Maidstone Tennis Academy teenager Gabby Lavrik has landed a major national title.
Lavrik won the under-14 girls’ Fred Perry Challenge in Middlesex against top players from all over the country.
Joe Young, director of tennis Adrian Moll, Gillie Turner, Jake Kane-Wood, Gabby Lavrik, coach Alex Brown and Freedom Leisure club manager Ella Whelan.
She beat Pippa Reynolds (Sussex) 3-6 6-4 (10-8) in the quarter-finals before saving a match point in a 6-1 2-6 (12-10) win over Stacey Fong (Surrey) in the semis.
Lavrik, 14, clinched the title with a 6-4 7-5 victory against Yilin Li (Suffolk) in the final.
“I would like to thank everyone at my club for supporting me and all the players and for all the hard work they have put in,” said Lavrik, who has won a year’s sponsorship from Fred Perry clothing.
“I felt proud for battling through so many tough matches this weekend.”
It’s the latest success for Lavrik, who claimed three county titles in the Kent Closed Championships at Bromley this summer.
She won the under-18 girls’ and the ladies’ singles and partnered Maidstone clubmate Jake Kane-Wood to glory in the under-18 doubles.
Gabby Lavrik with her Torbay Open title
Kane-Wood landed the under-18 boys’ singles, while Zac Hartono took the under-11 boys’ and under-12 boys’ titles.
The club, led by director of tennis Adrian Moll, made their 22nd annual trip to Torquay for the Torbay Open.
In-form Lavrik won the under-18 singles, following in the footsteps of British tennis legend Sue Barker, a previous winner of the crown, and took the mixed doubles with Joe Young.
Maidstone’s team of 15 also won several other trophies.
Meanwhile, Gillie Turner is off to Turkey to represent Great Britain over-60s in the World Championships. It’s the first time Turner, a highly-ranked GB senior, has been picked for the Worlds.
In July, Saha Kapilasena represented Sri Lanka in the Davis Cup, winning doubles rubbers against Qatar and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Members of Maidstone Tennis Academy at the Torbay Open in Torquay
Maidstone Tennis Academy are based at Freedom Leisure, off St Peter Street.
Freedom Leisure regional manager Andy Hulse said: “We would like to congratulate Maidstone Tennis Academy on another fantastic summer of success.
“The dedication, commitment and passion shown by the players and coaches has been outstanding and the achievements of the club continue to be a source of pride for the local community.
“The standard of tennis being developed and supported through Maidstone Tennis Academy is truly exceptional, with many players achieving remarkable success and reaching impressive milestones throughout the years.
“These accomplishments are a testament to the hard work of both the players and coaching team.
“Freedom Leisure is delighted to support such a thriving tennis programme and we look forward to seeing the club build on this momentum and continue its success in the months and years ahead.”