Gunnedah’s Gabi O’Gorman won the Open women’s singles final at Armidale on Sunday. 211012GRA21
MORE than 300 matches over three days of competition ensured the Sherrif’s Tennis Academy Championships were a major success over the weekend.
Highlighting the tennis tournament was Sunday’s Open Men’s Final between Kirk Carrington-Hastings and teenage Tamworth star Ciaran Lavers.
Carrington-Hastings won 3/6 7/5 6/3 in an enthralling battle, organiser Justin Sherriff said.
“It was a fantastic final,” Sherriff said yesterday. “Very entertaining.”
It carried something of a poignant link for Sherriff, who is also the head coach of the Northern Inland Academy of Sport tennis program.
Carrington-Hastings was one of the first juniors Sherriff coached when he first moved to Armidale a few years back.
“I coached Kirk when I first moved here and he developed into one of the best juniors in Australia,” he said.
“He then got to number 12 on the Australian rankings (seniors) and played in an Australian Open.
“He was a very good player in his day. These days he’s about 30 and doesn’t play as much but he and Ciaran played a great three-setter.
“It was good for Ciaran too.
“He would have got a lot of feedback from that.
“It was also played in terrific spirit.”
Winner of the Open women’s final was Gunnedah’s Gabbi O’Gorman.
She beat Kayla Wicks 7/5 7/6, turning the tables on Wicks who won their junior final 6/2 6/2.
The tournament started Friday with some 60 matches in the Points Events.
Those Points Events continued Saturday as the early rounds of the age – Under 10,12,14,16 and 18 – and Open divisions.
170 matches were played Saturday and then Sunday had another 70, culminating in the finals of all the Age and Open events.
Armidale’s Angus Apps did well, runner-up in the U12 Singles Final to the top-ranked 10 year player in the nation.
Ell McNaught won the 12 year girls’ singles as well as partnering Under 10 girls’ singles winner Sarah Kennedy to win the Under 12 doubles.