Sport

Echuca nabs opening round double in Campaspe tennis

By Oliver Shedden

Oct 20, 2025

Chris Potter and Echuca 2 got off to the perfect start to the new season, defeating defending champions Rochester. Photos: Jordan Townrow. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

It was a stellar opening round of Campaspe Tennis Association’s senior competitions for Echuca as three of its four teams found wins across divisions one and two.

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It was a clean sheet for Echuca 1, which travelled to Lockington-Bamawm United Tennis Club — defeating the host 13-0.

Echuca 1’s Jack Byrne and Eli Kingma took down LBU’s Harrison Condliffe and Darryl Squires 6-4 and 6-3, respectively, in the two men’s singles matches.

Jacob Grieves with the monster serve. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

Byrne and Nick Bush combined to win the first men’s doubles over Condliffe and Greg Humbert 8-4 before Kingma and Hugh Melville beat LBU’s Squires and Ian Haines 8-5.

The visitors found more reward in the women’s doubles, as Charlotta Groenewald and Celine Joyce won 8-3 in their match against Katie Condliffe and Lois Toohey.

Shaun Trice hits a casual one-handed backhand. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

It was the same story in the mixed doubles as Byrne and Groenewald triumphed over Harrison and Katie Condliffe 8-6 and Kingma and Mia Aston put Toohey and Monica Brereton to the sword 8-1.

In a 2024-25 grand final rematch, Echuca 2 faced off against Rochester, with the former getting sweet revenge 4-9 after being bested at the big dance in March.

Megan Farrell stretches to make the shot. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

Rochester’s Jacob Grieves got the day started for his side, putting Shaun Trice to bed 6-1 while also starring in the doubles in Rochy’s win over Trice and Chris Milnes 8-4.

Echuca 2 got on the board through the men’s doubles combination of Phil Higgins and Chris Potter, triumphing 8-1 before its women’s contingent won all four of their doubles.

Lachlan Smith puts spin on the serve. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

With scores tight at 5-4 in favour of Echuca 2, it all came down to the mixed doubles — and that is where Echuca 2 excelled.

Phil and Lucy Higgins got hold of Grieves and Rachael Major 8-3 and a couple of other wins before Tanya Godfrey and Logan Milnes hammered the nail in the coffin against Lachlan Smith and Sue McPherson 8-7.

Cadence Major lines up the corner shot. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

Division Two

The Tiger Bloods had the bye, which meant it was Echuca 3 and Colbinabbin going head-to-head while it was an intra-club battle between Echuca 4 and Echuca 5.

Playing at Echuca Tennis Club, it was back and forth between Echuca 3 and Colbo right the way through, but it was the visitor who walked away victorious 8-5.