Hunt, back from a scholarship in the United States, had too much touch, mixed with a strong forehand, and beat Otago Open titleholder Mitchell Sizemore 6-2, 6-2 in the final.
Sizemore was able to match Hunt for power but was often left stranded by subtle angles or effective dropshots.
Shibuya gradually assumed control of the women’s final as her free-stroking groundstrokes found their mark more often than those of Aucklander Charlotte Booth in a 6-4, 6-1 scoreline.
In the semifinals yesterday morning, Hunt led Ryan Eggers 6-2 and 5-0 before Eggers began a fightback that reached 5-3 before being snuffed out, while Sizemore survived break points to go up 6-5 against Aaron Hicks and took his first break chance, going on to win 7-5, 6-3 and seal his first win against Hicks after several meetings.
The men’s doubles final was a repeat of last year’s Indoor Open and also the Otago Open.
The scores stood at one apiece between Paddy Ou, partnered by Eggers, and Carlos Reid, partnered by Sizemore. Reid and Sizemore broke for the first time at 5-5 and held to take the first set before meekly handing away the second 6-0.
The match tiebreak saw both teams hold a match point before Ou and Eggers claimed the title when their opponents let a ball sail harmlessly between them.
The women’s doubles went to veterans Debby Stevens and Willa Faber, who beat Charlotte Booth and Claudia Maddren, another northern student, 6-3, 6-4.
In Saturday’s quarterfinals, Hunt beat Aucklander Sam Shearer 6-3, 7-6 in a match where both played in attacking mode.
Shearer only just came up short and provided plenty of intensity.
In a seesawing battle, top seed Ou lost to his doubles partner, Eggers, 6-7, 6-2, 2-6 after leading 5-1 in the first set.
Sizemore eliminated his doubles partner, Reid, 6-3, 6-3 in a quality match, while Hicks was untroubled when dropping only one game to Queenstown’s Josh McDermott.
McDermott had earlier beaten James Hunt 7-5, 6-0.The top women’s seed was also beaten when Shibuya beat Rileigh Fields 6-1 in the third set in one semifinal, while Charlotte Booth beat Eliza Booth (no relation) 6-2, 6-1.
The men’s doubles semis saw Ou and Eggers put out the Hunt brothers 6-4, 6-4, and Reid and Sizemore were pushed to 6-3, 4-6, 10-5 by Hicks and Matt McCutcheon in matches with many spectacular rallies.
The mixed doubles was won by junior Ayoub Ahmad and Ashburton student Stacy Hopwood, who accounted for Henry Hailes and Jessie Stevenson in a surprise result, taking the match tiebreak 10-4.
