Sport
6 March, 2026
Maryborough wins back-to-back tennis titles
Maryborough has gone back-to-back in the Ararat District Tennis Association pennant competition, claiming their second successive premiership with an 88-52 victory over Landsborough.
Last Saturday’s triumph complemented Maryborough’s 2024/25 premiership, where they went undefeated and toppled three-time premiers Amphitheatre-Elmhurst in the decider.
For premiership player Steph Lierich, who returned after a 10-year hiatus from tennis this season, going back-to-back is a special moment for her and for tennis locally.
“It’s always a great feeling winning a Grand Final, but being able to go back-to-back premierships is pretty special. It’s a privilege to play with and against such great people,” she said.
“For me, I was fortunate enough to watch my sister’s sporting success over the years and see how much it meant to her and her teams, so being able to experience that now myself was pretty special.
“I was lucky enough to see how much it meant to them throughout the season last year from the sidelines, and now again this season after being welcomed in by everyone and being made to feel a valued part of the team, it really meant a lot to me.
“For the club, I guess it cements the type of tennis we bring to the league, and the standard we hope to maintain each season.”
Riley Ford and Daniel Potter spearheaded the title defence, taking the opening set against Landsborough’s top two men, Theo Browne and Aiden Lee, 8-3 in a hard-hitting encounter.
Ally Ellis and Jasmine King impressed on the ladies’ court, grinding out a tough win against dangerous opposition in Christiana Henke and Courtney Ellen, leaving the court with an 8-5 credit to their name.
Back on the men’s side, Maryborough opened up the gap when Lyndon Tait and Mark Christie overpowered Michael Mitchell and Karl Scott 8-1.
The men then cruised through their remaining two sets 8-1, 8-3 to finish their section up 32-8.
Bianca Powell, Steph and Kate McLoughlin all contributed handily as well, scoring a win each to see Maryborough also take the ladies’ section 30-22.
With victory all but assured, the Maryborough team still claimed three of the four mixed sets, with Riley and Ally capping the afternoon with a dramatic 9-8 tie-break triumph over Theo and Christiana.
Experiencing a large bout of nerves heading into the season finale, Steph said her supportive teammates placed her at ease, believing that camaraderie has been a key factor to their success.
“We’re a close-knit group who are committed to supporting and raising each other, maintaining and encouraging belief in each other in those close moments on the court, and having fun,” she said.
“No matter which court you look at, you will always find someone smiling or laughing at something, usually themselves. Winning is an added and very appreciated positive.
“There were a lot of people who helped and played throughout the year but didn’t play in the Grand Final, but without them, we wouldn’t have finished where we did, so the appreciation definitely lies with the wider group as well.”