Hosted by the Bathurst Tennis Centre, the three-day tournament carried national silver status.

Given it offered players the chance to boost national ranking points, juniors from not only New South Wales, but Victoria, Queensland and the ACT competed.

That is why Bathurst Tennis Centre’s Andrew Mitton, who ran the tournament, was delighted to see locals excel.

“Grace Schumacher took out the singles in the under 16s girls and the doubles as well with another Bathurst player, Dominique Mitton,” he said.

“Tayla Brasier, she was the runner-up in the 14 girls doubles and made the semi-finals in the 14 girls singles by defeating two seeds along the way.

“It was very impressive. Grace was the number one seed going into it, so she was the hot favourite, but you’ve still got to win.

“But for Tayla the result was even more exceptional, she has just gone into the 14s from the 12s, so she’s gone up an age group.

“She was unseeded, but she beat the number four and number seven seed to make the semis. She’s just been going great guns, she’s certainly had a big year this year.”

Though that trio were the standout performers from the contingent of Bathurst players, there were some other pleasing efforts.

Megan Neville posted her maiden win in a main draw when she took out her first 14 girls singles match, while Josh Wong (16 boys) and Caitlin Speirs (16 girls) won their first round matches.

Andrew Mitton said the standard of tennis played from Saturday to Monday was impressive, as was the size of the field.

“The under 12s was was the hottest field I have seen in a long, long time. In the 64 draw the top 20 in the state were there,” he said.

“We had 260 players, so we had a capacity field. Well, I was meant to have a capacity of 240, so we were a bit over that.

“It meant that we were busy, but to get that many players was phenomenal.”

With 85 percent of those who competed coming from outside of Bathurst, Mitton said the tournament was a big boost to the local economy.

It was one of three national level tournaments the Bathurst Tennis Centre hosts each year, the facility one of a handful from non-metropolitan areas across the state which does so.

“My big niche is running tournaments, so I try to advertise them as good as I can to get the most possible players here,” Mitton said.

“It takes time, effort and money … there are not many country venues that host them these days.

“Parkes and Bathurst are the only places in the Central West that do it, and from Victoria to Gunnedah, there are only four or five places in total that do.” 

The Bathurst Autumn Junior Tournament ended a busy fortnight at the Bathurst Tennis Centre.

It also hosted the state under 12 titles as well as the Combined High Schools trials and titles.

The next big event will be in May when Bathurst stages another national level tournament.