British stars reigned supreme at this weekend’s ITF World Tennis Tour event in Nottingham as Paul Jubb and Mika Stojsavljevic grabbed men’s and women’s singles glory.
Yorkshire’s Jubb, 24, claimed his tenth career singles title after beating fellow Brit and second seed Charles Broom 3-6 6-2 6-3.
And in the women’s event, teenage sensation Stojsavljevic, 15, overcame France’s Julie Belgraver – ranked 205 places above her – 7-6(7) 6-3 to win her first ITF World Tour title.
Fourth-seed Jubb said: “Winning always feels good no matter of the stature of the tournament, so to come through this week and get the title is a really good confidence boost for me.
“This one means a lot obviously after coming back from a really tough year but especially in kind of the manner.”
And Stojsavljevic, whose triumph should see her rise around 200 places in the WTA rankings, said: “It's really incredible. I didn't really go into the week expecting to win. I came here to develop my game and play against top women.
“I'm just so I'm so grateful to get the win today and super excited for what's next.”
In the men’s doubles event, British pair Charles Broom and Daniel Little also claimed victory on home soil.
The dynamic duo overcame compatriots James Davis and Matthew Summers 5-7 7-5 10-6 to win a close contest and earn their first ITF title as a pair.
Austrian Tamara Paszek and Swiss star Valentina Ryster defeated the Japanese team of Akiko Omae and Hikaru Sato 6-2 5-7 10-5 in the women’s doubles event.
The international tournaments are part of the LTA’s Performance Competitions Calendar (PCC) which provides significantly enhanced opportunities for British players at each age and stage of the performance player pathway on home soil.
Reflecting on the first week’s play at the Lexus Nottingham Tennis Centre, LTA Tournament Director Lauren Beech said: “Nottingham was once again host to the ITF World Tennis Tour last week.
“The GB Pro-Series M25/W35 tournaments showcased emerging international and British tennis at its best, with an impressive three out of four finals featuring homegrown talent, including all-Brit men’s singles and doubles showdowns.
“Thank you to the officials, venue and tournament team for their support in putting on such a memorable event.”
This week now marks the start of the second successive tournament at the Lexus Nottingham Tennis Centre, with Brits in action including Broom, Giles Hussey, Naiktha Bains and Sonay Kartal - who is returning from injury - in the singles draws.
Wildcards include Jubb, Wimbledon boys champion Henry Searle and Talia Neilson Gatenby.
Richard Joyner, LTA Tournament Director, said: “Playing two weeks of back-to-back M25/W35 Lexus GB Pro Series events at Nottingham give’s our player’s a great opportunity to compete and earn ATP/WTA ranking points on home soil, with these event’s being a key part of the LTA Performance Competition strategy.
“The outdoor courts at the Lexus Nottingham Tennis Centre were specifically built to stage professional tennis events, and their recent re-surfacing has further enhanced the playing experience for the player’s.
“This together with a great gym, and central location to the country make it a great go to venue for a number of our events across the calendar.”
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