THREE Bendigo sisters have aced the opposition at the Victorian Tennis Association’s recent Country Week tournament, winning the open women’s title for the fifth year in a row.Their effort was even more impressive given that one of them was 21 weeks pregnant at the time and another had given birth to her youngest child just four months earlier.The siblings – Jessica Hartland, Danielle Bowles and Bronwyn Osborne – teamed up with fellow Bendigo Tennis Association players Michelle Rodwell and Alyssa Cole to cement their reputation as the dominant force in the top ladies’ division at Country Week. Playing under the team name of Tandarra, the girls did not lose a match over the five days of competition at Yarrawonga last month, dropping only two sets on their way to victory.They defeated Cobram Chargers in the final, three sets to love, 24 games to 12. The three sisters, all members of the strong Hartland tennis family, have been involved in the sport since they were very young and are long-time regulars on the Country Week courts.This was Bronwyn’s 20th year playing at the event, while Jessica (16 appearances) and Danielle (15 times) are also carnival veterans. Their team’s name has been engraved on the trophy nine times since 1994, and they were runners-up by very narrow margins on at least three other occasions.The girls say they look forward to their annual Country Week getaway, as much for the off-court scene as the tennis itself.“It’s a great week of tennis and fun,” said 27-year-old Jessica, who works for Tennis Victoria helping clubs and coaches increase participation in regional areas.She made her debut at the event at the tender age of 11. “We like playing tennis and trying to win – and we are all very competitive. It is a tennis week but there is also that social component. It’s something we have always done and will continue to do.”Danielle, 35, said she enjoyed the company, sport and social opportunities Country Week provided.Not even being 21 weeks pregnant with her third child could prevent her playing this year.“It was fine, being on the grass courts,” she said, though she opted to sit out the final and cheer her teammates on from the sidelines.Bronwyn chipped in: “We gave Danielle no sympathy for being pregnant – we just said ‘she’ll be right’.”The 37-year-old mother of three, whose youngest was just four months old at the time of the tournament, admitted she had tried to convince her expectant sister to take her place on the court in the final.“I was hoping to sit it out and even faked an injury and lay down on the motel room floor, but Danielle still wouldn’t play.”The Country Week tournament was played from February 13-17 and attracted 1200 players from across regional Victoria in various men’s and women’s divisions.Michelle, 24, and Alyssa, 21, are relative newcomers to the sisters’ Tandarra team, but both have been involved in several of their previous wins.And the Hartland family’s stranglehold on the women’s event shows little sign of abating.The girls have no plans to retire any time soon and they already have their eye on Danielle’s two-year-old daughter Isabella as a future Country Week player.“Give her 10 years and she’ll be right,” doting aunt Jessica laughed. •Other central Victorian women’s teams to reach grand finals at VCTA Country Week 2011 were:Spring Gully: B1 winners: Jenny Jacobs, Grace Tait, Faye Davies, Lindy Carter and Cathy Baker.Strathfieldsaye: B1 Special runners-up: Janine Ilsley, Nicole Vagg, Di Arbon, Ashlea Baker and Norma Morrision.Kyneton: C4 Special winners: Lesley Stanier, Marg Young, Maxine Haynes, Joy Ellis, Wilma Brentnall, Cheryl Gardner, Di Stringer and Jeanette Ryan.Kangaroo Flat: C4 Special runners-up: Sue Hourigan, Sheryle Tivendale, Joan Self, Marg Barty, and Sherlye Louvine.Rochester Lawn 1: B3 winners: Kate Lee, Jan Clymo, Debbie Bish, Christie Carmody, Karen Bartlett and Kim Piergrosse. Rochester Gold: B2 Special runners-up: Michelle Winchcomb, Debbie Michael, Melissa Haines, Di Johnson and Narelle Bacon. Rochester Rebels: C3 runners-up: Barb Hanson, Trish Christiansen, Fran Spiers, Linday Banford and Ashley Banford.