Kiranpal Pannu will be travelling home to Wellington with an early Christmas present today after winning the inaugural EVES Open men's singles title in Tauranga.

The 25-year-old Kiwi pro came back from a set down to beat young Australian rising star Derek Pham 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the final of this ITF World Tennis Tour event, held at Venture Developments WBOP Tennis Centre in Gordon Spratt Reserve, Pāpāmoa.

'I'm cooked as after that,” says Pannu.

'It was a brutal match, pretty muggy hot conditions and I was a set and a break down twice. Showed a lot of heart and the home support really got me over the line in those tough moments and allowed me to push through.”

Pham is 18 years old and has been brilliant all week. He came through qualifying, fought his way back from a set down to beat Kiwi second seed Rubin Statham in the quarter-final on Thursday, and then did the same again in the semi-final on Friday, beating compatriot Blake Ellis 0-6, 6-4, 7-6.

Pannu also had a hard-fought semi-final against Australian Jeremy Beale on Friday, winning 6-1, 0-6, 6-4.

He lost to Beale in the second round in Wellington last week and was 4-1 down in the final set in Tauranga this week before clawing his way back to win.

It was another lengthy three-set match for Pannu in the final on Saturday.

'First pro title and it was the first final, so it was nice to get over the line in my first attempt,” says Pannu.

'Driving back down to Wellington today and will have Christmas with the family.”

Kiwis also won doubles titles at the EVES Open this week, with New Zealand pair Erin Routliffe and Paige Hourigan convincingly winning the final 6-1, 6-0 against Ashmitha Easwaramurthi from India and Yuka Hosoki from Japan.

The match lasted just 49 minutes.

'It feels really good, playing in New Zealand is super fun always and to get the title with Paige is really nice,” says Routliffe.

'It's a good end to the season/start to the season. Having tournaments in New Zealand is so helpful and it's really exciting that they're back [after Covid], so I think we're all really happy.”

Hourigan says she was stoked to be on court again after her surgery.

'It's been a tough rehab and a tough process, so it's really cool to be out competing again,” she says.

'It feels good, I'm very happy to win a title with Erin here in New Zealand and it was awesome to have good weather and people out supporting us.”

In the men's doubles final, young New Zealander Jack Loutit and his Japanese partner Daisuke Sumizawa beat Kiwis Reece Falck and George Stoupe 6-4, 7-5.

This is Loutit's first professional title. He is 18 years old.

Katherine Sebov from Canada, the tournament's number one seed, took out the women's singles title on Saturday. She beat Michaela Bayerlova from the Czech Republic 6-0, 6-4.

Tennis New Zealand's commercial and marketing manager Gareth Archer said the EVES Open has been 'a huge success for New Zealand tennis, both on and off the court”.

'We've been blown away by the support all week and, despite the forecast, the Bay put on a stunner of a week weather wise,” says Archer.

'A huge thank you to all our sponsors, supporters and volunteers, we can't wait for the next edition.”

Spectators watching the tennis. Photo: Scott Yeoman / Tennis NZ.

Vicki Semple, sponsorship and events manager for title sponsor EVES Real Estate, was thrilled with the success of the event and said she is determined to bring it back to Pāpāmoa next year and make it even bigger and better.

'This week has been fantastic. The quality of tennis, the size of the crowds, the atmosphere, the weather – it has all come together to create a sporting spectacle that has put Pāpāmoa and Tauranga on the international tennis map,” says Semple.

'We couldn't be prouder, and we can't wait to welcome back these rising stars in 2023. Merry Christmas and thank you to all the people who came along and supported the EVES Open, who sat on the grass bank and cheered and clapped, it definitely wouldn't have been the same without you.”

Scott Yeoman / Tennis NZ