Harris in timely victory
Australia and Japan share Toowoomba title honours
Melbourne’s Andrew Harris grasped a welcome career opportunity yesterday when he powered to a timely victory in the 2017 Hutchinson Builders Toowoomba International men’s singles final.
The 23-year-old made good on his second visit to the Toowoomba Regional Tennis Centre — USQ tournament with a 6-4, 6-0 win over one-time world number 136 Jason Kubler from Brisbane.
Harris’s victory followed yesterday’s women’s singles final which saw second seed Eri Hozumi from Japan get the better of gallant unseeded Australian Astra Sharma 7-5, 6-2.
Harris is a 2012 Junior Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion and is now looking to crank up his professional career after playing US college tennis for four years before returning home in May.
Yesterday’s win over an opponent battling his way back on the circuit from injury and hindered yesterday by a shoulder problem proved a perfect tonic for Harris.
“This is huge,” Harris said.
“This is really my first block of tournaments for me as a professional
“I went to college in the US for four years and I’ve had a lot of injuries so I haven’t been able to play a whole lot on the pro tour.
“So winning this one moves my ranking up quite a bit and it gives me a lot of confidence going forward.
“I’m sure I’ll take this with me and hopefully it will lead to more wins.”
Harris attributed his win to an effective serve and aggressive approach.
“It was a tough first set and there was some pretty good tennis,” Harris said.
“In the second, once I got on top of him I just sought of got on a roll and closed it out well.
“I looked to stay aggressive and come forward and I think I did that pretty well.
“I think today was probably my best match of serving.”
Hozumi hopes to return next year to defend her title after her higher world ranking shone through as she wore down Sharma for a classy victory.
“This is a well-run tournament and I had a lot of fun this week. I hope to come back next year,” Hozumi said before leaving Australia to compete in Hong Kong.
World number 573 Sharma lost nothing in comparison to her number 186 opponent in a tight opening set.
But despite Sharma serving well under pressure to save a number of break points in the second, Hozumi’s pinpoint ground strokes won the day.
Momoko Koburi and partner Ayano Shimizo capped a good tournament for Japan players with their women’s double victory while Aussie Brad Mousley and China’s Zhe Li combined to take out the men’s doubles’ title.