Sam aces challenge and takes top title

GOOD WIN: Sam Russell (pictured) took out the secondary school boys' title at the Wanganui Tennis Club's junior championships, beating Collegiate's Issei Kirosaki in the final.

Sam Russell delivered on his No1 seeding to win the secondary schools boys' section of the Wanganui Tennis Club's junior championships on Saturday afternoon.

The biggest field at the championships with 25 entries, Russell won the final against No2 seed Issei Kirosaki in a tough three-set game, 2-4 4-1 4-2.

Bethany Farmer won the smaller girls' draw as the No2 seed, beating last year's winner Paige Mallasch 4-0 5-3.

The primary and intermediate competitions were combined, with Zach Farmer beating Justin Ferguson in the boys' final, 4-1 5-3.

Brooke Pearce took out the girls' final with a comfortable 4-0 4-0 win over Stella Ridgway.

The doubles and mixed doubles sections of the junior championships will be contested at a later date.

From the singles championships, the Wanganui squad to contest the Tennis Central teams event in Wellington this coming weekend was almost finalised.

Eight players from under 10-16 level will play singles and mixed doubles games against eight other provincial teams.

Russell and his Christie Cup teammate Paris Butters will be the under-16 representatives.

Jaiden Edmonds will play the under-14 boys' grade, while the girls' selection is still to be decided between his sister Laura Edmonds and Bethany Farmer.

The under-12's players are Zach Farmer for the boys and Basia Sonowski for the girls, while Pearce (girls) and Taiaha Duxfield (boys) will be the under-10s.

The team leaves on Friday.