Ella Fitcher and Jaimin Mandi were more than familiar with one another’s game by the time Sunday was done.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
The fourth and final day of Goulburn Valley Open and Junior Championship action had its senior champions crowned for 2025.
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Owing in part to the searing weather forecast for Sunday, much as Saturday had scorched the courts at Shepparton Lawn Tennis Club, action kicked off at breakfast time as three days of wall-to-wall play came to a head.
Sunday’s matinee showcase was the men’s and women’s singles champions being crowned, with both winners claiming the top prize for the first time.
Jaimin Mandi had herself a busy Sunday.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Ryan Nield served his way to a doubles title.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Ella Fitcher walked out a dominant double champion.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Jamie Heaton was another to compete twice on Sunday.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Marcus Nield helped pull off a comfortable doubles final victory.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Maggie Fitcher reached a women's doubles final in consecutive years.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Deagan Tomkins sets himself for a backhand slice.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Grace Thomas looks to go aggressive down the line.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Jon Longridge and Sam Simmons stepped out for the men’s Tier 1 singles final as the top two seeds and we got a contest worthy of those ranks.
More than two-and-a-half hours elapsed after both had traded 7-5 set wins, before Longridge proved the quality of seed number one in claiming his maiden Open title in a tiebreak, prevailing 10-3 in the decider.
Third seed Jaimin Mandi approached the women’s singles final in familiar territory, having been here a year ago before falling to local champion Olivia Quigley.
This time, her foe in the big dance was Ella Fitcher, but there was unfortunately a second dose of heartbreak awaiting.
Fitcher was a class above on the day, dropping only a single set throughout the bracket and powering through to the championship in a 6-3 6-0 rout.
This made for a rather interesting turn of events later in the morning, however, as Mandi paired with Ella in the women’s doubles straight afterwards to take on Maggie Fitcher — yes, a Fitcher on both sides — and Grace Thomas.
Singles final now aside, Ella Fitcher and Mandi proved a more than formidable force in tandem, scooping the doubles championship in a straight-sets victory as Fitcher took her second crown of the morning.
Marcus and Ryan Nield would claim the men’s doubles crown together, while Jamie Heaton took out the men’s Tier 1 MP singles title (before going down in the men’s doubles) and Geoff Nield won the men’s Tier 2 singles tournament.
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