Otago's Libby Scott upset the form book when she beat No 1 seed Heidi Stewart (Bay of Plenty) 6-3, 6-1 to win the final of the 16 and under national championships in Christchurch on Saturday.
Scott showed the benefits of a hard build-up.
She has been travelling north each week to play in the Auckland Caro Bowl interclub competition.
She also won the consolation event at the national open residential champs, winning several big matches after elimination from the main draw.
To get to the final of the 16s, Scott beat Kirby Wotherspoon (Auckland) 6-0, 6-2; Maddie Clarke (Canterbury) 6-0, 6-2; Monica Chen (Auckland) 6-0, 6-3 and Christine Foote (Waikato) 6-0, 6-2.
However, after losses to Stewart in last year's nationals in Hamilton, an ITF tournament in Auckland and also in the Caro Bowl, all in straight sets, she was a long shot to turn the tables in the final.
With Queenstown's Louise Oxnevad dropping only seven games in five wins to claim the consolation event, Southern is looking good for the team event which follows the individual titles.
Scott and Oxnevad also won the consolation doubles at the nationals.
The team event consists of two singles and a double.
The Southern team is completed by Sian English (14), of Dunedin.
