A showdown of the state's upper crust was on full display in Launceston on Saturday for the North and North-West tennis tournament.
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Matches across A-grade, A-reserve, veterans, midweek ladies and juniors were held at the Launceston Tennis Centre and Newstead Squash and Tennis Centre.
But it would be the home side that would emerge victorious, with Launceston winning the tournament 55-33.
Tennis North president Craig Boyce said the quality of competition, as well as the weather, made for a welcome return for the competition after about a 20-year absence.
"It was a fantastic day," he said.
"It was great, and the standard of tennis in the A division one was as good as you'll get anywhere."
"There's a few players that are still around from the era when it was last played and they were really happy ... one guy who played in the last saw it was happening and came to check it out."
The day saw tennis players across generations, regions and families coming together.
"It was the Graham-Jones catching up with the Carswells ... there's new generations and siblings playing: a full range of the tennis scope."
In other news:
Boyce said a particularly juicy game from the day was between local prodigies Ben Barnett and Sam Whitehead.
This would be a meeting at the career crossroads for the two, with Barnett fresh from his US collegiate trip and Whitehead looking to do the same (full story, page 32).
Barnett would prove too much for Whitehead, winning 9-5.
"It was as good as any match I've seen at the Launceston International," Boyce said.
He said the tournament would make a return to regularity.
"The intention is to travel to the North-West for the next one which will hopefully be next year," Boyce said.
Best players:
- Juniors: North - Arwen Koesmapahlawan, North-West - Alex Martin.
- Ladies midweek: North - Ali Lapham, North-West Anna Peake.
- Veterans 50 plus: North - Mark Munnings, North-West - Chris Chandler.
- A-grade div one: Dave Beattie, North-West - Riley Barnard.
- A-grade div two: North - Ben Barnett, North-West - Sam Whitehead.