Not Our Faultz – featuring Peter Hayes, Nick Robertson, Chris Ellis and Ian Nitschke from St Michael’s Tennis Club in Horsham and three players from Bendigo – competed in the Men’s Special B2 competition. 

The side lost just one game for the week, against a team from Dubbo, but avenged that loss by beating Dubbo in the final.

Hayes said it was a great week of tough matches.

“We had a good solid week of tennis,” he said.

“There were around 200 teams and it was a good, healthy and very strong competition.”

It was Hayes’ third country week win, the second win for Nitschke and the first win for Ellis and Robertson.

“I’ve worked it out and I’ve been to roughly 20 country week tournaments at this stage,” Hayes said.

The side was dropped from the higher-ranked Special B1 competition from last year.

Hayes said the men were relatively confident heading into the week.

“This was our third year competing together in country week, so we were expecting to go okay,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the St Arnaud Hobos from St Arnaud Tennis Club claimed a memorable victory in the Men’s Special B3 competition. 

St Arnaud Tennis Club president John Goode said the team had a fantastic week.

“We had four guys aged from 19 to 23 go and compete and it was great – they all had a ball,” he said.

Mr Goode said the standard of the competition was stronger than previous years.

“We played in that section last year with a weaker side and we just missed out on the finals,” he said.

“We put in a stronger side in this year. They also came up against some pretty strong opposition.

"The whole standard of the competition was better than last year – it seems to be getting better each year.”

Mr Goode said it was St Arnaud’s first country week win in recent memory.

“Since the competition moved back to the country I would say this was our first win, so we are pretty happy,” he said.

As for the inspiration behind the team name, Mr Goode said it was a ‘spur of the moment decision’. 

“When I entered the teams they asked what I would call the team. I said ‘I don’t know – just call them the hobos’,” he said. “There was no real inspiration – it was just what came to mind first.”