Sport
14 November, 2025
Maryborough Extend Their Lead as Others Battle for Ladder Positions
The weather turned chilly again on the weekend, with players swapping shorts for long pants and jumpers as round four of the Ararat and District Tennis Association served up another exciting day of competition.
By Mel Murnane
Crowlands hosted Landsborough in what proved to be a tight contest across the board. The men’s section was evenly matched, with both sides taking two sets each, but Landsborough managed to edge ahead overall by just four games to secure the section.
The ladies’ matches followed a similar pattern early on, with the first two sets closely fought before the Landsborough women found their rhythm, pulling away to win comfortably and giving their team a strong lead heading into the mixed section.
In the mixed matches, Crowlands’ Keith and Mary-Lou Boatman put up a strong fight against Landsborough’s Karl Scott and Christiana Henke in one of the most entertaining sets of the day. The Landsborough pair claimed the set 8–5 and continued their momentum, taking the remaining mixed sets convincingly. Landsborough sealed the overall victory 86–45 on games, earning all 10 match points.
Meanwhile, Buangor-Ararat travelled to Maryborough to take on the ladder leaders in the second match of the round. The men’s section featured some tight contests, with each set separated by only a few games. Maryborough held their nerve to take the section by six games, and the ladies’ section mirrored the result, with strong rallies and consistent hitting across the board giving Maryborough another six-game advantage. Heading into the mixed matches with a 12-game buffer, Maryborough appeared firmly in control.
Buangor-Ararat’s top pair, Tim Hartwich and Bethany Fitzpatrick, rose to the challenge, defeating Maryborough’s Riley Ford and Ally Ellis 8–5 in a quality set. But Maryborough regrouped to win the next two mixed sets and consolidate their lead.
The final mixed set was a thriller, with Maryborough’s Mark Christie and Sophie McQuienn edging out Buangor-Ararat’s Wayne Hoare and Katie Sandford 9–8 in a tie-breaker. Maryborough took the overall win 89–74 on games, claiming all 10 match points and further strengthening their position at the top of the ladder.
Next week, Maryborough will host Crowlands, while Buangor-Ararat will face Elmhurst-Amphitheatre at Buangor. Landsborough will enjoy a well-earned bye.
RESULTS
Maryborough 89/10 def Buangor-Ararat 74/0
Men’s
Riley Ford, Daniel Potter (8) def Tim Hartwich, Chris Hartwich (5)
Lyndon Tait, Mark Christie (8) def Ross McGregor, Wayne Hoare (4)
R. Ford, L. Tait (5) lost to T. Hartwich, R. McGregor (8)
D. Potter, M. Christie (8) def C. Hartwich, W. Hoare (6)
Ladies
Jasmine King, Ally Ellis (6) lost to Bethany Fitzpatrick, Kim Hartwich (8)
Sophie McQuienn, Steph Lierich (8) def Isobel Leggett, Katie Sanford (4)
J. King, S. McQuienn (7) lost to B. Fitzpatrick, I. Leggett (9)
A. Ellis, S. Lierich (8) def K. Hartwich, K. Sanford (2)
Mixed
R. Ford, A. Ellis (5) lost to T. Hartwich, B. Fitzpatrick (8)
L. Tait, J. King (9) def C. Hartwich, K. Hartwich (7)
D. Potter, S. Lierich (8) def R. McGregor, I. Leggett (5)
M. Christie, S. McQuienn (9) def W. Hoare, K. Sanford (8)
Crowlands 45/0 lost to Lansborough 86/10
Men’s
Doug Newberry, Keith Boatman (8) def Aiden Lee, Karl Scott (3)
Mark Howie, Alana Newberry (1) lost to Seth Blake, Mat Jenkins (8)
D. Newberry, M. Howie (1) lost to A. Lee, S. Blake (8)
K. Boatman, A. Newberry (8) def K. Scott, M. Jenkins (3)
Ladies
Kate Vance, Mary-Lou Boatman (5) lost to Christina Henke, Claire Monaghan (8)
Annabelle Price, Hunter Newberry (5) lost to Kate Mulvenney, Aimee Harrison (8)
K. Vance, A. Price (4) lost to C. Henker, K. Mulvenney (8)
M.L Boatman, H. Newberry (2) lost to C. Monaghan, A. Harrison (8)
Mixed
D. Newberry, K. Vance (1) lost to A. Lee, C. Monaghan (8)
K. Boatman, M.L Boatman (5) lost to K. Scott, C. Henke (8)
M. Howie, A. Price (3) lost to S. Blake, K. Mulvenney (8)
A. Newberry, H. Newberry (2) lost to M. Jenkins, A. Harrison (8)
Read More: Ararat, Landsborough, Elmhurst