Casey talent comes to the fore in Classic

By Marc McGowan
CASEY’S male tennis players came to the fore at the inaugural Casey Open Classic on Monday.
The Level Five Australian Ranking tournament, which was held at Narre Warren’s Casey Tennis Centre, ran from Saturday to Monday, and players had to deal with strong winds and two short rain delays.
Endeavour Hills veteran Jay Salter claimed the men’s open singles, while tournament director Paul Kleverlaan, from Cranbourne East, and Doveton’s Trent Cobb were too good in the men’s doubles final.
Andrew Rabinovich and Matt Lamattina, from Berwick and Cranbourne respectively, were the beaten men’s open doubles finalists.
Third-seeded Salter’s victory came when Endeavour Hills sixth seed Michael Turlejski, who was trailing 4-1 in the first set, retired after struggling with blisters on his playing hand.
The match was a replay of June’s Waverley Tennis Queen’s Birthday tournament final, which Salter won 6-3 6-0.
Unseeded Endeavour Hills resident Clinton Snell made a giant-killing run through the draw before Salter eliminated him in the semi-finals.
Narre Warren pair Chris Visser and Anthony Kosorog won the A-grade and B-grade men’s singles events respectively.
But 13-year-old Williamstown prodigy Molly Polak, the third seed, upset 17-year-old Berwick second seed Montana Grenfell 7-6 6-3 in the women’s open doubles to end the local dominance.
Glen Iris sisters Olivia and Stephanie Nguyen took out the women’s open doubles 6-4 6-3 over Ashlea Andrews and Amelia Gibson, from Essendon.
The Nguyens beat former Australian Open women’s singles runner-up and world number four Dianne Balestrat (nee Fromholz), 51, and daughter Miel Balestrat, 16, in a thrilling three-setter in the semi-finals.
Kleverlaan, who overcame a pinched nerve in his back, was thrilled with both his personal and the tournament’s success.
“Everything ran smoothly and on schedule, and we’re looking forward to next year’s event being bigger and better,” he said.
“Tournaments build up each year. People wait and see how the first one goes, and with (this year’s) field being fairly strong we will attract even better players.”