Lower Great Southern Tennis Association aiming for D’Arcy Slater and Women in Tennis Foundation Cup victories

More than 20 of the Great Southern’s most exciting tennis talents are gearing up for more success at WA’s largest regional junior tennis tournament which starts this weekend. The Lower Great Southern Tennis Association is sending 21 rising tennis players to the annual D’Arcy Slater Cup and Women in Tennis Foundation Cup tournaments in Bunbury starting on Sunday. Three boys’ squads and two girls’ sides will make the 300km journey to compete in the annual tournament which attracts more than 100 under-14 juniors from nine regional zones across the State. Last year the LGSTA’s girls team took out the prestigious Women in Tennis Foundation Cup while the boys finished runner-up to rivals South West. Players from Tenterden and Kendenup are in the touring side which features defending singles champions and State players Denby Sharpe and Tea Zizek. LGSTA junior coordinator Alex Riggall said the boys team was seeking retribution after last year’s result while the girls were hoping to successfully defend their crown. “The boys are aiming to go one better, and I think would have a very good chance of that, and girls would be looking to defend their title, which we have a very good chance of that,” she said. “Being a team event I think it really lifts the kids because tennis is such an individual sport. “We’ve got a real range in ages but I would expect, not only our division one teams to compete very strongly, but our division two and three teams as well. “I would think that our kids, the standard of tennis coaching and things in our zone is really high and I’m expecting very strong showings in our three divisions for both boys and girls.” The tournament will be played on grass courts at Bunbury Tennis Club from Sunday before finals on Wednesday.