Former New Zealand tennis professional and Davis Cup captain Alistair Hunt made a memorable return to the North Otago Grass Open at the weekend, winning both the men’s singles and, alongside son Lachlan, the men’s doubles titles.
Hunt (51) last played in and won the North Otago tournament in 2005 — he had also won the men’s singles title in 2004 — and decided to return to Oamaru this year to test out his fitness for the national masters championships in Auckland.
"I just wanted to see how my knee was — and it’s nice on the grass," he said.
"But for me it’s just really nice to come back to these tournaments and support them.
"I really enjoy it."
Hunt dropped just four games in his run to the final — beating Adam Cunningham 6-0, 6-0, Gavin Mockford 6-1, 6-2, and Connor Brosnahan 6-1, 6-0 — where he came up against Aucklander Ryan Eggers.
Eggers, the defending champion, put up a fight, but Hunt was a class above. He put on a clinical display of tennis, winning the title in straight sets, 6-2 6-3.
Former North Otago representative player and Great Kiwi Bake Off winner Alby Hailes was third in the men’s singles.
Hirst, who is also heading to Auckland for the masters tournament, took total control of the final, showing great focus and determination to beat Brown 6-0, 6-1.
Twelve combinations contested the men’s doubles and four the women’s.
In the men’s draw, the top three seeds made it through to the semifinals, while fourth seeds Philip Mirfin and Mathew Rusher were knocked out in the quarters by North Otago brothers Nick and Josh Dalziel.
However, local hopes were dashed by the Hunt father-son pair, who secured their place in the final with a 6-1, 6-0 win over the Dalziel brothers.
Top seeds Eggers and Mockford had a 6-4, 6-1 win over rising talent Riley Breen (14), of Ashburton, and South Canterbury tennis coach Connor Brosnahan for the other spot in the final.
The men’s final was tightly contested and a thrilling watch. Eggers and Mockford threatened a comeback after losing the first set, but the Hunts proved too strong, claiming the title in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.
"It’s just trying to give [Lachlan] a hand and see what he’s up to — and it’s good fun playing with him at the same time," Hunt said.
North Otago’s Hirst and Becky Martin were crowned women’s doubles champions, the pair undefeated in a round-robin, beating Jordyn Phillips and Nicky Fisher 6-1, 6-2, Erin O’Neill and Katy Brown 6-4, 6-3, and Rebecca Ryan and Santisuk Marshall 6-0, 6-2.
It was the biggest North Otago Grass Open draw in more than 10 years and tournament controller Stu Hirst said the level of tennis played over the weekend was "outstanding”.
With so many entries in the men’s singles, a qualifying round was held on Friday night with seven players vying for the final two spots in the main draw.
"It was just high-calibre tennis, right through," Hirst said.
"All the matches were so competitive, but all played in really good spirit.
"The other feedback I’ve received from many players is they all have the desire to come back again next year, because they’ve realised how good [the tournament] is and how fantastic it is to play not only on the grass courts, but in the setting [of the Oamaru Public Gardens]."
