Champions: Isabella Crossman (left) poses alongside partner Kristina Tai after taking out the doubles title at the ITF J60 tournament in Darwin last week. Photo: supplied
Tennis hotshot Isabella Crossman has added more silverware to her ever-expanding trophy cabinet in recent weeks, claiming two doubles titles at ITF events in Darwin.
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Partnering Kristina Tai, Crossman took out the titles at the J30 and J60 Darwin Junior International Tournaments in dominant fashion.
Playing as the top-seeded pair in the J30 tournament, held in the first week of June, the duo dropped just one set on the way to the crown.
The toughest test came against Japanese pair Amane Hattori and Aoi Watanabe in the semi-finals, with Crossman and Tai taking the epic final set 14-12 to advance to the final, where they comfortably won 6-0, 6-3 over Alfee and Alice Stevens.
The pair blitzed the stacked field at the J60 tournament just a week later, storming to the title without losing a set as the fourth seeds, beating top seeds Alana Subasic and Gabrielle Villegas 6-3, 6-1 in the final.
A Torrumbarry export, Crossman also competed in the singles draw at both tournaments, making it into the finals at both events.
Ranked as the third seed in the junior girls’ singles draw at the J30 tournament, Crossman defeated Great Britain’s Wambui Taylor in the first round 6-1, 6-1, before accounting for Peyton Duckett 6-1, 6-0 to advance to the quarter-finals.
Coming up against fifth seed Alice Stevens, Crossman fell 3-6, 4-6, ending her run at the title.
In a more competitive field the following week at the J60 tournament, Crossman entered as the fifth seed and made light work of her opening rounds, beating Sylvie Peart 6-0, 6-0 and wildcard Gina Inyoung Cha 6-2, 6-2.
In her semi-final match, Crossman found herself down a set against Georgia Campbell, however she rallied to win the second set to force a decider, which she also claimed to take the match 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Her tournament came to an end in heartbreaking fashion in the semi-finals, pushing eventual champion Alana Subasic to three sets before going down 6-4, 6-7, 5-7 in a marathon four hour and five minute match, believed to be one of the longest girls singles matches on record.
After claiming the first set, Crossman was on the verge of taking the match in a second set tiebreak, which Subasic ultimately won, before going on to take the final set and the win.
Crossman was also recognised for her achievements at two recent awards nights, taking home another two accolades.
Star in the making: Isabella Crossman received the Tennis Athlete of the Year award at the Bendigo Academy of Sport presentation night recently. Photo: supplied
The local ace was named the Bendigo Academy of Sport Tennis Athlete of the Year for 2022 at the BAS awards night, in recognition of her outstanding year. Crossman has now etched her name on the trophy for the second consecutive year, having taken out the award for the previous season as well.
In a sign of her incredible talent, the 16-year-old also scooped up an award at the prestigious Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in Melbourne, where she was formally recognised as the open women’s singles club champion.
Crossman defeated 2022 club champion Eliza Dunbar in the semi-finals en-route to the trophy, and very nearly made it two from two as she finished runner-up in the open ladies doubles club championship alongside partner Amelia Zyberman.
The young gun will be a regular feature at Kooyong in 2023, having been named as one of the club’s scholarship players in March.
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