Coming off a quarterfinal the day before at an ITF junior tournament, Byers dropped only two games in her singles campaign in Dunedin.
In the final against Aminah Ahmad, Byers’ ball-striking was too much as she won 6-0, 6-2.
Earlier in the semifinals, Ahmad won a tight contest against Erin O’Neill, 6-4, 7-6(1).
The women’s doubles featured Byers and Ahmad teaming up to play Angela Fitzgerald and Jenna Bowie in the final.
Byers and Ahmad started well as they won the first set 6-3. The experience and net play of Fitzgerald and Bowie produced a close second set with Byers and Ahmad hanging on, 6-3, 7-5.
In the men’s singles final, Paddy Ou beat Ryan Eggers 7-5, 7-6(5).
The match contained frequent changes of momentum.
Eggers made some clutch passing shots to hang in the second set.
Some timely backhands and first serves led to Ou converting his fifth match point to claim victory.
Earlier in the semifinals, Eggers took on Tim Willans in the match of the tournament.
Willans’ clean ball-striking helped him win a closely contested first set 6-4.
In the second set, Eggers’ patience and consistency started to pay off as he was able to force errors from Willans’ side, winning it 6-1.
The third set featured extended rallies in the beginning, neither man able to pull away on the scoreline.
A slight foot injury for Willans and cramp for Eggers also added to the dramatic finish.
The decisive moment came with Eggers serving at 5-6, 30-40 and momentum with Willans.
With Willans bossing most of the points until then, some desperate scrambling and calm net play helped Eggers save a match point.
Momentum then swung into Eggers’ favour as he closed out the match 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (2).
Ou beat Hugo Barsby 6-2, 6-3 in the other semifinal, the latter eventually ending up third after some impressive wins.
In the men’s doubles, Eggers and Albert Hailes put on a clinic as they took down Perry Crockett and Ou in the final 6-2, 6-2.
The semifinals featured Eggers and Hailes beating Bilal Ahmad and Connor Brosnahan 6-7(4), 6-2, 11-9, and Crockett and Ou beating Mat McCutcheon and Jack Warner 6-7(3), 6-4, 10-7.
— Paddy Ou
