24 Dec 2012

Rising teen star oh so close in national final

10:37 am on 24 December 2012

The Auckland tennis player Imogen Golder has won the women's singles title at the National Championships in Albany.

Golder beat 15-year-old Paige Hourigan of Whanganui in three sets,

But Hourigan, who had already defended her New Zealand junior title and has now been given a wildcard into the ASB Classic qualifying as well as selected for the national Fed Cup squad, pushed Golder all the way.

After winning the first set 6-4, Hourigan looked gone after succumbing 0-6 in the second.

But the teenager rallied and had six match ponits in the third set before losing the encounter in a tiebreak, Golder winning 4-6 6-0 7-6 to claim her own qualifying wildcard.