A severely depleted Otago tennis team travels to Queenstown this weekend to take on Southland today and Southern Lakes tomorrow.
Four of the top women are committed to playing club tennis in Christchurch so Libby Scott, Sian and Hanna English and Georgia Hume are unavailable. Brittany Wong is also unable to travel, but will play for Otago B against North Otago in Dunedin on Sunday.
The men's team is very young, with many stronger tertiary students having returned home.
Harry James formerly represented Southern Lakes, but is now at school in Dunedin, and will be backed up by fellow juniors Oliver and Carlos Reid. Philip Mirfin will go as manager, and could prove valuable as a doubles specialist, while Mike Smith is also travelling.
Longtime Otago representative Paula Ferguson returns along with junior Jessie Stevenson. Debbie Cartwright, who has played for North Otago, will debut at this level after some impressive wins in club tennis.
The team is completed by Rakhee Raghunandan, also debuting.
The Otago B women will be strong, with Hume returning to Dunedin to play on Sunday. Lauren Fowler and Hayley Miller complete the squad.
Andrew Mitchell, Kyu Kim, Henry Hailes and Ollie Scott make up the men's team.
