Creswick’s Mount Prospect Tennis Association has been seen fit to host the prestigious championships for the first time in its history, and with 29 courts – 16 of them grass – it looks well equipped to harness the 250 athletes who will take part over the three days.

The championships will showcase two male and two female players in each age group who will play singles, doubles and mixed doubles for the 11 following regions: Mornington Peninsula, Central Gippsland, East Gippsland, the North East, Goulburn, Loddon Campaspe, Northern Mallee, the Wimmera, Glenelg and perennial benchmark Barwon.

The under-12, 14, 16, 18, open and over-45 categories will be contested.

The host district will field a markedly stronger team than the one that finished last in 2013, and Central Highlands Tennis Network president Jenny Jolliffe believes that it can finish well up the overall ladder.

“It’s fantastic that the Central Highlands has been given the opportunity to host the championships, and it’s a great opportunity for Ballarat to showcase the strength of its tennis,” Jolliffe said.

“It’s all about the honour of playing for your district, and we can only get better than what we were last year, when we put in a very depleted team.

“We’ve got a full team this year and strength across the board, particularly in the juniors and in the doubles.”

All regions however, will be striving towards the standard set by Barwon, which is striving for its sixth straight inter-regional victory.

While the senior players will play on the grass surfaces – as per key criteria – the junior matches will be decided on Mount Prospect’s nine hard courts.

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS PLAYERS

MEN:

Under-12: Hugh McManus, James O’Sullivan

Under-14: Conlon Love, Tim McConchie

Under-16: Tynan Haintz, Riley Stephens

Under-18: Daniel Waddington, Drew Elliott, Hugh Ebbs

Under-22: Nick Powell, Alistair Stone

Men’s: Blair Hart, Greg Parry

Open: Russell Edwards, Geoff Reese

WOMEN:

Under-12: Alix Ford, Sarah Burke, Emily Tinker

Under-14: Samantha Huggett

Under-16: Hannah Heath, Anna Pryse-Smith

Under-18: Zoe Bandy, Teresa Fitzpatrick

Under-22: Courtney Dobbyn, Ashleigh Jolliffe

Women’s: Tracey Amarant, Leanne Purtell

Open: Joanne Beattie, Fiona Williams, Jenny Rogers

michael.pollock@fairfaxmedia.com.au