Waverley Tennis’ triumphant Frank Sedgman Cup team, back, from left, Stephanie Raux, coach and team manager Pat Wright, Noelleda Ah San, and front, Daniel Nickels and Caleb Boland.By Marc McGowan
THREE locals helped Waverley Tennis win its inaugural 11-and-under Frank Sedgman Cup title at Bendigo Tennis Centre last month.
Lysterfield pair Daniel Nickels and Caleb Boland and Endeavour Hills rising star Noelleda Ah San joined Stephanie Raux in the successful squad.
The four players also combined to take out the 10-and-under Wayne Arthurs Cup last year.
The WDTA beat 15 other representative sides from metropolitan and regional Victoria for the Frank Sedgman Cup, which is an annual round-robin event.
Every team has two boys and two girls and each player competes in one singles and one mixed doubles rubber per match.
The WDTA, which comprises players from clubs in Melbourne’s east, cruised through the group stage without dropping a set before defeating Mornington Peninsula five rubbers to one in their semi-final.
But, the final was a tougher proposition, with the WDTA overcoming 2006 victors North Suburban Junior Tennis Association 4-2 in a tight struggle.
WDTA coach and team manager Pat Wright, a former State Grade Pennant player, said the result exceeded her expectations.
“We were runner-up in its first year (in 2006), but we were beaten in the semi-finals last year – it depends on the strength of the opposition,” Wright said.
“We knew we were strong in the boys, but we didn’t know how the girls would stack up.”
She said they had some good players in the past, but noted that this was probably more of a balanced team.
Wright declared Nickels, who is playing for Victoria in the Bruce Cup in Western Australia this week, as the standout.
“He has a good technique and he’s a very good thinker,” she said.
“A lot of tennis players tend to just hit the ball, but he is psychologically very good.
“He knows tennis and thinks about what he’s doing – he works out the style of game he needs to counteract his opponents,” she said.
Wright coaches WDTA representative squad members for two hours once a week at East Burwood Tennis Club, focusing on technique, tactics, match play and fitness.
“We just aim to get the best out of their own ability,” Wright said. “Some of them will become very good players and others will only be average players, but we just try to get the best out of them as individuals.”
