Rising teens Edward Winter and Stefani Webb were among four Australians to win ITF titles this week.
Australia, 12 November 2023 | Leigh Rogers
Two of Australia’s most promising teenage prospects, Edward Winter and Stefani Webb, claimed pro titles on the ITF World Tour this week.
The 19-year-old Winter, an Adelaide talent who was named the Male Junior Athlete of the Year at the 2022 Australian Tennis Awards, won his third ITF doubles title of the season.
Webb, an 18-year-old from Melbourne, enjoyed a major breakthrough, winning her first ITF singles title.
Both Winter and Webb were competing between their US college commitments, having relocated to America this year to attend Pepperdine University and University of Central Florida respectively.
They were among four Australians to win ITF titles this week, with Blake Bayldon and Kody Pearson also crowned champions.
This week’s most outstanding performers include:
Storm Hunter: The newly crowned world No.1 in doubles was a standout performer for the Australian team at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Seville (Spain). The 29-year-old Hunter went unbeaten across her three matches (one in singles and two in doubles).
Max Purcell and John-Patrick Smith: Teaming up for the first time, the all-Australian combination of 25-year-old Purcell and 34-year-old Smith reached the men’s doubles semifinals at an ATP 250 tournament in Sofia (Bulgaria).
John Peers: The 35-year-old was a men’s doubles quarterfinalist at an ATP 250 tournament in Metz (France), where he saved multiple match points to reach the final eight alongside Brit Lloyd Glasspool.
Matthew Romios: The 24-year-old’s career-best season continued at an ATP Challenger tournament in Matsuyama (Japan), where Romios progressed to the men’s doubles semifinals with Chinese Taipei’s Ho Ray.
Luke Saville and Li Tu: The South Australian duo of 29-year-old Saville and 27-year-old Tu made the men’s doubles semifinals at an ATP Challenger tournament in Calgary (Canada).
Arina Rodionova: The 33-year-old advanced to the women’s singles quarterfinals at an ITF 60 tournament in Calgary (Canada). The resurgent Rodionova has now won 12 of her past 15 matches.
Edward Winter: The 19-year-old won the men’s doubles title at an ITF 25 tournament in Austin (USA). It is Winter’s fourth career ITF doubles title. He also made a quarterfinal appearance in the men’s singles competition.
Stefani Webb: The 18-year-old won her first professional singles title at an ITF 15 tournament in Champaign (USA). Webb also scooped the doubles title alongside France’s Sophia Biolay. It is her second ITF doubles title of the season.
Blake Bayldon and Kody Pearson: The Aussie duo won the men’s doubles title at an ITF 15 tournament in Hua Hin (Thailand). This is 24-year-old Bayldon’s second ITF doubles title of the season and 24-year-old Pearson’s third.
Hayden Jones: The 17-year-old progressed to the boys’ singles semifinals at an ITF J200 tournament in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Jones has now won 17 of his past 21 singles matches on the ITF World Junior Tennis Tour.
Lily Taylor: The 17-year-old was a girls’ doubles semifinalist at an ITF J200 tournament in Kuala Lumpur, reaching the final four alongside Chinese Taipei’s Wan I Wen.
Find your way to play: Visit play.tennis.com.au to get out on court and have some fun!
