30 December 2015
Taranaki's Ajeet Rai was able to create history and become
the first player in the 114 year history of the Taranaki Tennis Open Men's
Singles to win the title consecutively on three occasions. 16 year old Rai
also defended his NZ Lawn Tennis Championship Men's Singles title at the Hawera
Lawn Tennis Club. The four top seeds all came through the draw to the
semi-finals where the top seed Olly Sadler overcame No.4 seed Connor Williamson
7-5 6-3 whilst Rai (No.2 seed) looked ominous when he disposed of Michael
McGlinchey (No.3) 6-1 6-2. The final was played in sunny conditions with
little or no wind, as had the entire four day tournament. Sadler broke Rai
in the very first game but Rai broke back to make the score 4-4. Both
players held twice more to force a tiebreak which Sadler comprehensively won
7-1. Rai broke Sadler to go up 2-1 in the second set and afterwards held
serve consistently to take the second set 6-4. Rai then progressed into
the third set in exactly the same way, breaking serve to lead 2-1 and then held
to the end of the set. Leading 5-4 Rai appeared to show no outward signs
of nerves and was able to serve extremely well to give Sadler no chance to break
back, eventually winning the last game to love, and the match 6-7(1) 6-4 6-4.
Commenting on his victory, Rai said "I was feeling the pressure of history and
tradition leading up to the tournament but I love playing tennis in high
pressure situations like this and I'm extremely proud to win what I consider to
be my home tournament. Olly is one of the top players in NZ and he's a
great competitior. The grass courts were excellently prepared, the weather was
awesome for tennis and the knowledgeable crowd were right behind me.
Thanks must go to Tournament Director Andrew Baylis for attracting the high
class field and for running the tournament in great fashion."
Rai was then joined by older brother Amrit and they also came from behind to
take out the Open Men's Doubles against Olly Sadler/Michael McGlinchey 4-6 7-5
10-6. Sadler was finally able to gain some consolation when he partnered
with Saravinder Pannu to win the Open Combined Doubles title overcoming Aneil
Achari/Paige Hourigan 7-6(5) 6-1. Ajeet Rai had a good tournament also
adding the 16s and 18s singles and doubles titles.
The Ladies Open Singles final was fought out between two young ladies attending
universities in the USA. Paige Hourigan (Turakina and Georgia Tech) was
too accomplished for Saravinder Pannu (Wellington and Columbus State), winning
6-3 6-0. Both girls had previously won the Ladies title, Pannu in 2010 and
Hourigan in 2008. Hourigan also took out the Ladies Doubles title with
Taranaki's Ellen O'Byrne.
The prizes
for the NZ Lawn Tennis Championships were presented by the Right Honourable
Maurice Williamson, MP.
Winners:
Event Pos. Name Club
Social Combines
1 Kurt Mcnamara+Ella Rogers Feilding/Pukekura Park
2 Vincent Baylis+Aroha Beattie Okaiawa
Ladies Social Doubles
1 Michelle Cornish+Cherol Filbee Hawera
2 Roneta Harrison+Caroline Kuklinski Huatoki/Hawera
Mens Social Singles
1 Dave Bayley
2 Paul Cornish Hawera
C-1 Pete Mihaljevich Okaiawa
Ladies B Doubles
1 Nicole Brown+Emily Dine Lower Hutt
2 Maree Bennett+Caroline Kuklinski Hawera
Mens B Doubles
1 Kurt Mcnamara+Kristian Revfeim Feilding/Huatoki
2 Andrew Baylis+Vincent Baylis Okaiawa
Ladies B Singles
1 Aroha Beattie Okaiawa
2 Caroline Kuklinski Hawera
C-1 Carly Chang Manawatu
Mens B Singles
1 Justin Rowe
2 Vincent Baylis Okaiawa
C-1 Connor Backhouse Feilding
Mens Xtra Consolation Doubles
1 Aneil Achari+Peter Lehrke Howick
2 Lewis Bazalo+Jakim Malan Petone/Khandallah
Open Combines
1 Olly Sadler+Saravinder Pannu Miramar/Wellington
2 Aneil Achari+Paige Hourigan Howick/Turakina
Ladies Open Doubles
1 Paige Hourigan+Ellen O'Byrne Turakina/Huatoki
2 Amy Galloway+Emily Murchland Maungaraki/Karori United
Mens Open Doubles
1 Ajeet Rai+Amrit Rai Huatoki
2 Michael Mcglinchey+Olly Sadler Upper Hutt/Miramar
Ladies Open Singles
1 Paige Hourigan Turakina
2 Saravinder Pannu Wellington
C-1 Kate Bolton Island Bay
Mens Open Singles
1 Ajeet Rai Huatoki
2 Olly Sadler Miramar
C-1 Cam Wenham Whakatane
Girls 18 Doubles
1 Hikaru Han+Ellen O'Byrne Huatoki
2 Nikayla Barnard+Kate Bolton Pukekura Park/Island Bay
Boys 18 Doubles
1 Ajeet Rai+Connor Williamson Huatoki/Parnell
2 Hamish Lee+Andrew Shand Greendale
Girls 18 Singles
1 Paige Hourigan Turakina
2 Hikaru Han Huatoki
C-1 Kate Bolton Island Bay
Boys 18 Singles
1 Ajeet Rai Huatoki
2 Connor Williamson Parnell
Winners
Event Pos. Name Club
C-1 William Hewett Maungaraki
Girls 16 Doubles
1 Eva Bayley+Hikaru Han Manawatu/Huatoki
2 Andrea Dano+Rebekah Leung Wai Johnsonville/Manawatu
Boys 16 Doubles
1 Jayden Harrison+Ajeet Rai Huatoki
2 Milo Benn+Satchel Benn Khandallah
Girls 16 Singles
1 Hikaru Han Huatoki
2 Nikayla Barnard Pukekura Park
C-1 Andrea Dano Johnsonville
Boys 16 Singles
1 Ajeet Rai Huatoki
2 Milo Benn Khandallah
C-1 Sam Bird Kohimarama
Girls 14 Doubles
1 Nicole Brown+Emily Dine Lower Hutt
2 Nikayla Barnard+Caitlin Haylock Pukekura Park
Boys 14 Doubles
1 David Barnard+Satchel Benn Pukekura Park/Khandallah
2 Jayden Harrison+Kristian Revfeim Huatoki
Girls 14 Singles
1 Nikayla Barnard Pukekura Park
2 Ella Rogers Pukekura Park
C-1 Willoughby Benn Khandallah
Boys 14 Singles
1 Jayden Harrison Huatoki
2 Satchel Benn Khandallah
C-1 Shane Colton Martinborough
Girls 12 Doubles
1 Seraphine Benn+Alice Bolton Khandallah/Island Bay
2 Ella Bayley+Isabelle Tong Manawatu/Okaiawa
Boys 12 Doubles
1 Hugh Avery+Jordan Whittleston Huatoki/Pukekura Park
2 Jack Brunel+Nathan Willoughby Khandallah
Girls 12 Singles
1 Elise Hendry Maungaraki
2 Alice Bolton Island Bay
C-1 Jorja Symes Okaiawa
Boys 12 Singles
1 Shane Colton Martinborough
2 Jordan Whittleston Pukekura Park
C-1 Tom Watson Khandallah
Boys 10 Doubles
1 Sam Watson+Tom Watson Khandallah
2 Tomi Avery+Lachlan Tong Huatoki/Okaiawa
Girls 10 Singles
1 Alice Bolton Island Bay
2 Jorja Symes Okaiawa
Boys 10 Singles
1 Tom Watson Khandallah
2 Tomi Avery Huatoki
C-1 Jack Brunel Khandallah