25 February 2013 | Tennis NT

NTIS athlete Michael Shepheard advanced to the Optus 12s National Grasscourt Championships doubles final in Mildura on the weekend.

Shepheard and doubles partner, Milan Bennett (QLD) who were seeded sixth in the draw made Sundays final after four rounds, which included a win over fifth seeds in the semi-finals and receiving a walkover from third seeds in the quarter-finals.

The first-time pairing of Shepheard and Bennett had their work cut out for them up against top seeds and former Nationals doubles finalists, Connor Di Marco (VIC) and Stefan Norodom (SA). In the end it was Di Marco and Norodom who took the Championship 6-1 6-0.

Shepheard earlier beat Thomas Bosancic (VIC) 7-6(4) 6-3 in the semi-finals of the Playoff for 9-16 and showed some great determination in the final going down to South Australian Sean Van Rensburg 4-6 6-7(5) to finish 10th in the singles competition.

Serena Adams competing in her first National Championships recorded a first round doubles win with Isobella Collett (VIC) defeating Jessica Dalton (VIC) and Sasha Nelson (NSW) 6-2 6-0. The girls ran into sixth seeds in the second round, Patricia Apisah and Valentina Ivanov (NSW) going down 1-6 0-6. Adams also secured a very close Qualifying Consolation win over Sasha Nelson 6-3 1-6 10-5.

Rosie Henderson had a first round win in the girls qualifying, defeating Tonya Kirdyashkina (NSW) 6-1 6-2 before going down to seventh seed Isabella Ryles (SA) in the final qualifying round 1-6 0-6. Henderson also secured a win in the Qualifying Consolation, defeating Catherine Heylen (SA) 6-4 6-0.

Rebecca Rayner recorded two great wins in the Qualifying Consolation, defeating Chanel McKay (VIC) 6-1 6-3 and came from a set down to defeat Steffi McDonald (VIC) 1-6 6-3 10-5. Rayner narrowly missed out on making the Qualifying Consolation Knock-out Draw by a number of games.