Fernando Gatti grabs top-tier title as Lower Great Southern Tennis Association closes junior tournament season

The Lower Great Southern Tennis Association closed its junior tournament season with an event in Mt Barker which attracted 30 competitors of all standards.

The players are rated depending on the balls they train with — orange, green or yellow, with the yellow being for the most advanced — with the event including competitors from each level.

Fernando Gatti secured the yellow division one title, heading off James Grundy after a day of high-quality tennis.

The sportsmanship award was presented to Ben Keyser in recognition of his positive attitude throughout his matches.

The girls’ yellow ball competition was equally competitive, Zuri Ochieng claiming the winner’s trophy.

Paige Michael was the runner-up on countback over Ella North, who took the sportsmanship award.

The boys’ yellow ball division two was especially tight, with numerous tie-breaks highlighting an evenly matched field.

Jack North emerged as champion, winning all his matches, while Henry King finished as runner-up.

Lucas Beech took home the winner’s trophy in the green ball division, winning a strong final against George De Giambattista, who had advanced after defeating his brother in a closely contested semi.

Laily Wrobel, who competed all day against the boys, won a sportsmanship award along with Teddy King and Jack Lehmann.

For many competitors, especially in the orange ball section, this marked their first tournament experience.

Patrick Perry claimed the orange ball boys’ title, with Lucy Mancini clinching the girls’ event.

The runners-up were Emerson Clements and Adrianna Bielecki while Alice McFarlane and Winston Bielecki were recognised with sportsmanship and encouragement awards.

LGSTA secretary Conny Stone said the event showcased the depth of talent in the region and paid tribute to Albany-based coaches Vincent Brochard and Nelson Stanborough.

“The elevation of junior tennis standards across our region in recent years has been driven primarily by the high-performance structure and culture Vincent has established,” she said.

“We are fortunate to have dedicated coaches contributing across all levels within our association, including Nelson’s valuable work in supporting the growth of tennis at grassroots, development and school level.”