Under-strengthed teams will represent Southern Districts at the national tennis teams event in Rotorua at Easter.
National junior representatives Riki and Ben McLachlan, who recently won the World Youth Cup challenge final against South Africa, have other commitments, and Perry Crockett, the Wanaka professional coach, is also unavailable.
Replacements Chris Bradley, Conrad Wong and Jeff Elliotte also withdrew later, leaving an inexperienced men's squad which is unlikely to emulate the success of the 2007 team, which beat Auckland and Canterbury in the same day.
Oliver Cuthill (South Canterbury), after two years in the reserve spot, finds himself at No 1, and Southland No1 Kurt Hodson will play at No 2.
Replacements Guy Slater (South Canterbury) and Dwayne Cleugh (Otago) get their reward for honest endeavour.
Slater, after attending a US college on a tennis scholarship many years ago, has returned to rural life and had probably considered his chances to play at national level to have disappeared.
Cleugh won five out of six singles at Southern League level beating several hardened campaigners.
Steve Dries, the Timaru professional coach, will provide backup in doubles with Cuthill and hold an important mentoring role as a personal coach for several of the men's and women's teams.
Former national junior champion Gabrielle Grady (South Canterbury), has returned from injury this season and will be keen to post results at No 1 for the women.
Otago Open titleholder Emma Johns is maturing at this level and Otago's Amy Rapley gets another chance at this event.
The experience of Lisa Grady and Felicity Oxnevad should be important in doubles or against juniors in singles, and Louise Oxnevad, the top Southern junior, debuts at senior nationals. - By Dennis Radford
