Uraidla Division 1 Champions

Uraidla claims Hills premier tennis crown after 28-year drought

After back-to-back Division 2 championships, Uraidla’s strengthened squad topped the Division 1 ladder after the minor rounds. Their path to glory hit a significant obstacle when Littlehampton handed them a crushing 5-1 defeat in the double-chance semifinal. Undeterred, Uraidla bounced back with a victory over Crafers in the preliminary final, earning a championship rematch against Littlehampton.

In the grand final, the momentum shifted dramatically. Both doubles matches flipped the script from the semifinal results. Uraidla’s powerhouse pair Adam and Ryan Gore demolished Littlehampton’s Jacob Godden and Matt Casey 6-2, 6-0 in the top doubles. Meanwhile, Littlehampton’s Johnathan Young and Mitchell Ferber prevailed against Nhien Le and Aaron Neaves in a rollercoaster contest, clinching victory in the super tiebreak 2-6, 6-1, 12-10.

The number 4 singles showcased a war of endurance featuring marathon rallies and palpable tension. Ferber put Littlehampton ahead after overcoming a 5-8 deficit to win against Jethro Hansen in a dramatic tiebreak 9-8.

In number 3 singles, Young exploded out of the gates against Le, building a commanding 5-1 lead. However, Le staged a remarkable comeback to force a tiebreak. Young’s spectacular shotmaking ultimately secured the tiebreak 9-8.

After dropping three consecutive tiebreaks, Uraidla’s fortunes seemed bleak. At number 2, R. Gore faced a must-win situation against Casey, and he delivered when it mattered most, avenging his semifinal loss with a 9-4 victory.

The championship hinged on the showdown between A. Gore and Godden—a battle of stamina and precision. With everything at stake, A. Gore found another gear midway through the match to pull away for a decisive 9-6 win.

Final score: Uraidla 3–5–53 defeated Littlehampton 3–4–39

2024/25 Uraidla Div 1 Squad

1. Adam Gore
2. Ryan Gore
3. Nhien Le
4. Jethro Hansen
5. Aaron Neaves
6. Satchi Riehl
7. Tristan Wright