New tennis format sweeping through Gold Coast

Warwick may be more than 200km inland from the Gold Coast, but that didn’t stop some of our tennis talents from travelling there.

WARWICK may be more than 200km inland from the Gold Coast, but that didn’t stop some of our tennis talents from travelling to compete in the 2020 Fast4 Southern Downs Junior Championships.

The event has long held a position in the Australian Junior Tournament Calendar, which is no surprise with the country-style-hospitality and friendly atmosphere the club create!

Slightly different to most junior tournaments, this event was played in the format of Fast 4 Tennis.

Pro One Tennis Academy’s Cody Martins, Cruz Stevens and Henri Madden.

THE RULES OF FAST 4

■ No “lets” – all serves which touch the net before landing in the box must be played on;

■ Games are short deuce – so if the score reaches 40-40, then the winner of the next point wins;

■ A set is played to just 4 games, not 6;

■ If the score reaches 3-3, a first to 5 point tie-break is played.

The tournament saw more than 85 players aged between 8 and 16 take to the courts over two days to compete across 12 different events. Our Gold Coast players from local clubs including Pro-One Tennis Academy at Runaway Bay and KDV Sport at Carrara inhabited almost 10% of the field, showing their skills work in the bush as well as the beach.

HOW GC WENT

■ Henri Madden – 10/U singles and doubles winner

■ Cody Martins – 10/U singles runner up

■ Cruz Stevens – 10/U singles third and doubles winner

■ Sarah Bigg – 12/U singles winner and doubles runner up

■ Mary Palmer – 12/U singles fourth and doubles winner

■ Indyanna Stevens – 12/U doubles winner

■ Gabriela Durinic – 12/U doubles runner up

■ Jared Martins – 14/U singles third and 14/U doubles third place

■ Summer Stevens – 14/U doubles third place