Strong field at the Albany Open

Katanning's Brad Rundle teamed up with Tambellup's Stuart Witham to claim the 2016 men's A-grade doubles crown at this year's Albany Open tennis tournament.

Played at Emu Point Tennis Club at the weekend, the draw was wide open on Saturday, with defending men's champions Glenn Thompson and Peter Rundle not entering this year.

As a result, last year's runners-up, Aaron Crofts and Nathan Watson, were given the top seeding and hit the court in form, playing some of their best tennis in their early matches, but the field was deep with talent.

Witham and Rundle were rock solid all day, Rundle's sharp volleys and Witham's big left-handed serves winning them game after game against tough opposition.

At the end of play, Rundle and Witham claimed the title with 36 games, seven games ahead of Crofts and Watson, who were runners-up for a second successive year.

In the women's A-grade, defending champions and top seeds Michelle Cook and Maddison Crofts struggled to find last year's form, opening the door for Vicki Eaton and Gail Spargo, who won their match 6-2.

Eaton and Spargo went on to win 24 games and win the 2016 title ahead of runners-up Sam Capararo and Nicky Thompson on 21 games.

The men's B-grade went down to the wire, with Samuel Graham and Nelson Stansborough taking on Grant Baker and Jens Barslund in the final after finishing on top of their respective divisions.

Baker and Barslund won the final in a tense tie-break seven points to five to rousing applause from onlookers.

Women's B-grade winners were Kelsey Wright and Kelsie Squires on 47 games, with Kerry Belfield and Michelle Van Der Brugge runners-up on 43 games.

The mixed doubles championship was played on Sunday and it was again a strong field in both grades, but thunderstorms threatened to end play early.

Luckily the rain held off, allowing the last matches to be completed, one of those between defending A-grade champions Aaron and Maddison Crofts and Nathan Watson and Michelle Cook.

A 6-1 win to Watson and Cook delivered them the championship with 29 games, four games ahead of runners-up Marcus McPharlin and Ruth Bigwood on 25 games.

A final was again held for the top two teams in the B-grade divisions, with Chris and Kelsey Wright defeating Jarrod Capararo and Marie Gribble to win the title.