Sport
2 December, 2024
Courts buzzing with action
THE Mareeba Tennis Club was buzzing with excitement at the club’s recent Singles Finals, as spectators filled the venue preparing to witness the epic showdowns between the two top teams.
Peter’s Ace Avengers, comprised of Peter Blake, Chris Maisel and John Buttigieg, went head-to-head with Matt’s Net Ninjas, comprising Matthew Palmer, Chris Ellison and Henri Bourke, in three round-robin singles matches and three doubles matches.
The first matchup saw Chris Maisel take on Chris Ellison, where the crowd was treated to a display of “flashy” serves from Maisel, whose “arsenal includes enough spins and angles to make a geometry teacher weep with pride,” according to club president Mark Keating.
However, despite his impressive and cunning tactics, Ellison pulled off a miraculous 6-4 win and left the spectators debating whether luck or skill was truly in play.
All eyes then shifted to the other court as Matt Palmer and Henri Bourke struggled against John Buttigieg and Peter Blake, who “were channeling something akin to a tennis showdown in a circus”.
The Aces managed to stay in the game with John’s relentless perseverance, with the match finishing in a hard-fought tie break.
Meanwhile on the other court, Chris Maisel and Peter Blake were facing off against Henri Bourke and Chris Ellison in a continuation of the battle royale.
The scores rose and fell dramatically, ending with Henri and Chris taking the set 6-3, leaving the Ace Avengers with a three-game deficit heading into the second match.
In the second singles matchup, Matt Palmer, “the venerable warrior of the court”, found himself at a loss to counter John Buttigieg’s youthful antics.
The match spiraled into chaos as Matt stumbled under John’s relentless energy, and by the end of it, he left with a bagel instead of points.
The third singles match provided plenty of tension, as Peter Blake delivered an unexpected singles victory, leaving Henri Bourke in a “contemplative daze” after a 6-1 defeat.
Meanwhile in the final double’s matchup, Chris Ellison and Matt Palmer suffered a surprising defeat to Chris Maisel and John Buttigieg, coughing up a handy lead to lose 7-5, which “sent the peanut gallery into fits of laughter and applause”.
As tensions settled, the night was wrapped up with Best and Fairest awards presented to Gerry De Waal, John Buttigieg, and John Jerram, with the winner’s trophy presented to Peter’s Ace Avengers.
