31 December 2006

No.2 seed and defending champion, Kurt McNamara (Mwtu) has won his second consecutive Men’s Open Singles title at the Hawera Lawn courts defeating No.1 seed Tim Preston (Mwtu) 6-2 7-6.  This reversed the result from their last two matches where Tim Preston won on both occasions in 3 sets.  McNamara made his way to the final by defeating Taranaki players, David Geange, in the Q/F 6-1 6-0 and Stuart Wood in the S/F 6-4 6-3.  Tim Preston had a more strenuous path to the final, firstly defeating doubles partner Lukasz Klobukowski 4-6 6-3 6-4 in the Q/F, then beating Taranaki No. 1 Jono Ussher in the S/F, 6-3 2-6 6-3.

Regular visitor to the Taranaki Open and 14 Boy’s champion in 2002, Sam Howard won the Plate event defeating Andrew Powell 7-5 7-6(2).

The Ladies Open Singles title also went to the defending champion and No.1 seed, Manaia’s Nicole Koch.  Nicole defeated No.2 seed Alice Wiggin (Kapi Mana) 6-0 6-3 after earlier defeating Alice’s younger sister, Rheanna Wiggin in the S/F 6-4 6-1.  Alice Wiggin made her way to the final by defeating Taranaki’s Alesha Ford 6-2 6-4.  Nicole Koch then teamed with Alesha Ford to win the Ladies Open Doubles title overcoming Alice and Rheanna Wiggin 7-6(8) 5-7 6-4.  Both pairings had their chances throughout the match but it was the Taranaki pairing that prevailed in a tense match. 

The Men’s Doubles title went to top seeds Tim Preston (Mwtu) and Lukasz Klobukowski (Waik).  They defeated Taranaki pairing Jono Ussher and Chris Popata 7-5 2-6 6-3 in another thriller.  Preston/Klobukowski defeated Manawatu pairing Sam Howard and Jono Spring 4-6 6-3 6-4 to make the final whereas Ussher/Popata defeated Kurt McNamara/Andrew Powell (Tar) 6-3 6-4 to make the final.

 Tim Preston shows huge fitness to pick himself up after yet another three-setter in his Open Combined Doubles S/F to then take the Combined Doubles title.  Tim and partner Rheanna Wiggin defeated Jono Spring/Nicole Koch 7-5 6-7 6-4 before taking the final with a 6-3 7-5 win over defending champions Kurt McNamara and Alice Wiggin.  McNamara/A.Wiggin made their way to the final by defeating David Reid (Mwtu) and Weiwei Tan (Rotorua) 6-4 6-3.

 The Open attracted 110 participants from the 10 year olds to 16 year olds in the Junior Grades and adults playing in the Open, B and Social categories.  Each day of the tournament was troubled by rain but 200 individual matches were scheduled and played over the 4 days of the tournament (27^th – 30^th).

 Other Results 

16 Girls Singles 

Semi-finals

Rheanna Wiggin (Kapi Mana) beat Briar Malpas (Mwtu) 6-2 6-4

Alesha Ford beat Miaanna Walden 6-1 6-7 6-1

Final - Rheanna Wiggin beat Alesha Ford 4-6 6-2 6-3

Plate – Mary-Ellen Annabell b Jaimee Baylis 7-6(3) 6-2

 16 Girls Doubles Final

Briar Malpas/Jaimee Baylis b Miaanna Walden/Jenna Seaver7-5 4-6 6-4

 16 Boys Singles winner: Joshua Walden

16 Boys Singles runner-up: Stuart Nairn

16 Boys Doubles winners: Jordan Fleming/Joshua Walden

16 Boys Doubles runners-up: Stuart Nairn/Jevan Hayward

14 Girls Singles winner: Sarah Kelly

14 Girls Singles runner-up: Maree Gopperth

 14 Boys Singles S/F’s

Paul Haslam (BOP) beat Jordan Fleming 6-2 6-0

Jacob Gopperth beat Michael Boland 6-0 4-6 6-0

Final: Paul Haslam beat Jacob Gopperth 6-2 7-5

Plate Final: Corey Furness beat Reegan Corbett 1-6 6-4 7-6(8)

14 Boy’s Doubles S/F’s

Paul Haslam/Jordan Fleming beat Conor & Sean Hourigan (Wang/Wair) 6-0 6-0

Thomas Brown/Alistair Nairn beat Jacob Gopperth/Chris Baylis 6-1 6-3

Final: Paul Haslam/Jordan Fleming beat Thomas Brown/Alistair Nairn 6-3 6-2

12 Girls Singles S/F’s

Paige Hourigan (Wang) beat Monique Hornby 6-4 6-4

Grace Kelly beat Brigid Annabell 6-3 6-2

Final: Paige Hourigan beat Grace Kelly 6-2 7-6(3)

Plate Final: Alice Caskey beat Alex Kalin 9-2

12 Girls Doubles

Winners: Paige Hourigan/Renee Cummins

Runners-up: Brigid Annabell/Monique Hornby

 12 Boys Singles S/F’s

Sam Piercey (Well) beat Sam Dally (NSW) 1-6 6-4 6-3

Luke Piercey (Well) beat Sam Brailsford 6-4 6-3

Final: Luke Piercey beat Sam Piercey 6-4 5-7 6-1

Plate Final: Daniel Furness beat Dylan Pearce (Wang) 9-4

 12 Boys Doubles S/F’s

Sam & Luke Piercey (Well) beat Danial Furness/Ethan Perrett 6-2 6-0

Liam Wilby (Well)/Sam Dally beat Dylan Pearce/Conor Hourigan (Wang) 6-2 6-4

Final: Sam & Luke Piercey beat Liam Wilby/Sam Dally 2-6 6-1 6-0

10 Girls Singles S/F’s

Danielle Pearce (Wang) beat Lilly O’Neill 9-2

Kelly Jury beat Anna Kelly 9-2

Final: Danielle Pearce beat Kelly Jury 9-7

Plate Final: Shannen Cummins beat Jessica Ford 9-2

10 Girls Doubles

Winners: Danielle Pearce/Shannen Cummins(Wang)

10 Boys Singles S/F’s

Thomas Josephson(HV) beat Beauden Fleming 9-5

Zachary Whaanga(Kapi Mana) beat Thomas Kalin 9-1

Final: Zachary Whaanga beat Thomas Josephson 9-2

Plate Final: Theo Piercey beat Geordie Purdon 9-1

10 Boys Doubles

Winners: Thomas Josephson/Zachary Whaanga

Runners-up: Theo Piercey/Beauden Fleming

Men’s B Singles S/F’s

Joshua Walden beat Alan Stern (Mwtu) 6-2 7-6(5)

Jordan Fleming beat Jacob Gopperth 6-3 3-6 6-4

Final: Joshua Walden beat Jordan Fleming 6-3 6-2

Plate Final: Cameron Wenham(Mwtu) beat Vincent Baylis 6-4 7-6

Men’s B Doubles S/F’s

Joshua Walden/Jordan Fleming beat Andrew Powell/Keith Stockman 9-8(5)

Alan Stern/Cameron Wenham beat Murray Mead/Andrew Baylis 3-6 6-4 6-4

Final: Joshua Walden/Jordan Fleming beat Alan Stern/Cameron Wenham 9-5

Ladies B Singles Winner: Weiwei Tan (Rot)

Social Men’s Doubles Winners: Andrew Baylis/Murray Mead

Social Ladies Doubles Winners: Maree & Marina Gopperth

Social Combined Doubles Winners: Jacob and Maree Gopperth