Sport

Echuca sides relentless in two-horse tennis race

By Matthew Kappos

Jan 19, 2026

Nash Hocking retrieves one from down low. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

Ahead of the Australian Open kicking off on Sunday, Echuca’s tennis superstars delivered their own ace performances, the two sides continuing to roll the competition in the Campaspe Tennis Association.

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On the road at the weekend for round 11, Echuca 1 visited Rochester and, despite a spirited effort from the host, came away a 9-83 to 4-64 winner.

Jack Byrne launches a massive serve for Echuca 1. Photos: Jordan Townrow Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

The sides split the singles rubbers, as Jacob Grieves got a set on the board for Rochy, while Eli Kingma did the same for Echuca.

However, the results were more conclusive in the men’s doubles section, Echuca 1 claiming all three by a combined 24 games to 12.

Pip Bush starts the point. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

The women’s doubles were more of a mixed bag, split 2-2, and Rochester actually earned a slight games advantage over the four rubbers with more convincing wins.

Rochester’s Cadence Major particularly stood out, winning both of her sets and giving away only six games in return.

Rachel Major defends on the backhand wing. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

Rochy remained in striking distance, but Echuca shut the door in the mixed doubles, winning three of four to run away with the result.

Todd Charnas and Pip Bush had Echuca’s best win of the grouping, while Major completed a sweep of her three matches with a confident win alongside Harrison Crilly.

Steve Rawlings gets his racquet to it. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

LBU v Echuca 2

The result wasn’t as close at Lockington, as Lockington-Bamawm United’s search for its first victory went on after a comprehensive 1-42 to 12-96 defeat to Echuca 2.

All four player variations favoured Echuca, with Josh Boyd and Logan Milnes dominating the singles section.

Rochy’s Alex Parker rips a forehand. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

LBU’s lone set came in the men’s doubles as the pairing of Darryl Squires and Grant Humbert got the job done 8-4, but Echuca snatched the other two rubbers to maintain the advantage.

Echuca swept through the rest of the matches, the highlights an 8-0 victory by Madeline O’Nial and Megan Farrell and an 8-2 scoreline from Phil and Lucy Higgins.

Echuca 1’s Charlotta Groenwald returns on the move. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

Echuca 1 and 2 remain deadlocked at the top of the table with nine wins and one loss, Echuca 2 currently with a handy percentage lead to hold top spot.

Rochester and LBU lag significantly behind and won’t be expected to make much impact on the title race, but with all four teams to make the finals, the unlikely upset will always be on the cards.

Rochester will be at Lockington on Saturday, taking on LBU, while one of the Echuca sides will stand tall in the derby at Echuca Tennis Club.