Whanganui age group tennis

Seventh seed Caleb Fleming played beyond expectations to finish runner-up in the Wanganui men's open at the weekend before being edged out of the Year 16 boys singles.

MANAWATU'S Charlotte Williams franked her favouritism when taking out both the Year 16 girls singles and doubles titles at the 2016 Dunlop Slazenger Wanganui tennis tournament yesterday.

The No1 seed easily accounted for Manawatu team-mate Ella Wells 6-4 6-0 in the singles.
Williams then teamed with Wellingtonian Vita McDouall to win the doubles just as easily. Withjust four teams in this grade, the outcome was determined after a round robin competition where Williams and McDouall won all their matches.

Meanwhile, New Plymouth's Caleb Fleming had an excellent tournament, finishing runner-up in the open final over the weekend to Wellington's Sam Newman and continuing that form into the boys' Year 16 grade yesterday.

Fleming finished runner-up to No 1 seed Jin Dassayake from Wellington in the singles final after a massive semifinal battle with Robbie Barnsley from Wellington.

Fleming was on match point seven times before finally claiming the winner on his eighth attempt. The match went to a third-set super tiebreaker before Fleming prevailed 14-12 to secure his finals spot.

The Dassayake/Fleming final was almost as epic, also going to three sets.

The higher-seeded Dassayake won the first set 6-2 before Fleming came back to claim the second 6-3 and force a super tiebreaker. Dassayake won that 10-7.

Fleming began the tournament as seventh seed and had not really been fancied to make a final on paper until he revealed his tenacious side. He then teamed with his singles nemesis, Dassayake, for the Year 16 boys doubles.

Dassayake and Fleming made their way to the doubles final winning their semi against Manawatu's Kurth Amey and Alex Evans from Feilding 6-4 7-6, while Barnsley and fellow Wellingtonian Trent Young clinched a finals spot after a three-set battle with Taranaki's Jayden Harrison and Patrick Wall, finally prevailing 4-6 6-3 and 10-6 in the super tiebreaker.

The final result of the boys Year 16 match was unavailable.

The Year 12 girls singles was won by Olivia Cook who beat her Wellington team-mate Amy Kieboom 6-3 6-2. Until yesterday Cook had lost nine straight times to Kieboom.

The Year 12 boys singles title was claimed by Sasha Milentijevic-Vague after he beat Zino Varouhas-Poole 6-2, 6-0.

Both the girls and boys Year 12 doubles results were unavailable.