Big Jump for me!!

Duzza · 03-29-2007, 12:55 AM

So happy, my Tennis Club Pennant organiser just told me he's put me in Grade 4 for this season.

Just so you know, Pennant is the competition for all Metropolitan Victorian teams and is pretty damn big. I played Grade 9 last season, so going to 4 is a huge jump. Grade 13, the lowest is approx I'd say 3.5-4.0 standard, Grade 1 getting pretty good.

AndrewD · 03-29-2007, 04:43 AM

Congratulations Duzza. What team do you play for?

Didn't think the lowest grades were 4.0 standard but the last time I played that low (Grade 12) I was 13, so my memory is probably playing tricks on me. I have a vague recollection of playing at Doncaster against a kid called Illie; wonder what happened to him LOL.

Yonexer · 03-29-2007, 07:13 AM

Congrats! I played in level two when I was 13, and lived in NY

Duzza · 03-29-2007, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Congratulations Duzza. What team do you play for?

Didn't think the lowest grades were 4.0 standard but the last time I played that low (Grade 12) I was 13, so my memory is probably playing tricks on me. I have a vague recollection of playing at Doncaster against a kid called Illie; wonder what happened to him LOL.

Well I'm actually not sure what 12 or 13 are....I haven't watched them much...

I'm playing for Dendy Park in Brighton.

AndrewD · 03-29-2007, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duzza

Well I'm actually not sure what 12 or 13 are....I haven't watched them much...

I'm playing for Dendy Park in Brighton.

Excellent courts at Dendy. I used to live on the corner of the Nepean Highway and Marriage Rds, went to school at Bentleigh West then shifted to Barr Street (just near the intersection of Nepean and South). Sadly, both of those places were wiped out when they widened the Nepean Highway - before you were born. Anyway, used to walk home to Barr St, past Dendy Park every day and sometimes stop to watch the pennant players or the Satellite events they had there each year.

What teams do you have to play against in Sec.9? I know it was always a real buzz if there was a team from Royal South Yarra in our section - although we always played on their en tous cart, not the grass.

Yonexer,
That's a pretty fair commute you had - NY to Australia LOL

Duzza · 03-29-2007, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Excellent courts at Dendy. I used to live on the corner of the Nepean Highway and Marriage Rds, went to school at Bentleigh West then shifted to Barr Street (just near the intersection of Nepean and South). Sadly, both of those places were wiped out when they widened the Nepean Highway - before you were born. Anyway, used to walk home to Barr St, past Dendy Park every day and sometimes stop to watch the pennant players or the Satellite events they had there each year.

What teams do you have to play against in Sec.9? I know it was always a real buzz if there was a team from Royal South Yarra in our section - although we always played on their en tous cart, not the grass.

Yonexer,
That's a pretty fair commute you had - NY to Australia LOL

Jee had no idea! I know Marriage road very well. In Grade 9 we did play RSY, and too didn't get the grass. Can't complain about their afternoon tea though

. The winners of our section were a team Gracedale Park out in North Ringwood

AndrewD · 03-29-2007, 10:43 PM

It's funny how much the area has changed since they widened the highway - you'd be surprised if you saw some old pictures of it. Used to be a plastics factory just near the corner of Brewer Rd (we'd hold our breath when walking to school), an abandoned factory on the other side of the road but directly opposite Dendy Park, boat yards, garages and Dendy Park itself had 3 times as much land in front of the courts. Ahh, memories ! LOL

I just had a quick look at the structure of Pennant and I see that, on the men's side, there are teams all the way down to Grade 15, Section 3. Nice to see that the competition has grown. Also noticed that you've got Grace Park in your section - that was always one of my favourite venues to play at (so much so, I spent 6 years living in Kew and Hawthorn).

Good luck for the season

Duzza · 03-29-2007, 11:03 PM

Yeah Grace Park is beautiful to play at. One of my favourites too. Have you heard about the new talks that Dendy Park have been having?

Apparently, they submitted their plans to restructure Dendy into a multicomplex tennis venue working together with some Gym company, Next Generation and the council welcomed to it. Could see new things in the next few years, bigger things.

Yonexer · 03-30-2007, 06:43 AM

Eh. Made it to grass at Dendy and lost. Doesn't agree with my two handed shots.

Yonexer · 03-30-2007, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Excellent courts at Dendy. I used to live on the corner of the Nepean Highway and Marriage Rds, went to school at Bentleigh West then shifted to Barr Street (just near the intersection of Nepean and South). Sadly, both of those places were wiped out when they widened the Nepean Highway - before you were born. Anyway, used to walk home to Barr St, past Dendy Park every day and sometimes stop to watch the pennant players or the Satellite events they had there each year.

What teams do you have to play against in Sec.9? I know it was always a real buzz if there was a team from Royal South Yarra in our section - although we always played on their en tous cart, not the grass.

Yonexer,
That's a pretty fair commute you had - NY to Australia LOL

I used to live in NY....

gonzo2000 · 03-30-2007, 01:14 PM

Good Job! Keep the passion going!

Duzza · 03-30-2007, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yonexer

Eh. Made it to grass at Dendy and lost. Doesn't agree with my two handed shots.

Grass? There's no grass there..

Fossika · 03-30-2007, 06:15 PM

Yonexer is the same one that thinks he is sponsored but doesn't know his rank, and says he sells free racquets on ****. Methinks we should ignore him before we catch the same disease that makes him spew crap that he fails to back up.

ibringtheHEAT · 03-30-2007, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fossika

Yonexer is the same one that thinks he is sponsored but doesn't know his rank, and says he sells free racquets on ****. Methinks we should ignore him before we catch the same disease that makes him spew crap that he fails to back up.

someone else with the same opinion as me. thank you

there are too many people with these "stories" that really don't make sense when put together.

Lane · 03-30-2007, 08:54 PM

Sounds interesting, we Don't have Grades here or at least My Academy/Club and HS team don't mind explaining it a bit?

AndrewD · 03-30-2007, 09:35 PM

Duzza,

Haven't heard about those plans but I'm really not surprised. It was always a fantastic area for sports with the tennis courts, playing fields and athletics track. Actually, the area was full of good sporting venues, including Landcox Park which was an excellent spot for a swim (okay, you weren't supposed to swim there but we were only 7 at the time LOL).

Duzza · 03-31-2007, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lane

Sounds interesting, we Don't have Grades here or at least My Academy/Club and HS team don't mind explaining it a bit?

Well in Victoria, theres the off season (Summer) where we have our smaller divisions of Victoria, usually a few suburbs in a 20km radius or so. We play that for our club usually, open mens, and that can determine where we get put for pennant. In my Region, the Summer Comp I played Section 5 at No. 1 which was pretty tough, but I also filled in for a Section 1 team at no. 4 and won 8-2 and 8-0 in singles which I was pretty stoked about.

Then in the Winter, Pennant starts, it's a huge competition split up into:

State Grade
Grade 1 Section 1
Grade 1 Section 2
Grade 1 Section 3

all the way down to about Grade 14 Section 3. The sections don't really matter, but some sections are played on Saturday, some on Sunday. If you ever see the results from past comp years, players like Chris Guccione and other top Victorians have played no.1 in State Grade, and if you watch them play, it's pretty wild.

AndrewD · 04-01-2007, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duzza

If you ever see the results from past comp years, players like Chris Guccione and other top Victorians have played no.1 in State Grade, and if you watch them play, it's pretty wild.

Even wilder when, during a State Grade Pennant match, you're out on court calling lines for a 17 year old Mark Philippoussis who is only 1 year away from beating Pete Sampras at the Aus Open. Best player I've ever seen competing in pennant.
Now that was wild LOL

Duzza · 04-02-2007, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Even wilder when, during a State Grade Pennant match, you're out on court calling lines for a 17 year old Mark Philippoussis who is only 1 year away from beating Pete Sampras at the Aus Open. Best player I've ever seen competing in pennant.
Now that was wild LOL

Wow, State Grade has officials?

Duzza · 05-04-2007, 08:31 PM

UPDATE:

So the comp started last Sunday, and I was playing at no.2 in a Singles week. I won 7-5 6-3 and our team won 2 rubbers each but more sets

Much improvement from my 6-3 6-2 loss last year in Grade 9

03-29-2007, 12:55 AM	#1
Duzza Legend Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Melbourne, VIC, Australia Posts: 6,316	Big Jump for me!! So happy, my Tennis Club Pennant organiser just told me he's put me in Grade 4 for this season. Just so you know, Pennant is the competition for all Metropolitan Victorian teams and is pretty damn big. I played Grade 9 last season, so going to 4 is a huge jump. Grade 13, the lowest is approx I'd say 3.5-4.0 standard, Grade 1 getting pretty good. __________________ 2 x POG OS 4 x Wilson n6.1 95

03-29-2007, 11:03 PM	#8
Duzza Legend Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Melbourne, VIC, Australia Posts: 6,316	Yeah Grace Park is beautiful to play at. One of my favourites too. Have you heard about the new talks that Dendy Park have been having? Apparently, they submitted their plans to restructure Dendy into a multicomplex tennis venue working together with some Gym company, Next Generation and the council welcomed to it. Could see new things in the next few years, bigger things. __________________ 2 x POG OS 4 x Wilson n6.1 95

05-04-2007, 08:31 PM	#20
Duzza Legend Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Melbourne, VIC, Australia Posts: 6,316	UPDATE: So the comp started last Sunday, and I was playing at no.2 in a Singles week. I won 7-5 6-3 and our team won 2 rubbers each but more sets Much improvement from my 6-3 6-2 loss last year in Grade 9 __________________ 2 x POG OS 4 x Wilson n6.1 95

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