ALANA Parnaby showed her class yesterday, taking out the women’s final 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
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The Victorian, 18, was made to work hard by opponent Sonja Balic but her fitness, clean hitting and composure on the big points was too good.
After a quiet year due to year 12 studies, the defending champion made a triumphant return in windy conditions.
“I’m just happy to defend my title,” Parnaby said.
“The conditions were just horrible.
“We’d be standing there waiting to serve and couldn’t because of the wind.
“I remember hitting one ball, I aimed for the sideline and it ended going on the other side of the court.
“It was tough for both players.”
Parnaby and Balic haven’t played each other before but Parnaby had an idea of what she was up against.
“I’d only seen her around the tournament,” Parnaby said.
“I’d seen a little bit how she played and I knew she was a good competitor and that it was going to be a tough match.”
Parnaby made a solid start to the match and was able to break Balic towards the end of the first set.
She served the set out but Balic wasn’t done, fighting back in the second set and taking it 6-4.
A tense finish looked on the cards between the No.1 and No.2 seeds but Parnaby had other ideas, running away in the deciding set 6-1.
“Everyone’s a fighter at these tournaments so it didn’t surprise me when she took the second set,” Parnaby said.
“I was shaken up a little bit but I just tried to stay composed.
“I just thought to myself ‘you’ve just got to keep going’ and I was glad I could do that.”
Earlier in the day Ryan Smith toppled Daniel Nickels to claim the under-16 boys championship and Megan Kaussman was too good for Rose Taglieri in the corresponding girl’s decider.
Alana Bourgeois and Nelson Roso won the under-14s as were Codey Gunn and Ivana Popovic in the under-12.
And in the under-10 finals Lucy McIntyre and Rowan Mendis were crowned champions.