Next Gen and Parnell Claim Titles on a Superb Night of Tennis
The 2025 Caro Bowl season came to a dramatic conclusion last Friday night, with both the Men’s and Women’s Finals delivering quality tennis, strong crowds, and a fitting end to another outstanding competition.
The Men’s Final, hosted indoors at Next Gen, drew an excellent crowd who witnessed the home side produce a near-flawless performance. Over at Parnell, an even larger audience enjoyed perfect weather, great tennis, and fantastic hospitality as the Women’s Final unfolded in ideal conditions.
MEN’S FINAL – Next Gen def. Parnell
Next Gen made an immediate statement, racing to a 2–0 lead after winning both doubles matches with authority.
In the top doubles, Anton Shepp delivered a flawless display, combining superbly with Isaac Becroft to comfortably defeat Parnell’s Sisam/Purcell. The bottom doubles followed a similar script, with Rob Reynolds and Dan Persson combining brilliantly to overcome Holmes/Hall, giving Next Gen full momentum heading into the singles.
Holding that advantage, Next Gen’s No.1 Isaac Becroft produced a polished performance full of power, control, and consistency, beating Macsen Sisam in straight sets. Meanwhile, at No.4 singles, Rob Reynolds claimed the opening set against Jacob Warren, securing the required set needed to win—and with it the Caro Bowl title.
The victory marks Next Gen’s 5th Caro Bowl triumph in the last 6 years (with one season lost to Covid), cementing their status as a powerhouse of Auckland interclub tennis.
WOMEN’S FINAL – Parnell def. Next Gen
At Parnell, the Women’s Final followed a very different storyline. Next Gen struck first, with Ventura/Shin taking the bottom doubles against Wardenburg/Taylor to give the visitors a 1–0 lead.
Defending champions Parnell started slowly in the top doubles, dropping the first set before storming back to win in a super tiebreak and level the tie at 1–1.
From there, the singles were all one-way traffic. Parnell swept the No.1, No.2, and No.3 singles in convincing fashion, securing an unbeatable lead and claiming the Caro Bowl title for the second consecutive year.
This victory served as a perfect and emotional send-off for Parnell stalwart Pavlina Nola. Pavlina first represented Parnell in 2002, just five months pregnant and not long removed from a successful WTA career where she reached world No. 68. During her time with the club, Parnell won eight Caro Bowl titles, and her personal loss record over more than two decades can be counted on one hand—an extraordinary legacy.
Acknowledgements
Congratulations to Next Gen (Men’s) and Parnell (Women’s) on winning the 2025 Caro Bowl titles. Special thanks go to all players, managers, officials, coaches, sponsors, and supporters who helped make another Caro Bowl season a success.
We look forward to seeing everyone back again next year for more of the best club tennis New Zealand has to offer.
