South Australia\u2019s pre-eminent summer tennis competition gets underway this Saturday with round one of the revamped Metro Lawn Tennis Association (MLTA) State League.<\/p>\n
The teams competing in the 2012\/13 season are:<\/p>\n
Men’s State League:<\/strong><\/p>\n Louca’s Seafood Grill Trinity Titans – Defending 2011\/12 Champions<\/p>\n Glenlea<\/p>\n Tea Tree Gully<\/p>\n Golden Grove<\/p>\n Memorial Drive<\/p>\n Seaside Loan Ave Legends<\/p>\n Broadview<\/p>\n Ladies’ State League:<\/strong><\/p>\n Memorial Drive\u00a0 – Defending 2011\/12 Champions<\/p>\n West Lakes<\/p>\n Doser Forwarding Freight Flagstaff Hill<\/p>\n Golden Grove<\/p>\n Kingswood<\/p>\n Seaside Gasworks Findon Flames<\/p>\n Goodwood Saints<\/p>\n Somerton Park<\/p>\n The MLTA conducted an in-depth review of the competition in collaboration with Tennis SA in the lead up to the new season and determined that, as the elite summer competition, the State League needed to consolidate by capping the number of participant teams.<\/p>\n After carefully analysing the quality of the local player pool and team nominations, both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s competitions were set at eight teams each. This had the added benefit of resulting in a fourteen round season that enables dates to work around the busy Australian festive and tennis seasons. The State League will break after Round 9 on December 15th for a hiatus until February 2nd and then runs through to the Grand Final on March 23rd.<\/p>\n Whilst team success is the ultimate prize, players will also be vying for individual honours with the Lleyton Hewitt Player of the Year Award on offer in the men\u2019s section and the Alicia Molik Player of the Year Award in the ladies\u2019. The player displaying the greatest virtues of sportsmanship will be acknowledged with the Brenton Higgins Sportsmanship Award.<\/p>\n MLTA Vice-President Geoff Winter<\/strong> is delighted with the new model declaring: \u201cOur aim was to provide a more consistent quality of competition and the eight team leagues and fourteen rounds should ensure teams are able to field their strongest teams each week of the season.<\/p>\n We believe the outcome of our review will deliver on our mandate of being the elite summer competition in South Australia\u201d.<\/p>\n Mr Winter went on to acknowledge a key stakeholder \u00a0\u201cCoopers Alehouse at the Earl has been wonderful sponsors and supporters of the league since its inception and the MLTA is honoured that they are continuing this relationship for the new season\u201d.<\/p>\n Tennis SA CEO, Steven Baldas<\/strong>, stated his approval for the overhaul: \u201cWhen Tennis SA first met with the MLTA earlier this year, it was clear that they were delivering a high quality tennis competition and, as the governing body, we were on hand to offer any assistance required in the remodeling.<\/p>\n There has been an impressive level of diligence shown by the MLTA throughout the process of review and Tennis SA wholeheartedly endorses the MLTA State League\u201d continues Steve.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are sure that all players will have an enjoyable summer of tennis ahead of them, and Tennis SA wishes all teams a successful season\u201d.<\/p>\n The MLTA review also identified some administrative aspects that will be addressed and will include a new MLTA website and logo being released in coming weeks.<\/p>\n Fixtures for Round One, this Saturday October 6th:<\/p>\n Men<\/strong><\/p>\n Tea Tree Gully v Broadview
\nMemorial Drive v Woodville Glengarry Wanderers
\nGolden Grove v Louca’s Seafood Grill Trinity Titans
\nSeaside Loan Ave Legends v Glenlea
\n\u00a0
\nWomen<\/strong>
\nGoodwood Saints v Golden Grove
\nWest lakes v Seaside Gasworks Flames
\nDoser Freight Forwarding Flagstaff Hill v Somerton Park
\nKingswood v Memorial Drive<\/p>\n