Life after Theron looks fine for Hickling's men

GUERNSEY is sending its strongest ever Island Games men's tennis team to Rhodes. Captained by New Zealander Chris Hickling, Dominic McLuskey, Pat Ogier and Rob West make up the rest of the side.

Even without former Guernsey number one Pieter Theron, who moved to Monaco at the end of 2005, Hickling believes his team is as good as it gets.

'It's very good,' he said.

'It doesn't have Pete but the way everyone is playing, we're going to be very hard to beat. It's on hard court as well and that suits us.

'Dom has always played well on hard courts and it's Pat's favourite surface. It suits all our styles.'

Hickling strongly believes they will be returning at the end of the week with some medals in their luggage as the format of the competition plays into their hands.

Every tie contains two singles matches and one doubles rubber.

'It really depends on our doubles and I'd be surprised if we lose both our singles in a match against the top teams. I don't think there's going to be one match where we're going to be out of it.'

McLuskey and West are both currently studying abroad to further their game.

The former, still just 17, is at the ISP Tennis Academy in Nice, while 19-year-old West is on a tennis scholarship at Cleveland State University.

Ogier has also spent some time away. The 19-year-old attended the Sanchez-Casal Tennis Academy in Barcelona.

West returned to America earlier this week in preparation for which his university team's season kicks off on Saturday. He is looking forward to the Games.

'Yeah definitely, it's been on my 2007 calendar for a while. I played in 2003 when it was Guernsey and I think judging by the standard then, if everyone is fit, we've got a good chance of doing well.

'We're a young team and we will be one of the fittest and that helps too. The team in the best shape will do well because it will be hot down there.

'Everyone has played together lots and it's a close-knit team.'

Tennis was not included at the most recent Games in Shetland in 2005 and in its place an unofficial tournament involving the tennis playing islands of the IIGA was hosted by Gibraltar.

Guernsey came out on top of the team competition and Theron went on to win the singles title, beating former Davis Cup player Eduardo Torres in the final.

The Cayman Islands star is set to feature in Rhodes and Hickling thinks that Cayman, along with Bermuda, will be the main threat to Guernsey's gold medal winning chances.

'Cayman and Bermuda have both got relatively good teams,' he said.

'In Gibraltar we beat them but in both matches it came down to the doubles. It will be interesting to see how we do in the doubles.'

Like West, Hickling thinks the 30C plus heat that could welcome the team when they arrive on the Mediterranean island will have an effect on proceedings.

'I think it will definitely,' he said.

'It's up to our manager, Rick Denton, to prepare us properly and to make sure we keep training hard.'

On the women's side, the good news is that Heather Watson is expected to head the medal challenge in what is a very young team.

Jo Dyer, Megan Hearse and either Carly Tucknott or Tracey Hubert are expected to complete the team.

Jo Robinson is unavailable due to family reasons.