Central Coast’s Troy Lockwood held off a tough challenge from veteran Andrew McLean to claim the open men’s title 6-2, 7-5 in Albury on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old said it was his return of serve that won him the match.

“In the second set, he was on top most of the way and I was able to make some returns when it mattered late in the set and serve it out,” Lockwood said.

“I was lucky to break back straight away at the start of the second.

“I thought I returned really well because he’s a hell of a volleyer, he picks up volleys like you would never believe.

“I didn’t serve as good as I would have liked, I rushed a bit, but I was really happy with the way I passed him at the net and hit some returns.

“I’m always pretty competitive, so I set out to win both these tournaments (Margaret Court Cup and Victorian Junior Grasscourt Championships).

The 48-year-old Andrew McLean won seven straight matches, including three qualifiers to get into the main draw, before going down in the final.

McLean coaches at Royal South Yarra Tennis Club and is a familiar face on the Border, having won the 1995 Albury New Year’s tournament.

“It was a good final, I felt he returned too well and was a bit too sharp, which made it tough for me coming in (to the net),” he said.

Meanwhile, the women’s number two seed Anne-Marie Medcalf denied top seed Alarna Parnaby her fourth Margaret Court Cup title with a 6-2, 7-5 victory in the open women’s final.

“I think I hit my forehand really well and it held me up in the end,” Medcalf said.

“It’s really what won me the match.

“I knew it was going to be tough, so I went out to play my own game and didn’t think too much about it.

“I definitely played my best game in the final, I served and returned very well and my forehand really helped me.”

It was the 19-year-old’s first time back at the event in six years and it sets her up for a big season.

Medcalf plans to play in several Australian Money Tournaments (AMT) before heading overseas to contest more events.

Parnaby admitted Medcalf never allowed her to get into the match.

“She got the first big hit in the point and that put me on the back foot straight away,” Parnaby said.

“It was a real struggle to get myself into it from the get-go.

“I felt like I was in the match a bit more in the second set, but I couldn’t get over the line.”

Most players will back up for the Victorian Junior Grasscourt Championships in Wodonga starting today.