History was made at the Whakatāne Tennis and Pickleball Club on Sunday as former Bay of Plenty tennis representatives Marina Sirkku and Joseph Hayes were crowned the inaugural singles’ champions at the Whakatāne Pickleball Club Championships.

Both champions have recently added pickleball to their sporting repertoire, bringing a wealth of racquet sport experience to one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing sports.

The women’s championship provided one of the highlights of the day, with Sirkku defeating Julz Hohepa in a hard-fought three-set final. After making a strong start to the match, Sirkku looked set to take control before Hohepa produced a remarkable comeback in the second set.

Trailing 0-7, Hohepa battled back through sheer determination to claim the set 12-10 and force a decider. Sirkku responded strongly in the final set to secure the championship title.

The victory caps off a remarkable inaugural season for Sirkku, who has now completed a clean sweep of the club’s major events, having previously won both the doubles and mixed doubles’ championships.

The Fonterra industrial electrician apprentice can now proudly claim the distinction of being the club’s first triple champion.

The men’s final featured Hayes against Dino Carciller, who had impressed throughout the tournament with his powerful and accurate style of play.

Carciller’s aggressive game carried him through to the final, but Hayes proved too strong, using his exceptional court coverage and tennis-honed baseline skills to control the match and secure the inaugural men’s singles title.

While the day celebrated the club’s newest pickleball champions, it also highlighted the strength of the club’s long-standing tennis player development programme.

Sirkku and Hayes developed their sporting foundations through the club’s junior squads, progressing to Bay of Plenty representative tennis before becoming the first names recorded on the club’s pickleball honours board.

The success of the inaugural championships reflects the rapid growth of pickleball in Whakatāne, with participation continuing to increase since dedicated facilities were established at the club.

Champions
■ Women’s singles' champion: Marina Sirkku
■ Women’s singles' runner-up: Julz Hohepa
■ Men’s singles' champion: Joseph Hayes
■ Men’s singles' runner-up: Dino Carciller