The Warrnambool duo will enter the five-day tournament, which starts tomorrow, with a lack of match practice, having both focused on coaching duties for much of the year.

Dunn is now based in Melbourne and works as a full-time coach at Camberwell’s Willison Park Tennis Club, while Moloney mentors promising south-west players.

But Dunn, 22, said they would draw on their previous experience in their attempt to go back-to-back.

They defeated visiting pair George and Michael Shepheard 6-3, 6-0 in the final 12 months ago. 

“We don’t take everything too seriously — we’re just out to have fun and that works to our advantage,” he said.

“I reckon we complement each other’s games well. 

“He was my coach when I was a junior so we’ve known each other for that long that we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

“We are hoping we can defend that title because we play well together.

“We have had a lot of good results in the past and we have seen the draws so we know we can do well.”

Dunn’s home court tournament ambitions stretch beyond the doubles.

He is eager to make his mark in the men’s singles competition. 

“I made a quarter-final last year so I am hoping to do the same, if not improve on that,” he said.

“Ever since last year I have wanted to make a final here. It’s been my goal all year.”

Dunn competed in the Ballarat Open — a gold-rated Australian Money Tournament — earlier this week.

The former Ballarat-based university student said it was an important hit-out in the lead-up to the Warrnambool Grasscourt Open.

“I lost in the second round of the qualies but played pretty well considering I haven’t been playing much,” Dunn said. 

“It was good match practice.

“I have been training a little bit with Zoe Hives in Ballarat. 

“She is ranked 28 in Australia and I have been doing a lot of fitness and agility work with her.”

Dunn said he’d loved his first year of full-time tennis coaching but was eager to spend more time on his own game in 2015.

“It’s going well at the moment. It’s good to get into the city and coach because I’d been in the country so long,” he said.

“It’s a different scene.

“I am going to try and play more full-on. I’d like to get my ranking pushing the top 300 (in Australia) and try and keep improving and having fun.

“If you’re not having fun it’s not worth it.”