Balmacewen extended its lead in the Dunedin men's competition with a 5-1 win over nearest rival Eastern Harbour on Saturday.
Harbour has struggled since Otago No 1 Campbell Higgins returned to Tauranga, and the limited replacements have exposed a lack of depth. However, because of the playoff system used at the end of the season, Harbour has a chance if it can retain two lives by qualifying in the top two positions.
Conrad Wong was all efficiency in beating Philip Mirfin 6-2, 6-4 in the top single while Andrew Hilliard and James Bourne dropped few games in dominating the lower order.
Harbour's only point came from the increasingly impressive Ryan Eggers who again held sway in a tight result beating Matt White 7-6, 6-4 and pushing claims for White's title of most improved in Otago tennis which he gained last season.
Oliver Reid also pushed his claims with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Andrew Mitchell, an Otago second division representative, when leading Mornington Roslyn Black to a 5-1 win against Taieri. Henry Caird, Adam Williams and Oliver Scott completed singles wins, and although the young Mornington squad lost one double and was pushed hard in the other, the margin was comfortable.
St Clair women took all three off Eastern Harbour-Country but had a battle in each case.
Hanna English pushed her sister Sian closer than the 6-3, 6-1 score suggests, and Lauren Fowler took three sets to subdue Queenstown junior Hannah Speight. St Clair won the doubles 6-2, 7-5.
Eastern Harbour beat a depleted Balmacewen 3-0 with Georgia Hume and Debbie Cartwright losing only nine games in the three rubbers.
