Ashleigh Janke made a giant-killing run to the quarter-finals in the men’s open singles, knocking off the third and 16th seeds before succumbing to eventual finalist Michael Turlejski.By Marc McGowan
ENDEAVOUR Hills champion Jay Salter and rising Surrey Hill star Stephanie Wiltshire were the big winners at the Waverley Tennis Queen’s Birthday tournament over the long weekend.
Five venues hosted the three-day annual Australian ranking points competition, including Doveton, where the finals were played on Monday.
Fourth-seeded Salter added to his already impressive tennis resume with an easy 6-3 6-0 victory in the men’s open singles over fellow Endeavour Hills resident and seventh seed Michael Turlejski.
The pair also joined up to take out the men’s open doubles over Doveton’s Trent Cobb and his Mt Eliza-based partner Aaron Leeder-Chard.
Wiltshire, 17, claimed the women’s open singles in similarly devastating fashion, dropping just nine games in three matches en route to a 6-2 6-2 demolition of Mitcham’s Emma Cioffi in the final.
Wiltshire reached a career-high junior world ranking of 147 in January and is headed for Asia to chase more ranking points.
Former Australian Open singles runner-up and world number four Dianne Balestrat (nee Fromholz), 51, teamed with daughter Miel Balestrat to defeat sisters Stephanie and Olivia Nguyen 6-4 7-5 in the women’s open doubles.
In all, there were 397 entrants in the 24 open, graded and junior events.
Waverley Tennis tournament director Lyn Gillen labelled the tournament a success.
“We were very happy with the standard and the number of entries, and we managed to get through despite the threat of rain,” she said.
“People find it to be a nice, friendly tournament. I’ve seen the kids grow up and know most of their names and I think that helps.
“They have a bit of fun and people like to come back if they feel welcome.”
Gillen has big plans for Doveton and is hoping to earn the local club an Australian Money Tournament over the Melbourne Cup weekend from 2009.
The bid is very much in its infancy and would require a major local sponsor to lift the prize money from $5000 to the minimum requirement of $10,000.
Both Tennis Victoria and Tennis Australia would have to approve Doveton.
There is also a talent identification day at the club on Wednesday 18 June for aspiring players to duke it out for a spot in Waverley Tennis squads.
Waverley Tennis will conduct two more tournaments at Doveton Tennis Club in 2008, including a two-day event on 27 and 28 September and a Junior Development Series competition over the Melbourne Cup weekend.
