Heideman, Ryan Steel, Paul Bushby, Rod Kirk and Matt Nash 4-0.

In the semi-final Murphy challenged Steel and won 6-0.

In the other semi-final Kirk and Campbell were at one stage locked at three games each before Kirk ran away with the match to win 6-3.

In the decider Murphy was too good for Kirk, winning the contest 6-1.