Tennis: Shortall beats off teenage rival to clinch residential title

By DAVE WORSLEY


James Shortall is the New Zealand men's national champion after arguably the best final for at least a decade as he beat Dan King-Turner in a nearly three-hour, three-set match.

Fourth seed Shortall had to use all his experience to overcome the eighth-seeded Canterbury player 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (10-8) indoors at the North Harbour Tennis Park.

Shortall, who turns 23 on Christmas Day, has now put himself in contention for a Davis Cup squad place and perhaps one of four spots in the Heineken Open qualifying next month.

The match was of high quality throughout, with both players hitting the ball at pace on every point, but it was the 19-year-old King-Turner who had more opportunities to win.

He was up a set and service break at 4-1 in the second set before Shortall clawed his way back into the match, which had looked to be King-Turner's for the taking.

The more senior player had nine break-point opportunities against King-Turner's serve but couldn't make the most of them.

It was not until the 10th break-point chance that Shortall broke his opponent's serve.

"I felt down and out and frustrated at a set and 4-1 down, but at that point I guess I relaxed and played better," Shortall said.

"In the third set I felt like I was hitting serves comfortably and on his serve it was a lot closer."

Once again in the third set the match was even until Shortall almost gave it all away in the tiebreak when, up 4-3, he double faulted and let King-Turner back into the match.

"I thought I'd blown there with the double fault," said Shortall, who could not remember the last time he had won a singles tournament.

Eventually Shortall moved to 7-6 up. The final crunch came in the tiebreak when, on match point, he passed a volleying King-Turner down the line with a backhand.

The ball hit the line and was called in by the umpire, much to King-Turner's disappointment - and Shortall's delight.

In the women's final, Leanne Baker continued her remarkable record in the New Zealand Residentials, winning the women's singles title for the fifth time in six years.

Baker, seeded second, beat top seed Shelley Stephens 6-4, 6-1 at the Albany Tennis Centre, using a forceful and attacking game and approaching the net on a regular basis.

The win was a bonus for Baker, who has had a horror run of injuries this year. She has suffered a broken wrist and fractured foot but now looks to be almost back to full fitness.

Baker and Stephens combined to win the women's doubles title 6-4, 6-4 over Dianne Hollands and Brittany Teei.

It was Baker's ninth consecutive doubles title at the event.