Player depth pays off for Marlborough Tennis Club

Superior depth carried the Marlborough Tennis Club to a commanding first-leg lead after Sunday's Bennett Cup clash with the Nelson Tennis Club at Forrest Winery Marlborough Tennis Centre.

Despite missing key players Neil Sonne, Neil McPhee, Robert Cowlishaw and Chris Schollum, MTC topped their Nelson counterparts 36-12.

NTC were strong at the top of the order, winning most No1 and No2 matches in the men's and ladies' singles and doubles and mixed doubles.

However, Marlborough's depth proved the difference with the bottom five players in both the men's and women's lineups unbeaten for the day.

Virginia Watson, Loren Sampson, Donna Clark, Elaine Fluit, Denise Rounthwaite, Bella Fluit, Lynn Murray, Jim Sampson, Brian Powell, Ian Hale, Peter Stubbs, Garry Tait, Simon Clark and Graeme Jarvis all had a clean sweep of their three matches.

MTC head to the return leg in Nelson on February 21, needing to win at least 13 games to claim back the cup.