KEY POINTS:
Keeping up with the Joneses is getting difficult for New Zealand's tennis players.
Yesterday, the brother-sister combination of Sacha Jones, 17 and GD, 21 became the first siblings to win their respective Residentials national titles in the same year.
Played indoors as rain hit the North Harbour Tennis Park right on the 11am start time, the pair had straight set wins for their first Residentials titles, although they came in different circumstances.
Their victories were replays of four years ago when they took the national 18s titles, aged 13 and 17 respectively, at the same venue. However it was GD who finished his final first on this occasion after completing a 6-3, 6-3 win over top seed and defending champion Adam Thompson.
Meanwhile Sacha was forced to fight all the way against 18-year-old Kairangi Vano.
Sacha, whose world ranking has rocketed to 323 this year, won her final 7-6(8-6), 6-4 and at times played better when chasing her opponent.
She initially led 5-3 in the first set after sustaining a barrage of Vano forehands but lost momentum finding herself down 5-6 with Vano having three set points. Eventually Sacha fought back to force a tiebreak where she was down 2-5 but somehow won eight points to six.
In the second set Sacha looked a little more settled but still hit too many short shots for her opponent to attack.
"She [Vano] was hitting the ball so big. The more I started to play my game the better I played. I warmed up outside but played inside. I didn't play great, but all that matters is the win," said Sacha.
The tournament didn't have the usual depth of past years, with Thompson and GD on a collision course to the men's final from day one. Only a week ago Thompson beat GD for the loss of just one game but this time GD was efficient throughout the match.
The victory for GD was a boost considering he hasn't been able to play pro tennis for two years as a result of nagging groin injuries which meant three separate operations and finally a return to ITF Futures in August.
"It's always nice to be a national champ. My pathway was always to be a professional player so now I'm back on that path and on track.
"I've made some good, steady progress this year. I want to play the Heineken Open."
And while his sister was happy to win but not overly happy with the way she played, big brother was full of pride with her progress in the tough world of professional sport.
"I have been really proud with the way Sacha has gone this year and her results. It's great to win alongside Sacha," he said.
Sacha will now prepare for the ASB Classic, where she has a main draw wildcard. She will take today off and practise on Christmas morning "and then I'll eat", she says. After Christmas day it is full on into the women's international, practising with whoever she can.
