Liston’s Rubin Statham rips into a forehand. 71224 Picture: DAMIAN VISENTINI
LISTON Tennis Club began in premiership defence in dominant fashion, defeating rival Geelong Lawn Tennis Club nine sets to nil in the opening round of the tennis competition on Sunday.
Top recruit Sam Groth utilised his powerful serve to defeat Geelong’s No.1 player Josh Crowe 6-1, 7-5, while Nick Lindhal toughed out a 6-3, 6-4 win against Matthew Hicks on the Williamstown courts..
Rubin Statham breezed through singles match against Aaron Kosub, dropping just one game.
Joel Lindner, Rob McKenzie and James Wong all had straight sets wins.
Such was Liston’s dominance that the Williamstown-based club did not drop a set in its six singles and three doubles matches.
The women’s round was a much tighter affair, with Liston prevailing six sets to three. Liston No.1 eighteen-year-old Ashling Sumner, who hails from Brisbane and is Australia’s 25th ranked female, went down to Delahey 17-year-old Viktorija Rajicic, Australia’s 26th ranked female, 7-5, 2-6, 1-6.
Alexandra Cannizzaro, Nancy Ferguson and Ashleigh Richardson had straight sets wins, while Alex Tsinanis came back from a set down to overcome Natalia Dragojevic. Jenelle Findlay went down in straight sets.
Sumner and Cannazzaro played an epic doubles match, eventually defeating Rajicic and Dragojevic 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (10-5).
Liston’s men’s side will take on Kooyong Lawn this Saturday, while the women’s team will play Grace Park. Both sides are playing away.
