In Round 3, five out of seven Maccabi teams won (1 washout) with the Grade 5 team and 21 team completing a 6-0 whitewash.

As advised by email, works have commenced to install lights on Courts 5-8. These courts will not be available for booking online. Six courts will still be available for weekend competition matches as the lighting supplier works on two courts at a time. This will double the capacity for night-time tennis.

Below are members of the Maccabi Grade 18 team: Joel Rabinov, Allan Sheffield and Ben Pollak. Not pictured: Henry Orner.

Below is grade 19 team (Jesse Stowe-Lindner, Ash Raboy, Errol Dorfan, Sebastian Raboy).

TENNIS VICTORIA WINTER PENNANT

Grade 5 Section 2 Maccabi 6-10-65 defeated Glenburn 0-0-40

Assaf Drori/ Asaf Nagar 8-6
Marty Schwarz/ Rob Minc 9-8
Assaf Drori 6-2 6-3
Asaf Nagar 6-3 6-3
Marty Schwarz 6-3 6-4
Rob Minc 6-4 6-4

Grade 5 had a complete win against Glenburn Tennis Club in Mt Waverley. Glenburn is a newly updated club whose courts are only 3 weeks old. The team was Assaf Drori, Asaf Nagar, Marty Schwarz (c) and Rob Minc. 

While all contributed equally strongly, Man of the match should go to Marty for winning both matches in an extremely high grade 5 at number 3.

But congratulations to all. 

- Rob Minc

Grade 8 Section 2 Maccabi washed out against Wheelers Hill

Washout, enjoyed Saints beating Richmond.

- Jordan Jaffe

Grade 10 Section 2 Maccabi 5-7-56 defeated Burnt Bridge 1-3-54

Ilay Givoni/ Daniel Sneider 9-8
Marcus Frajman/ Dean Jackson 8-6
Ilay Givoni 1-6 7-6 (10-8)
Daniel Sneider 2-6 6-4 (11-9)
Marcus Frajman 6-3 6-4
Dean Jackson 6-4 5-7 (4-10)

Heading into Round 3, our team had yet to taste victory. We were facing a team that had yet to lose. We needed little things to go our way.

In doubles, Ilay and Dan astonishingly saved five match points on the way to a rousing victory in the tiebreak. On the adjacent court, Marcus and Dean worked their way back from a 5-1 deficit to claim a narrow 8-6 win.

In singles, Ilay and Dan were well beaten in the first sets of their respective matches by strong opponents. However, they both felt that they could turn it around and that is exactly what happened with both winning the second sets and carrying that momentum to record super tiebreak wins. Marcus took the opening set and was leading 5-0 before nerves set in, finally steadying the ship to win in straight sets. Dean started brightly but with the onset of hand blisters and a higher level of play from his opponent, narrowly went down in a super tiebreak.

Overall, it was great to claim our first win of the season. All matches were close and could have gone either way.

- Marcus Frajman

Grade 14 Section 2 Maccabi 3-5-48 defeated Officer 3-5-44

Ryan Behr/ Nathan Rapoport 8-3
Anthony Murray/ Jack Eydlish 4-8
Ryan Behr 4-6 2-6
Nathan Rapoport 6-1 6-0
Anthony Murray 6-4 3-6 (10-12)
Jack Eydlish 3-6 6-4 (10-5)
 

Nathan & Ryan faced the opposition's coach whose volleys were masterful. It was tight to begin with, but after being down 2-3 we won the next 6 games. 
Anthony and Jack filled in for our many missing teammates. It was a good contest and after doubles we were 1 game up.
The opposition coach sat out singles so Nathan faced a new opponent in his first game back from injury. It was a dominant performance, dropping only one game.
Ryan fought hard against a steady opponent. The first set was a tussle but went against him, and the second didn't get better. At that point scores were even again.
Anthony put on a clinic in the first set and things were looking up. In the second his opponent turned the table so it went to a tiebreak. Anthony had two March points but couldn't seal it. An amazing performance nonetheless. 
Jack came up against a former boxer who was one bout away from the Olympics and was too strong in the first set. Jack was playing well but his opponent seemed to have the answers. At this point it was all up to Jack. A come from behind victory would seal it for us as we had the advantage in games. In the second set Jack stood tall while his opponent tired. Suddenly Jack had all the answers. He closed out the set and had all the momentum going into the tiebreak. He took full advantage, quickly taking a lead. After a couple of nervous moments, Jack sealed the victory. It was a heroic performance.
A great team win.

- Nathan Rapoport

Grade 18 Section 2 Maccabi 5-5-47 defeated Carmelite 1-5-42

Henry Orner/ Ben Pollak 8-4
Joel Rabinov/ Allan Sheffield 8-5
Henry Orner 3-6 6-0 (12-10)
Joel Rabinov 3-6 1-6
Ben Pollak 4-6 6-2 (10-5)
Allan Sheffield 2-6 6-1 (10-8)

At home agaianst Carmelite (with our 5th and 6th different pairs in as many doubles matches) we were ready.

Joel and Allan (filling in) raced out to a 4-1 lead. However the errors crept in (along with the opposition stepping up) for a 4-5 deficit. Allan with a vital hold for 5all, before stepping up for a 8-5 win.

Joel played in the shortest singles of the day (though it didn't look like it at 3all). From there, Joel kept missing whilst the opponents confidence increased in a 3-6, 1-6 loss.

The other 3 singles followed the same trend: Carmelite winning the first set, with Maccabi stepping up to win the second set (even more one sided) with Maccabi winning the match tiebreakers.

Henry lost the first set 3-6 before stepping up to take the second set 6-0. Henry trailed 4-7 in the match tiebreaker and then saved 2 match points at 7-9 to win 12-10.

Ben played what we all thought was the opposition's best player. Just the one break of serve in the opening set (4-6), before Ben stepped up to take a 2-0 lead. Ben took control to take the 2nd set 6-2 and then the match tiebreaker 10-5.

Allan's opponent lifted from the doubles to take the opening set 6-2. Allan then found his groove in the windy conditions to take the 2nd set 6-1 and led the match tiebreaker 4-0 before closing it out 10-8 in his first singles win in pennant.

Overall: Great team win. Home court advantage proving its weight in gold, given 3 out of the 4 singles all went our way in match tiebreakers. I have to step it up a few gears (got carried today by the rest of the team, again). Onto next week to get our first away win for the year (once we reach Epping).

 - Joel Rabinov

Grade 19 Section 2 Maccabi 1-2-40 defeated by Overport Park 5-8-62

Sebastian Raboy/ Ashley Raboy 4-8
Jesse Stowe-Lindner/ Errol Dorfan 6-8
Sebastian Raboy 3-6 1-6
Jesse Stowe-Lindner 7-6 6-3
Errol Dorfan 5-7 2-6
Ashley Raboy 3-6 3-6

Firstly, apologies to Daniel V, as Ashley royally screwed up the team fixture and felt terrible. Daniel V, will schedule extra games if suited to your availability.

Doubles Pair No. 1 Sebastian Raboy and Ashley Raboy had a hard fought match finding themselves down 1-5 against formidable opponents, one being a left-hander too, and fought valiantly but succumbed with too high a mountain to catch their opposition, going down 4-8.

Doubles No. 2 Team with Jesse Stowe-Lindner and Errol Dorfan playing against a young pair, who were not afraid to hit  their shots and most going in.

There was little between the doubles pairs but the opposition came out on top 6-8.

 

In the Singles, No. 1 Sebastian Raboy had the hard task of trying to get us on the board for a win, but found the En-tous-cas courts with little coverage of En-tous-cas on them, making it difficult to keep his footing when changing direction almost landing on his bottom at one stage. He succumbed to his opponent going down 3-6, 1-6.

 

In the Singles No. 2 Jesse Stowe Lindner played another youngster in a tough duel on some slippery en tous cas courts. In their first set, Jesse found himself 5-3 up only to concede the next 3 games due to some unsteady nerves. He quickly got himself together to win the first set 7-6(7:4). The following set saw him in a similar position when up 5-2. It then became 5-3 but he couldn't let the finish line pressure get to him again so he sealed it off with a 7-6, 6-3 victory. Our only win for today.

Singles No. 3 Ashley Raboy had a tough singles that had more ups and downs than a rollercoaster ride, but succumbed to his opponent, Bill, 3-6, 3-6.

Errol had a very close first set with opportunities to break serve and close it out. Consistency (more match practice required) let Errol down in the second set but it was a much closer set than the 6-2 scoreline suggests.  

Great effort Team, and we will have a better chance of becoming victorious against them on our home hard courts surface.

- Ash Raboy

Grade 21 Section 1 Maccabi 6-9-66 defeated Burwood 0-1-43

Ben Shaw/ Stephen Kleid 9-8
Daniel Brami/ Raphael Diamond 8-4
Ben Shaw 6-2 6-3
Daniel Brami 5-7 7-5 (10-4)
Raphael Diamond 6-3 6-4
Stephen Kleid 7-5 6-2

Ben and Stephen had a shaky start and quickly found themselves trailing 0-3 before settling into the match superbly. From there, the pair lifted their intensity and managed to hold on in a very tight 9-8 encounter.

Dan & Raph faced a tricky opposition pairing and despite Raph having already played juniors earlier that morning, there were no signs of fatigue. Raph produced some excellent shot-making throughout as the pair combined strongly for a comfortable 8-4 win.

Filling in as an emergency at No.1 singles, Ben delivered an outstanding performance with a composed straight-sets victory. Despite stepping into a difficult role, he competed strongly throughout and controlled the match well against quality opposition.

Dan faced a stubborn opponent who made life difficult early and caused plenty of frustration throughout the opening set. After regrouping, Dan began backing his shots more aggressively in the second set and found his rhythm at the right time. He carried that momentum into the deciding super tiebreaker, racing away to a comfortable 10-4 finish.

Raph was simply too strong for his opponent in an impressive display of attacking tennis. Even after already playing earlier that morning, there were no signs of fatigue as Raph stepped up superbly and produced some fantastic shot-making throughout the match.

Stephen came up against a solid opponent at No.4 singles, but once Stephen edged out a closely contested opening set, the result never looked in doubt. He lifted his level from there and comfortably closed out the match in strong fashion.

- Daniel Brami