RISING young star Andrew Osmond showed maturity and class to defeat local club professional and defending champion Craig Louis 6-1, 6-3 in Sundays men’s singles final of the Gunnedah Tennis Club Championships.
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Osmond, at just 15 years of age, is thought to be the youngest men’s singles winner in the 90-year history of the club.
Earlier in the day in the semi-final, Osmond defeated another young gun and long-time junior rival Sam O’Gorman 7-5, 6-3.
“Sam and I have played plenty of times as juniors and we always have close matches,” Osmond said.
“I knew this would be no different.
“He’s a great striker of the ball and can be really dangerous,” he said.
In the other semi-final, Louis beat another of the young brigade, Zac McCann, 6-0, 6-3.
In the final, Osmond started confidently and was on top early in the first set.
Louis, as always, fought back valiantly to stage a mini comeback in the second set.
But Osmond’s heavy ground strokes proved too much in the end.
“Even after I won the first set I was still wary of Craig’s ability to get a lot of balls back and fight back,” Osmond said.
“My coach Dale Martin told me to be aggressive and that Craig is a great fighter and would hang in there till the end.”
Osmond capped a great day on court with a men’s doubles victory with Dale Martin when they defeated Louis and McCann 6-4, 6-4.
Gabby O’Gorman collected the treble with a fine victory in the women’s singles over long -time rival Emily Osmond 6-3, 6-1.
In the final O’Gorman showed the form and style which has taken her into the top 100 ranking in Australia this year.
She also teamed up with former club champion Jodie Moore to win their third consecutive women’s doubles title over young gun Kyra Carlyon and the comeback kid, Nicole Carlyon.
O’Gorman then teamed up with her younger sibling Sam to win their second consecutive mixed doubles title, defeating Louis and Moore in an entertaining match 7-5, 6-3.
Hard-fought and close matches were the order of the weekend in division 2 men’s singles.
Joel Zhao showed he had what it takes when he defeated Simon Turpin 6-3, 6-3, after outlasting Luke Bradfield in a two-and-a-half semi-final marathon 3-6, 7-6, 6-1.
In the division 2 men’s doubles final, Adam King and Tim O’Gorman defeated Paul Sheedy and Ian Gardner 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
Steph Eveleigh proved she is a player of the future with a three-set win over Kristie Hudson 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 to win the division 2 ladies’ singles.
Division 2 women’s doubles was another close event, with Amanda White and Susan Hutchens defeating a younger team of Hudson and Kate Palmer 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.
Division 2 mixed doubles was won by father and daughter Kristie and Darrell Hudson who defeated Brandy Harris and Luke Bradfield 6-2, 6-4.
