Search for new open champions

Wellington's Milo Benn, on the way to winning the 16 year boys title at last year's Wanganui Open.

Senior men's and women's champions will be crowned for the first time in three years when the 2016 Dunlop Slazenger Wanganui Open begins the tennis season at the Basset St courts this weekend.

There will be four days of play to find singles and doubles champions, starting with the Open tournament along with the 10 and 14 year grades on Saturday and Sunday, followed by 12 and 16 year tournaments next Monday and Tuesday.

In recent years, the Wanganui Tennis Club has only hosted a junior open with the age grades from 10 to 16 years.

Standout Whanganui cousins and international players Kyle Butters and Paige Hourigan were the last Open champions in 2013, while younger sister Paris Butters won the 16 years girls singles.

The Open forms part of the Tennis Central Tri-Series along with the other tournaments in Manawatu and Wellington.

Visiting players usually have the most success, as last year the junior players from Feilding and Wellington won across most of the grades.

Development officer Gene Ridgway said he hoped Paris Butters would be able to play this year, although that is not confirmed, while fellow local Tessa Strang - the former 12 year girls champion - will compete in the 14 years grade after taking a season off to focus on cricket.

Last year's turnout of juniors was the biggest in some time with 133 entries.

As of yesterday, Ridway had 97 names, of which 16 are locals.

"We'd like to crack 150 players, but I don't think that will happen.

"Last year they came streaming in on the last day."

So far, there are 16 players signed up for the men's Open - Ridgway said some players recently out of the 14 years grade will play the Open tournament on the weekend and then enter the 16 year grade on Monday and Tuesday.

"It's a struggle to get the women, the men's draw is ok."

The 14 year boys draw also has a strong lineup with 24 entries so far.

As well as travelling from around the Central Tennis area, a couple of players will be coming down from the Waikato.

In total, as of yesterday there were 219 entries as a number of the 97 players have entered two age grades as well as singles and doubles.

Ridgway said they will use the Whanganui Intermediate tennis courts for the overflow, as well as possible the City College courts.

To keep up with the results in different locations, web developer Paula Fore of ID.Applications has created a tournament app which players can download for their cellphones.

"There's an app on the App Store or Google play, keep up to date with the scores and the draws," said Ridgway.

Collectively last year, there were 295 matches, 599 sets and 4639 games played over the four days.

St Johns Club is the official restaurant and social club for the tournament to cater for players and their support groups.