Ros Balodis has led the Australian team to gold in the Alice Marble Cup at the ITF Seniors World Team Championships in Germany, while Narelle Raftery’s team has finished with silver in the Maureen Connolly Cup.
The victory is the seventh time Balodis has been part of a winning Australian team and takes her total world titles to 26. Lyn Mortimer (Qld), Judith Buzza (Vic), and Suzie Ellis (NSW) joined Balodis with the team seeded second. The Australian’s cruised through the round robin stages only dropping one rubber. In the semifinals they took on Great Britain and claimed both the singles in straight sets to progress to the finals.
In the decider the Aussies came up against top seeds USA, who were looking to secure their fourth straight Alice Marble Cup. The American’s came out of the block firing, with Susan Wright defeating Mortimer for the loss of just two games. Balodis then hit back with a 6-2 6-3 victory at the number one spot. Balodis and Mortimer then combined to win a hard fought doubles 7-5 6-3 to clinch victory for the Australian team. Balodis was undefeated in singles and doubles action and didn’t drop a set for the entire event.
In the Maureen Connolly Cup, Raftery’s team of Brenda Foster (NSW), Wanda Howes (Vic) and Leanne Swaysland (NSW) were also seeded second. The team didn’t drop a set in the group stages before progressing to play Italy in the semifinals. Foster came out victorious 6-3 3-6 6-4 over Francesca Ciardi before, Raftery was edged out in a close battle 4-6 6-3 4-6. Foster and Swaysland then combined to win the doubles in straight sets and set up a rematch of last year’s final against host nation Germany.
In the final, the top seeded German’s proved too strong for the Australian’s taking out both of the singles matches to claim the Maureen Connolly Cup. The Aussies bounced back to win the doubles 6-2 6-1.
Balodis and Raftery will now turn their attention to the World Individual Championships held this week.
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