Oldest brother Kai Milburn, now 19, won in 2024, then, last year, middle brother Dan, now 17, beat youngest brother Noa, now 16, in an epic final.
And now Noa has won this year’s final, beating Christchurch’s Jack Hansen Ratter 7-5, 6-0 last Sunday after the latter beat Dan in the semis.
Dan and Noa also teamed up for the second year running to take out the men’s doubles, beating Hansen Ratter and Wellington-based former local Justin-Li Moroney in the final.
In the women’s singles final, Palmerston North’s Ayla Giesen beat Auckland’s Jacynta Rakete, and in the women’s doubles final, Giesen teamed up with another out-of-towner, Katy Brown, to beat local pairing Joanna Joyce and Santi Umsamrong.
About 40 players, including many out-of-towners, contested the Open last weekend at the Queenstown Tennis Club’s Gardens court, lured in part by the first prize purse the tournament’s ever offered, thanks to new sponsor First Mortgage Trust’s (FMT) $5000 contribution.
The singles winners took home $1000 each and the doubles winners $300 each, while the runners-up also won prize money.
Club president Reece Gibson says the weekend went well with good matches and even good weather.
He adds the club’s most grateful for FMT’s support.
