Tennis: Disappointing entries for long-running Otago Open

A disappointing entry list of only 15 men and four women will contest the Otago Open, one of New Zealand's longest-running events.

The Open, which has a roll of honour dating back to 1886, includes many famous names, including three-time Wimbledon winner Anthony Wilding.

The disappointment is tempered by the fact that the event has survived, unlike the Canterbury Open and the recently cancelled Southland Open.

With Tennis New Zealand having dropped the national league several years ago, and more recently scrapped the national interdistricts team event, players are either giving up once they leave juniors or heading to American colleges.

However, Tennis Otago has retained the same prize money structure in the men as a reward for the committed young entrants and there is plenty of incentive for the John McGlashan squad, which contests the national schools' finals in Wellington from Monday.

Top men's seeding has gone to Auckland student Aaron Hicks, who has been a valuable contributor to the local scene.

McGlashan teammates Carlos Reid and Mitchell Sizemore claim the next two spots while Ryan Eggers is fourth seed, relegating Paddy Ou from the seedings.

Ou's match with Sizemore, who has won his last 19 matches, and has overtaken Ou in national rankings, should be full of interest.

Other contenders are Wellington student Jonathan Wilson, North Otago's Glen Claridge and Jeremy Ferguson and Otago's Fraser Richardson.

Other players have entered doubles only, including the very young brothers Peter and Thomas Hartono.

There are only two players in the women's singles, after others withdrew or failed to enter, ironically because of lack of numbers in some cases.

North Otago's Rebecca Dellaway, last year's winner, will meet Rileigh Fields in a one-off final today.

The men's finals will take place from tomorrow morning, at Logan Park.

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