21 January 2014 | Tennis Australia

The New Zealand Men’s Asia-Pacific Tennis League Team, the New Zealand Kauris, have taken out the 2014 ATL, ahead of New Zealand’s Asia-Oceania Group I Round 1 Tie vs. China, starting on the 27th January.

The ATL brings together Australia’s six top Club teams, who qualify for the Finals by winning their State conferences, with New Zealand and, in 2014, Japan, invited, completing the eight team draw. The competition is playing in an elimination Teams Event format, best of six matches (4 Singles and 2 Doubles per Tie).

Matches are fast pace, best of 3 short sets to 4 (tiebreak first to 5 points at 3-3), short deuce and no lets on the serve.

The New Zealand Kauris, coach/captained by Alistair Hunt and including Michael Venus, Artem Sitak, Marcus Daniell, Finn Tearney and Kyle Butters, charged through to the Title with a 4-2 Finals victory over the Chargers from Brisbane. The Kauris split the singles rubbers with the Queensland based Club, but importantly lead by a set on countback, if required. The teams then took the courts for the two doubles rubbers to decide the 2014 championship.