Oliver Anderson has joined illustrious company in Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic in claiming the Australian Open boys’ singles title.
The 17-year-old from Brisbane survived a rollercoaster win over Jurabek Karimov from Uzbekistan 6-2 1-6 6-1 at Melbourne Park.
It capped a sterling day for Australian tennis with Alex De Minaur and Blake Ellis combining earlier to win the boys’ doubles title.
Anderson made a flying start but, in the second set, was troubled by a leg injury with Karimov taking advantage.
After being treated by a trainer, Anderson looked in better shape in the third, with Karimov’s inconsistency finally bringing him undone.
Tomic won the boys’ title in 2008 and Luke Saville in 2012, while Kyrgios beat another local rising star Thanasi Kokkinakis in the final in 2013.
Sydney’s De Minaur, 16, was eliminated in the singles semi-finals on Friday by Karimov but rebounded to team with 17-year-old Queenslander Ellis.
The pair came from behind to upset eighth seeds Lukas Klein of Slovakia and Czech Patrik Rikl 3-6 7-5 12-10.
It also continued Australia’s recent hold on the boys’ doubles at the Open, represented in the winning pair in 2015, 2014 and 2013.
In the junior girls’ singles, Vera Lapko followed in the footsteps of Victoria Azarenko as the only other Belarusian to win the title.
Lapko overcame defending champion Tereza Mihalikova from Slovakia in the girls’ final 6-3 6-4.
She trailed 1-4 in the second set but managed to claw her way back to overcome the second seed.
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