Hopetoun has claimed its second Dimboola and District Tennis Association premiership when they defeated Warrack Gold at Hopetoun on Saturday.
The back-to-back champions secured the premiership late in the day when they completed a three points, 11 sets, 133 games to two points, seven sets, 103 games victory.
The final outcome was only decided in the last three sets of the day which all went the way of Hopetoun to secure the District Cup.
Earlier in the day, Warrack Gold made a winning start in the mixed doubles when they claimed three of the first four sets with Phil Huebner and Emma Koschitzke combining for a 9-6 win in the opening set.
Hopetoun's Taylor Donnan and Dana Schache levelled sets when they claimed a 9-5 win before Gold claimed the next two sets when Cameron Clyne and Lauren Kellett won their set 9-4 and Mark Phelan and Carloyn Morcom claimed a 9-3 win.
Gold then came within a whisker of claiming a fourth set when Dave Nitschke and Wendy Hewitt went down in a tense tie-breaker to Tony George and Bridget Williams which saw Gold lead three sets, 40 games to two sets, 31 games.
Hopetoun then levelled sets at three-all when Alex Kavoor and Nicole McLean combined for a 9-1 win which saw just one game separate the two sides, three sets each after the mixed doubles.
From that point on, both sides traded sets as Hopetoun's men dominated its section, while Gold's ladies kept their side in the contest.
Opening the Men's saw Hopetoun's Jacob Holm and Mal McLean claim the opening set 9-1 before Anthony Schache and Tony George combined for a commanding 9-0 win.
Matching strides was Gold's ladies who won the opening two sets with Koschitzke and Lauren Kellett claiming a tense tie-breaker before Hewitt and Morcom won 9-4 to leave sets tied at five apiece.
Hopetoun then went up by one set when Holm and Donnan claimed a 9-3 win before Hewitt and Lynley Clyne again levelled sets when they claimed a 9-2 win.
Hopetoun then reclaimed its one set lead when Schache and Kavoor claimed a 9-2 win.
Gold continued to maintain its presence when Morcom and Clyne again levelled sets at seven-all when they claimed a tight 9-7 win.
Hopetoun's Donnan and McLean again then put their side in front when they claimed a 9-2 win which saw the overall result at eight sets, 106 games to seven sets, 85 games.
Through the tension of the final sets, a battle royale was taking place in the third ladies sets which saw Zali Brown and Dana Schache battling Emma Koschitzke and Rikki Nitschke with neither pair able to break away in a marathon match.
The set was ultimately decided in a tie-breaker which went the way of the Hopetoun pair which gave the home side the all important ninth set.
With a 22 game lead, Hopetoun had one hand on the premiership cup and iced its back-to-back premierships when George and Kavoor claimed the final men's set 9-5 to hold an unassailable 10 sets to seven lead.
Hopetoun then rounded out its day when Dana Schache and Remy George claimed the final set 9-5 which gave their team its 11 sets to seven win.
Hopetoun captains Jacob Holm and Jonti George accepted the District Cup from association executives Mark Thomas and Georgina O'Halloran and congratulated their team on another successful season and also congratulated Gold on making its way to the grand final.
RESULT
Hopetoun 3 points, 11 sets, 133 games d Warrack Gold 2 points, 7 sets, 103 games.
Mixed: Jacob Holm, Zali Brown lost to Phil Huebner, Emma Koschitzke 6-9, Taylor Donnan, Dana Schache d Scott Stewart, Rikki Nitschke 9-5, Mal McLean, Remy George lost to Cameron Clyne, Lauren Kellett 4-9, Anthony Schache, Jonti George lost to Mark Phelan, Carolyn Morcom 3-9, Tony George, Bridget Williams d Dave Nitschke, Wendy Hewitt 9-8, Alex Kavoor, Nicole McLean d Chris Kellett, Lynley Clyne 9-1
Men: J. Holm, M. McLean d P. Huebner, M. Phelan 9-1, A. Schache, T. George d D. Nitschke, C. Clyne 9-0, J. Holm, T. Donnan d P. Huebner, S. Stewart 9-3, A. Schache, A. Kavoor d D. Nitschke, C. Kellett 9-2, T. Donnan, M. McLean d S. Stewart, M. Phelan 9-2, T. George, A. Kavoor d C. Clyne, C. Kellett 9-5.
Ladies: Z. Brown, R. George lost to E. Koschitzke, L. Kellett 8-9, J. George, B. Williams lost to W. Hewitt, C. Morcom 4-9, Z. Brown, D. Schache d E. Koschitzke, R. Nitschke 9-8, J. George, N. McLean lost to W. Hewitt, L. Clyne 2-9, D. Schache, R. George d R. Nitschke, L. Kellett 9-5, B. Williams, N. McLean lost to C. Morcom, L. Clyne 7-9.
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