Wanganui is emerging as a dominant force in tennis circles after winning back-to-back prestigious tournaments in the past fornight.
Two weeks ago the Wanganui mixed team cleaned up to win the Christie Cup and continued that form to claim the Jacobs Creek Hexangular event in the Hutt Valley last weekend in dominant fashion.
Tennis Wanganui development officer and an integral component in the River City side, Wilton Atkins, said while the Christie Cup had major historical value, the Jacobs Creek tournament was arguably a more prestigious event given the strong competition from much larger centres.
Teams competing in the Jacobs Creek Hexangular included Wellington, Kapi-Mana, Hutt Valley, Manawatu and Taranaki.
Wanganui travelled to Hutt Valley without pivotal players Emma Hayman and and Karen Cranston, but current stars Paige Hourigan and her cousins Paris and Kyle Butters teamed with class acts Victor Romero, Gabby Hiri, Taylor Quirk, Simon O'Leary, Dana Hiri, Charlotte Gollan and Atkins to win the title for the first time. Wanganui, however, signalled its intention last year finishing second.