Newcomers to boost effort to take trophy

• Date: 27 February 2021
• Published date: 27 February 2021
• Publication title: Otago Daily Times: Web Edition Articles (New Zealand)

Division one teams Southern Lakes, North Otago, Southland and Otago will resume battle at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin.

Logan Park is not being used for division one ties while its courts are being resurfaced.

Perennial division one champion Southern Lakes' grip on the Rennie Trophy seems less assured than in previous years.

The side's loss to Otago in November's first round means it faces an uphill battle to take the silverware home this time.

Otago, which was unbeaten in November's first-round ties, has had its roster bolstered by the recent arrival of North Islanders Jaden Grinter and Ivy McLean.

Grinter, who now coaches tennis in Dunedin, is a former world top 100-ranked junior who was unbeaten at No1 for New Zealand in the Junior Davis Cup.

McLean is ranked just outside the top 10 New Zealand women and is a welcome addition to the Otago tennis scene.

Otago's men have depth with the inclusion of Paddy Ou, Peter Hartono, Mitchell Sizemore, and Carlos Reid.

Ayesha Horley lends experience to the Otago women, who also include promising juniors Pippa Sherriff and Charlie Byers.

Home-court advantage will count for something, given Otago trains mostly on the Edgar Centre astroturf.

Southern Lakes boasts strength in Hayden Joblin — a former United States college player who was a cut above the rest of the players on...