Report: Champion of Champions Tennis Tournament
The Champion of Champions Tennis tournament is a knock-out competition for the top two players from each Auckland school in the Junior, Intermediate and Senior categories. Auckland Grammar School won this competition in 2023, and after not entering last year, hoped to win again in 2025.
The singles competition was played on Wednesday 5 March. Form 7 student H. S. M. Bassett secured a 7-5, 6-3 win against Sacred Heart College. In his quarterfinal match, he played the number two seed from Botany Downs losing the first set, but was ahead in the second, when his opponent retired due to injury to progress through to the semi-finals.
In the Intermediate singles, Form 5 student R. Huang won his opening match 6-1, 6-3 against his Westlake Boys’ High School counterpart. In his quarterfinal, in increasingly windy conditions, Huang began well against the number one seed from ACG Parnell but lost in a straight sets defeat. Form 4 student Y. Wu had a convincing 6-2, 6-2 win against St Kentigern College. In his quarterfinal against another St Kentigern College, he lost the opening set but won the second set 6-0, before securing victory with a 10-5 win in the super tie-breaker. He has progressed to the semi-finals.
In the Junior singles, Form 3 student J. Zou lost in straight sets to the number three seed from King’s College, while Form 4 student J. Li won against his ACG Parnell counterpart and progressed to the quarterfinals.
Day two of the tournament on Thursday 6 March saw the semi-finals and the finals being played.
In the Senior singles semi-finals, H. S. M. Bassett lost the first set against Westlake Boys’ High School, but showed great fight to come back and win the second set, to just lose the third after two-and-a-half-hours.
In the Senior doubles, Captain of Tennis B. J. M. Archbold and H. S. M. Bassett received a bye and played St Kentigern College in the semi-finals. Fatigue was a factor as the pair lost some key points and fell to defeat.
In the Intermediate singles semi-finals, Y. Wu beat his Avondale College opponent 6-1, 3-6, 6-1. In the final he lost in three sets to the number one seed from ACG Parnell.
In the Intermediate doubles, R. Huang and Y. Wu beat their Kristin College opponents in straight set in an entertaining quarterfinal. They then beat an ACG Parnell pairing in the semi-finals in straight sets and in a tight final lost to Avondale College.
In the Junior doubles quarterfinals, J. Li and J. Zou came back to beat Pinehurst College 10-1 in a super tiebreaker. They then dominated the second seeds from Rosmini College 6-0, 6-0 in the semi-finals. In the final against St Kentigern College, they narrowly lost the first set on a tiebreak and won the second set to take the contest to a super tiebreaker. Again, in a closely contested match, St Kentigern College won that contest 10-8.
In the Junior singles, J. Li beat his Pinehurst opponent in the quarterfinal and beat his King’s College counterpart in straight sets in the semi-final. In the final, he encountered the number two seed from Rosmini College. He won the first set comfortably 6-2 but was down 3-1 in the second set, which he turned around to win 6-4 to claim the junior singles title.
The strong competition evident from all players through the tournament saw Auckland Grammar School win the overall Champion of Champions Boys’ Tennis Shield, a well-deserved accomplishment for our top tennis players.
J. Li crossed stage to receive the Junior Championship medal, and Captain of Tennis B. J. M. Archbold (pictured above, third from left) crossed stage to receive the Champion of Champions Tennis Shield and the School’s congratulations.