Over the Hill a hit

Martinborough’s Lawn Tennis Club’s annual “Over the Hill” doubles tennis tournament was another success this year, and is firmly staking its place in many Wellingtonians tennis calendar’s.

The tournament is open to any players deemed “over the hill”, the tongue and cheek pun referring to players usually from Wellington and/or over 40 years of age, with the main driver of the popular tennis weekend focusing on country hospitality and a fun family atmosphere.

Completed on the first weekend in January each year at the iconic Martinborough Lawn Tennis club grounds, the 6 grass courts are a rare fixture for New Zealand tennis, and the experience of playing on grass attracted a field of over 100 players this year, predominantly from Wellington but as far afield as Christchurch and Auckland.

The local members were outnumbered by the strong out of town entries, but still managed to make the finals in all three major draws. In the men’s final, Matt Spooner and Phil Wright fought out a win from Luke Atkinson and Bruce Hollebone in an exciting 3 set tiebreaker.

The winners were proud receivers of the inaugural Tim Pickering Memorial Cup. Donated by the Pickering family, Tim Pickering was a long time member of the Martinborough Club and was tragically killed in a car accident in 2013.

The women’s doubles final was taken out by locals Rhona Lovell and Tracey Thurston, beating Leonie Campbell and Kerry Noble 9-4. The second day of competition is the popular Combines draw.

This year Christchurch doubles pair Phil Wright and Jo Steel were triumphant over locals Libby Paterson and Marco de Groot 9-2 in the mixed doubles.
Entries open in December of each year.

Photo caption: Tracey Thurston and Rhona Lovell triumphant after a win in the women’s doubles final. Photo courtesy Al Jaspers