Wild weather and floods forced a postponed start to the CTA competition, but will now commence at round six for a 12-game senior season and nine-game junior season.
Section one and two tennis along with three junior divisions kick off on Saturday, November 19, providing a welcome respite in difficult times, according to Echuca Tennis Club president Chris Potter.
“Obviously with the floods and everything going on tennis has well and truly been on the back-burner,” Potter said.
“It will be good for people to get back to a bit of sport and put the floods in the back of their minds for a bit.
“If the rain can get lost so we can get going that would be good.”
Following a merger of Echuca Lawn and Echuca South clubs, Echuca TC will move into its second complete season as a merged club.
“We’ve got a lot of junior kids coming through, which is starting this weekend as well,” Potter said.
"We’ve been able to field two more teams in section two which is great.
“It means people are coming back to play a bit of tennis and it gives the kids a good pathway to come into senior tennis as well.
“It’s all ticking along as well as can be expected.”
Reigning section one premiers Echuca 1 will have to wait a week longer to start its season, however, with a scheduled bye for round six.
Echuca 2 and Echuca 3 will face off against LBU 1 and LBU 2 in this weekend’s section one clashes at Echuca TC.
Lockington-Bamawm United Tennis Club president Grant Humbert said the wet weather had caused havoc around the club, but was hopeful a season start would revitalise players.
“The courts are starting to come good now in Lockington,” Humbert said.
“They weren’t flooded, there’s just been that much rain and they haven’t been able to dry out.
“It’s been a bit of a struggle but hopefully we’ll be able to get a bit more enthusiasm — everyone’s a bit fatigued.”
Rich River 1 will now compete solely in the CTA after deciding against fielding a side in the Goulburn Murray Lawn Tennis Association.
It will face last season’s grand finalist Rochester 1 first-up, who has overcome flooding devastation to field a team in section one and two as well as two junior sides.
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