In the women’s draw, Charlie Byers (Otago) was too strong in the final for Natalie Hetherington (Christchurch).
Byers came out firing with blistering ground strokes off both wings, claiming the first set 6-0.
Hetherington was able to regroup in the second as she slowed the pace down and got up 2-0.
However, Byers was too strong in the end and won the match 6-0, 6-3.
The win makes it two in a row for Byers, as she won the title last year against Ayesha Horley.
It also gives her a timely confidence boost as she prepares for ITF tournaments in the next couple of weeks.
In the third-fourth playoff, Aminah Ahmad (Otago) pulled through against Crystal Chiang (Otago), 6-2, 2-6, 6-1.
On the men’s side, Paddy Ou (Otago) beat Lachie Hunt (Southern Lakes) 6-2, 6-0 in the final.
In a match that was closer than its scoreline, Ou was able to neutralise Hunt’s serve and extend the length of the rallies.
Earlier in the semifinals, Hunt played the match of the tournament against Gavin Mockford (Otago).
In a throwback to the serve-and-volley style, Mockford’s net skills earned him the first set 6-3.
However, as the match wore on, the younger Hunt slowly adapted to this style of play.
A couple of crucial breaks in the second and third set helped Hunt win 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
In the other semifinal, Ou beat Hugo Barsby (Otago) 6-3, 6-2. In a tightly contested first set, Ou won a crucial game at 3-3 to swing the momentum of the match.
In the men’s doubles, Hunt and his father, former Davis Cup captain Alastair Hunt, claimed the title.
In unfortunate circumstances, the final was won by default as Mockford developed a shoulder injury.
Earlier in the draw, the Hunts took down top seeds Ou and Mat McCutcheon (Otago) in straight sets.
— Paddy Ou
