Tennis player Max Houkes from Sleen became national champion with Leimonias FDJ Advocaten from The Hague. In the play-offs, the mixed team from The Hague won 4-2 against Naaldwijk and won against Zandvoort in sets.
Houkes played for both the mixed team and the men’s team of Leimonias this season, where he already played for last year. The team from The Hague already finished at the top in the regular season. In the play-offs, in which the best four teams of the regular season participate, Leimonias won the semi-final against Naaldwijk (4-2) on Saturday and in the final against Zandvoort on Sunday.
But Houkes doesn’t win
Houkes himself did not win in the play-off weekend. He lost both singles matches in which he played, but not against the least tennis players. On Saturday, the tennis player from Sleen lost, who made a giant leap in the world rankings last season and is now 281 e stands, in a long game by Jelle Sels, who played 169 e stands (7-6, 5-7, 5-7), on Sunday he had no chance against Jesper de Jong (ATP-195) with twice 1-6.
Suthwalda, which was almost qualified for the play-offs for the national championship, which will be played next weekend in Zuidwolde, lost the last game of the regular season at home against Naaldwijk 5-1.
Captain Floris Kilian (40) has to work and also wins
Suthwalda played with a flawed team: Niels Visker, Jarno Jans and Sander Arends did not participate. Captain Floris Kilian (40) had to work himself, but he did win his double, together with Sander Jans. Boy Westerhof had to give up injured in the second set and Tim van Terheijden, Jim Hendrikx and Sander Jans also lost their singles match in two sets.
Despite the defeat, Kilian’s team finished second. Next weekend, Suthwalda can extend his title on his own courts. Lewabo, Leimonias and Nieuwerkerk are the three teams with whom Suthwalda will decide who will become the men’s national champion. The semifinals will be played on Saturday, the final will be played on Sunday.