Rivonia tennis champs serve intense quarter-finals

PAULSHOF – The finals of the Tennis Club Championships are fast approaching, and the past weekend saw high intensity in the quarter-finals.

March 24, 2022

Khomotso Makgabutlane 1 minute read

Karyn Hambridge in action during a mixed-doubles match at Rivonia Recreation Club. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

Rivonia Recreation Club tennis members took to the courts for the annual Tennis Club Championships on February 20.

With the quarter-finals taking place over the weekend, doubles and mixed-doubles matches were played in which intense tennis action was seen. The finals of the singles, doubles and mixed-doubles will be take place on March 5 and 6.

Club manager Matthew Bayley during a rally in a doubles match against David Smith and Hanns Spangenberg. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

Club manager Matthew Bayley was also involved in the tennis action with doubles partner Guy Eagle. They played against David Smith and Hanns Spangenberg in a close match. Smith and Spangenberg were victors, wining in straight sets 6–2 6–3. Bayley said the tournament had been interesting and that the matches leading up to the finals were something to look forward to.

Chairman of the tennis club Thorbjorn Ottesen plays in a mixed-doubles match in the Tennis Club Championships. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

“When we do the draws, the unseeded players names are drawn out of a hat. What was nice this year is that there are a lot of players who got to play each other by chance who are very similar in skill level on paper… the draw just happened that teams and players close to their levels got to play each other,” he said. Mixed-doubles matches took place later in the afternoon with Thorbjorn Ottesen and Catherine Knowles in a tight match against Duncan Horne and Karyn Hambridge. The latter were victorious.