Melbourne VIC, Australia, 5 December 2013 | Tennis Australia
Conference Finals Day was a phenomenal success with the 134 pennant clubs given a unique opportunity to connect to this exciting innovative league and Victoria’s best players with an invitation sent to all Club Pennant secretaries as VIP guests.
As part of the pre-match entertainment all of the Pennant clubs in attendance were given a ticket into Victoria’s Fastest Serve promotion, for the chance to win $500.
The ATL Finals day featured a 1v2 and 3v4 playoff in both the men’s and women’s competitions. One player from each of the 8 competing finals teams, were asked to participate in the Victoria’s Fastest Serve promotion.
Each player as they stepped onto court to fire down their 2 fastest serves, drew from a raffle the name of one of the Pennant clubs in attendance. The ATL heroes then announced to the crowd which club they would be serving for, with the player with fastest serve recorded in the men’s and women’s to win that club $500.
In an enthralling shoot out the Kooyong Classics David Bidmeade serving for Oakleigh TC fired down the fastest men’s serve clicked at 176 km/h, beating the next fastest serve by the Dingley Dingoes Daniel Wendler serving for Knox City TC with 169 km/h.
On the women’s side Ellen Perez also of the Kooying Classics served down the fastest women’s serve at 166 km/h winning her selected Pennant club Doveton TC $500. The next fastest women’s serve was served by MCC Stars Marija Mirkovic at 147 km/h, who served for the Yarraville TC.
The off court festivities didn’t stop there with Sam Groth the man with the fastest serve in the world, presenting the prestigious 2013 Pennant Player of the Year awards in a first.
Players were treated to an interview with Sam in the presentations who has come off a break out year rising to a career high 172 in the world.
Tennis Victoria’s Competitions Manager Jeff Downes was pleased with the promotions ” Today was a great opportunity to importantly forge a connection of our Pennant competition to the the ATL with our promotions. With over 4000 players and 134 clubs involved in this year’s Pennant competition, there is a real opportunity to align the ATL to our clubs to promote supporter base of this exciting new age tennis league”.
