Statham set to defend his title
Rubin Statham is on the hunt to win the Te Anau Tennis Invitational for the fourth time.
Rubin Statham is in the hunt to win the Te Anau Tennis Invitational for the fourth time.
He was New Zealand’s No 1 singles player and the invitational’s defending champion heading into the event today and tomorrow.
The Aucklander was in good form having won the Wellington Open last weekend and a week earlier, he took out the Westend Cup in Auckland.
Statham said the invitational provided him with strong matches before competing in New Caledonia and in the ASB Classic in Auckland in January.
‘‘It’s well run and fun to be part of,’’ Statham said of the invitational.
Event organiser Greg Sheppard said with fine weather up to 400 people could be on hand for tomorrow’s final. If it rained, the event would be transferred to the Fiordland Community Events Centre. The invitational was a men’s singles tournament with eight players and prize money totalling $20,000.
Former Te Anau woman Julie Paterson would be watching the action on Saturday in her role as Tennis New Zealand chief executive. Paterson, of Auckland, received some of her education at Mararoa School.
‘‘Events like this [Te Anau Invitational] are shop fronts for the sport,’’ she said.
Paterson said the invitational was an opportunity for young tennis players to learn from some of the country’s best.
Another competition held in conjunction with the invitational would be a women’s match between Lulu Sun, of Switzerland, and Suzy Larkin, of Great Britain.
Raised at Takaro Lodge, near Te Anau, Sun was ranked 23rd in the world for junior women’s tennis and represents Switzerland at overseas tournaments.