Historic tennis win

A Gippsland girls tennis team recorded an historic win at the Associations Junior Pennant (AJP) competition on the weekend.

The 14 and under girls' team was the first to be accepted to represent Gippsland at the AJP - the premier junior tennis competition in the state.

There are strict player rating requirements for team entry, and if players don't meet requirements, the team doesn't make the cut to play.

Over the weekend the Gippsland girls had their opening round against Berwick and District Tennis Association (BDTA).

It was a hard-fought day with wind playing havoc across the courts.

Two of the matches went to super tie breakers with quality tennis being shown from both teams throughout the whole day across singles and doubles.

The BDTA girls put up a fantastic fight, but the Gippsland girls came away with the win.

"This makes it the first win by a Gippsland team in AJP tennis history," said John Koopmans, AJP Gippsland co-ordinator.

"I can't stress what an achievement this is for Gippsland tennis, representing at the highest level like this and having a win in our first round is absolutely huge."
"I believe this is something truly special."

Alongside the girls' team, an open boys' team from Gippsland also was accepted into the AJP and they had a bye in the opening round.

"We have taken the best girls and boys from across Gippsland and amalgamated them under one banner to compete against what is traditionally a competition dominated by metropolitan associations," said John.
"The only other regional association that has taken part historically is Geelong."
The AJP helps to bridge the gap between competing at local junior competitions and the typically tougher metro-based senior competitions.
It has traditionally been a very city-centric competition and any association that wants to join must be located within 100km of Tennis Victoria's home base in Melbourne, and Drouin at 96km, just barely clears that parameter.