Tennis Report Round 5 vs Cranbrook

The very short Summer tennis season reached its conclusion last Saturday, with the final fixture against Cranbrook. Despite the truncated competition it has been great to see the students back on the practice and match courts. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all staff and students involved in the Summer season for their efforts and achievements. I hope it has been an enjoyable and rewarding experience for them as it has been for me!

Jeremy Dykgraaff | MIC Tennis

1st and 2nd IV Captains Report

In last Saturday’s fixture, Trinity was pitted against the Cranbrook School who proved to be equally levelled and competitive opponents. The 1st IV were at full strength putting up a great display of persistence and courage. Being the last round of an extremely shortened season due to COVID-19 and wet weather, the 1sts wanted to end on a positive note. The first pairing, Max Nguyen (12Yo) and Spyridon Konidaris (12Sc), started strongly, winning the first set 6-4, but faltered in the second set in an extremely close set losing 4-6. The second pairing, Dylan Guler (12WH) and Finn Taylor (10La), were put to the test against their strong opponents, but they prevailed, playing excellent doubles, winning both of their sets 6-4 and 7-5 respectively. At this point of the fixture, the 1sts led three sets to one, needing two out of the four singles sets to win. In the singles, Spyridon kicked it off with a gutsy performance, battling through back pain to win his match 6-4, managing to stop a dangerous comeback from the Cranbrook opponent. In Finn’s singles match, he was feeling a little bit flat and was unfortunately unsuccessful, losing 1-6 to an impressive opponent. Max played his singles game and had a commanding lead at the start, but he was unable to maintain this and ultimately lost his set 4-6. Finally, to secure the win for the Trinity 1sts, Dylan stepped up to the plate, putting in an amazing performance in a tightly matched game, winning 7-5. Overall, although this season was not too successful for the Trinity 1sts, it was a great learning experience, developing skills and ending with a well-fought and ultimately successful battle with the score being five sets to three sets in Trinity’s favour.

The 2nd IV played an entertaining and high-level fixture against their closely matched Cranbrook adversaries. The first pairing, Max Knauer (11Ho) and James Kim (11Ar), played some dominating tennis, defeating the Cranbrook pairing in both sets 6-3 and 7-5. For the second pairing, Dominic Furfaro (9Ar) and Mitchell Reid-Queeney (10Ar) put up a strong fight, almost winning both of their doubles but unfortunately not being able to close it off, being defeated 5-7 and 5-7. In the singles, James played great tennis, sticking to his style of game, winning his set 6-4, and Max came out firing, dominating the court winning his set 6-2. Mitch put in a big effort but unfortunately succumbed to his Cranbrook opponent in a tightly contested match, 4-6. Dominic played his game but unfortunately was not enough to beat his strong adversary losing 1-6. This resulted in a four sets to four sets and 40 games to 40 games draw, illustrating the impressive fight put up by both teams and how tightly contested this fixture was.

I would like to take the time now to congratulate the tennis boys on a great season, making the most of the time we had to play tennis, although it was minimal. I would also like to thank the team and Mr Dykgraaff for an enjoyable last season, it has been a pleasure to play for Trinity throughout my high school life and I have developed fond memories which will be savoured far into the future.

Max Nguyen | Captain of Tennis

3rd and 4th IV report

The 3rds were the beneficiaries of a 2-sets forfeit from Cranbrook, but still had to fight doggedly to gain a victory by one game after the sets were tied at three each. This one game advantage was hard earned indeed: Markus Lorenzato (11Fo) and Aleks Gavrilovic (11 Yo) had to mount a comeback in their doubles match. Down 2-5, things did not look good, and while the rearguard action did not secure a win, the 5-7 loss was crucial to success in the fixture. The last match was Markus’ singles. He and his opponent were fairly evenly matched, and for a while it looked like it was anyone’s set. In the end Markus achieved a handsome 6-4 victory and is to be warmly congratulated.

The 4ths have relied heavily on Ben Kwan (11 He) and Julian Chin (11 He), and this was again the case last Saturday. Ben and Julian fought hard to win their doubles match 7-5. When Aneesh Nagaratnam (11 Yo) and Hamish Gray (11 Ho) executed some great returns and serves to take their doubles to a tie-break, there was real cause for optimism. Unfortunately, the tie-break was lost, and only Ben was able to maintain his form in his singles. His singles triumph resulted in Trinity’s gaining two sets, but the three remaining singles matches went to Cranbrook. The 4ths can be happy about being much more competitive in this last round, despite the loss.

Ashley Lucas | Coach

5th and 6th IV Report

It was a rough day on the courts for the 5ths team, being only able to pick up a set against the dominating Cranbrook team. Clark Foley (11FO) and Jack Martin (11sc) played a strong doubles set but narrowly missed their victory, losing 5-7. Max Trigg (11WE) and Archer Guest (12MU) both put in both good effort and determination but ultimately Cranbrook proved to be too strong and defeated our boys. Special mention must go to Jack Martin who claimed the only victory in his team, showing off a convincing win, 6-3.

The Trinity 6ths had a difficult time on their away game, who despite their best efforts were unable to pick up a set. Leo Zantides (12LA) and Max Reddel (12Ke) were only able to win two games against their opponents before being defeated. Kieran Grech (12WJ) also had put up a valiant effort but was also ultimately defeated. Overall, a strong showing from Cranbrook.

Sunny Tang | Coach

10A and B Report

It was another difficult weekend for the As against Cranbrook, losing 6 sets to 0. There was some good fight displayed by all the boys but ultimately, they were outclassed by their opposition. Special mention to Aidan Kuoch (10La) and Tom North (10Hi) for playing a highly entertaining doubles match. Despite going down, they played some brilliant tennis from the net and the baseline.

It was a similar story for the Bs, who also lost 6 sets to 0. There were glimpses of good tennis from Trinity but ultimately Cranbrook were too consistent. Once again Alex Nero (10Ta) showed a lot of tenacity in his match, chasing down every ball and making it difficult for his opponent to hit through him. However, it was Nicholas Musemeci (10Ke) who stood out. He showed a lot of character from being 5-1 down and his opponent serving for the match. Many would have given up but he fought his way back and managed to win two games, forcing his opponent to play his best to get the win over him.

Ritvik Dinesh | Coach

10C and 10D Tennis Report

The sun rose high for the final day of summer sport with the 10Cs and 10Ds amassing at the Trinity Tennis Centre to play their last competitive games. After suffering from decisive losses the previous week, it was important for our players to regroup and try to improve their game. And while this weekend’s scoreboards reflected clear wins to Cranbrook, our players can hold their heads up high. More serves hit their mark, returns and rallies became frequent, and the cry of “deuce’ was heard more often than “out”! Congratulations to both squads for their efforts and for maintaining high levels of positivity and sportsmanship.

It has been a been an eventful season, made especially memorable due to the good character of the Trinity players. And who knows what the future holds? Hopefully Ethan Hudson (10Du) and James Chan (10Yo) will re-unite to continue to develop their doubles prowess, and Ronald Ye (10La) and Bryan Yu (10Ta) will work on channelling their power shots to ensure the play stays alive; Elliot Vilner (10Mu) will continue to refine his game and run fast to get those balls; while Elie Charbel (10Du) will grow more confident and add some grunt to his game. It has been a pleasure to work with these fine young men during training and on Saturdays, and I wish them well in their winter endeavours. A final thank you goes to the parents whose support on competition days has been much appreciated.

Claudia Tessadri | Coach

9 A and B Report

The 9As had a solid showing against Cranbrook. Nathan Tsang (9Du) had a strong day, hitting some convincing first serves and forehand winners on the day, and with Chris Lowe (9Ho) in their doubles match, managed to seal a convincing 6-1 set. Unfortunately, Andy Zheng (9Yo) and Allen Zheng (9Yo) were unable to defeat their respective opponents in their singles matches and ultimately the 9As were unable beat Cranbrook on the day, losing 2-4.

The 9Bs narrowly lost to Cranbrook on the day due to some unfortunate forfeits. Joshua Lee (9La) and Daniel Lok (9Ke) managed a strong win in their doubles, beating their opponents 6-3. They both also defeated their opponents in their singles, both showing off their impressive consistency. Unfortunately, Michael Hatzistergos (9Mu) was unable to beat his opponent on the day despite his notable efforts. Overall a good showing from the 9Bs for their last game of the season.

Sunny Tang | Coach

9C and D Report

It was a tough weekend for the 9Cs, losing 6 sets to 0. There were however some highlights, especially the doubles match played by Fouad Deiri (9Ho) and Ethan La (9La). In a thrilling affair that went right down to the wire, the pair showed resilience and great fight ultimately going down 4-6. Fouad continued his form into his singles match and made an excellent start with some powerful forehands. Unfortunately, the Cranbrook player lifted his game and Fouad lost 4-6, but he should be proud of his efforts.

The Ds unfortunately didn’t fare much better despite some forfeits from the other team. The boys all put up a good fight but ultimately were no match for the consistency that Cranbrook displayed on the day.

Ritvik Dinesh | Coach

8A and B Report

For their final match of the season, the 8As were dominant over the Cranbrook side this week, winning 6 sets to 0 with a game score of 37-14. Noah Figliuzzi (8Fo) and Ishaan Sharma (8Ar) started off their doubles slowly, with errors at the net. However, they were able to regain momentum and grab the win 6-2. Noah played a close game of singles with both players smashing out strong groundstrokes. Noah was able to close off the match 7-5 with great serving. Ishaan played a brilliant singles match, where his consistency on court helped him win 6-1 easily. Alejandro Molina (8Ke) and Toby Zuzza (8Ho) played with great communication and teamwork to win an easy 6-2 in their doubles. In singles, Alejandro was able to dismantle his opponent’s game and come through with a 6-0 win. Toby played a very close game of singles and came out with a 6-4 win using his strong groundstrokes and consistency.

Much like the As, the 8Bs were able to dominate the Cranbrook side with 6 sets to 0 win. Alessandro Re (8La) and Hugh Williams (8St) demonstrated their communication and teamwork skills and were able to snatch a 6-1 win over their opponents. Alessandro played a quick game of singles, winning 6-2, demonstrating his great consistency. Similarly, Hugh was able to grab an easy 6-1 win over his opponent, returning everything his opponent threw at him. Ashvin Nagaratnam (8Yo) and Axel Lee dominated over their opponents with strong serves and groundstrokes securing a 6-0 win. Ashvin was able to reproduce his dominant tennis from the doubles and beat his opponent 6-0. Similarly, Axel was also able to demolish his opponent, securing his undefeated season with a brilliant 6-0 win.

Edward Lai | Coach

7A and B Report

It dawned a glorious day for tennis – brilliant blue skies, a coolish whisper of a Rose Bay sea breeze and two young teams keen to tussle it out on court to bring the short Summer season to its end. Once again, in the A team, Marcus Kuit (7Ho) and Ryan Qin (7Yo) displayed well-executed Doubles, accented by solid serving and crisp, ‘clean- winner’ volleying. Likewise, Thomas Joannou (7Du) and Lucas Davies (7TA), not to be outdone, found their groove and executed some fine match play with solid ground strokes, reasonably consistent serving and impressive volleying. Both pairings won their Doubles 6-3 and got the team off to a very positive start. Both Thomas and Lucas struggled to make headway in their respective Singles matches, being outplayed by more powerful and accurate opponents and let down by some over-hitting and poor footwork on their part. Ryan encountered an adept opponent in what was a tight tussle. Finding himself down 1-4, his concentration and positive self-talk were evident as he determined to claw his way back into the match. Some nice rallying, accurate ball placement and beautiful volleying saw him win five games in succession to ultimately win the set 6-4. It was a spectacular fight-back! We went into the last Singles match of the day, up by one set but down by three games. Our number 1 player, Marcus was keen to secure the team’s victory – by winning the set for a clear win or by losing the set by no more than two games. Well, the stage was set for a wonderful match and the gathering crowd was not disappointed. It was a see-sawing match, filled with amazing points, wonderful saves and scampering, and I’m delighted to report that despite the palpable tension, Marcus kept his sang-froid and went on to win the set 6-4. It was a lovely way to end the season – evenly matched, intense competition and a close win for the A team, four sets to two. As testament to our narrow escape, Cranbrook actually won more games – 26 games to our 25.

The B team had a less-even encounter with their talented counterpart, going down one set to five. Lucas Preston (7WH) and Orlando Ang (7WJ) again took to the Doubles court with enthusiastic optimism and showed some good skills — especially some improved serving and volleying. Despite their best efforts and unfailing determination, they did not manage to cope with their opponents’ skill at running them around the court. Sebastian Musumeci (7Ke) and Nicholas Servos (7Sc) also struggled to find their best form in face of a more consistent and hard-hitting Doubles pair. They too, were pushed around the court and were frustrated by the wide-angled and deeply-placed shots executed by the Cranbrook team. I’m pleased to say that the boys rallied and were a little more competitive in their Singles matches. Especial mention to Lucas, whose enthusiasm and positive attitude were evident throughout this entertaining match. He absolutely demolished his B1 opponent 6 – 1, displaying great concentration and producing some wonderful ground strokes. Orlando showed some improved serving and rallying, and is to be commended for his positive, “never say die” attitude. Sebastian demonstrated improved serving and wonderful sportsmanship in light of a fierce opponent, and Nicholas gave of his best and executed some glorious ground strokes.

To conclude this final report of the season, and to sum up, tennis skills were honed, team spirit engendered, character forged in face of defeat and humility awakened in light of victory, but above all, a love of tennis and a commitment to fair play and good sportsmanship were regularly and undeniably demonstrated.

Jessica Spratt | (very proud) Coach of the 7A / 7B teams.

7C and D Report

The Cs and Ds both displayed an encouraging performance against a dominant Cranbrook side on Saturday. The double paring of Peter Papadopoulos (7He) and Sam Telfer (7He) showed how well they link up and communicate on the court. Unfortunately for the Cs they were only able to win five games against a stronger Cranbrook side. The Ds however weren’t so lucky; whilst having many changes in the team they looked shaky, as many of them had never played doubles together before. This reflected in our result as we didn’t manage to win a game, but it was good to see the Ds enjoy themselves and still manage to leave Saturday with a smile.

Owen Duke | Coach