Wappan holds on in Grand Final classic

What a match. Down to the wire. What better way for the EDWLTA competition to end the 2026 season? Mansfield’s Wappan, finishing on top of the ladder, was out to prove to second-placed Terip Terip that they well and truly deserved to be on the top rung. Playing for Wappan, Anna Speirs, Jenny Bell, Kimberley Marsden and Rhonda Carpenter were taking on Terip’s Cindy Hayes, Frances Lawrence, Phoebe McDermid and Jenny Martin in a very tight battle. Wappan’s fellow players Carol Watts and Mary Reilly were there to cheer their team on, hoping they wouldn’t be called on to play due to injury. Suzanne Irvine was on the sideline for Terip and, having suffered a calf injury a few weeks ago, was grateful she wasn’t called upon. Speirs and Bell took the first set against Hayes and Lawrence, breaking Terip’s serve when it was six-all. Next door, the reverse happened, with Terip’s McDermid and Martin doing exactly the same thing against Wappan’s Marsden and Carpenter. And so into the second round, where once again there was a set each way, with Terip ahead by three games. As all good finals should, this one produced a tight scoreline that had spectators on the edge of their seats, with the result being determined in the final round. With Lawrence and McDermid going down to Bell and Marsden, it was going to be up to the other Terip pairing of Hayes and Martin against Speirs and Carpenter. If it went Wappan’s way, it was a definite win on sets, but if it went Terip’s way, it would come down to the number of games. Some very vocal barracking was going on throughout the day as players from the other teams in the competition oohed and aahed, playing every shot from the sidelines. With the spectators knowing it was going to be close, everyone held their breath as Terip took the final set in a tiebreaker. The final count had Wappan ahead by just one game. You can’t have a match much closer than that, other than a draw, which the players were grateful didn’t happen, as two players from each team would have had to go back on court to battle it out for the premiership. Wappan joined the competition back in 2021 and were known then as Mansfield Black, being one of three Mansfield teams making up the EDWLTA. They later changed their name to Wappan, and 2026 was the year to stake their claim, making it to the Grand Final for the first time and ultimately taking home the premiership flag. Congratulations, Wappan. It was then back into the clubhouse for some well-deserved sustenance and the presentation of the premiership flag. President Deb Mims congratulated the finalists, presenting the prize money to the runners-up and the premiership flag and prize money to the winners. Thanking Euroa for hosting the finals and everyone for a great season, Deb said she hoped they would all return for the 2027 season. With everyone saying their goodbyes with a “see you next season, if not before”, the EDWLTA 2026 season was over. And so that is a wrap for the EDWLTA 2026 season. Anyone interested in playing in the 2027 season can contact Deb Mims on 0411 149 085 for more information. For those who are interested, Terip Terip is celebrating its 100-year anniversary on Saturday, 24 October. Wander along and watch the Terip team play Saturday competition and join them for afternoon tea. Take your tennis racquet and have a hit, join in the activities, grab a raffle ticket with Australian Open 2027 tickets up for grabs, and stay for dinner at 5.30pm. Enjoy the historical display and photos showcasing tennis through the ages. Starting at 2.30pm, roll in at any time for a fun day and stay into the evening for dinner. RSVP for catering purposes to teripteriptennisclub@gmail.com by October 14.