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Choi, Ho overpower opponents for repeat Burnaby Tennis titles

For the second year in a row, Henry Choi and Sophia Ho were crowned king and queen of the net, capturing their respective open divisions last weekend at the Burnaby Tennis Open tournament. Choi, who ranked No.

For the second year in a row, Henry Choi and Sophia Ho were crowned king and queen of the net, capturing their respective open divisions last weekend at the Burnaby Tennis Open tournament.

Choi, who ranked No. 1, got some pushback in the men’s final before edging Jack Davis 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 for a second straight title.

It followed a come-from-behind decision a day earlier in the semifinal, where Choi clawed his way back after a decisive first-set setback to beat Kyryll Kryvchun 1-6, 7-5, 6-2.

It was also Choi's fourth Burnaby Open title, following previous victories in 2007 and 2010. The director of racquets and athletics at the Richmond Country Club, Choi was also wearing a new designation – the world’s No. 1 men’s 35+ singles player – which he received after winning the Mont Tremblant Cup ITF men’s 35 singles title.

Choi would go on to also claim his second straight men’s doubles crown, joining forces with Luigi Albarracin to outlast the tam of Max Korkh and Kyryll Kryvchun 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

It was a little less stressful for Ho, who entered the tourney ranked No. 1 on the women’s open side, and dispatched Maryjoe Crisologo 6-1, 6-4 in the final.

The 2018 Stanley Park Open champ advanced to the final by downing Aljandro Romero 6-1, 6-3.

In the women’s open doubles division, Jenny Fu and Ana Maria Ileana defeated Lucy Fairbotham and Keri Gunton in the final.

Here are more winners at this year’s Burnaby Open: Singles -- M4.5, 1st Gary Wan Kit Hung 6-3, 6-4 over Nico Brummelkamp; M4.0, Jason Staples 6-3, -6, 6-1 over Wolf Stange; M3.5, Sebastien Lachat, walkover Edward Aranha; M3.0, Raoul Van Der Berg 6-1, 6-0 over Aliaksandr Lahvienenko; W4.5, Lucy Fairbotham 6-0, 6-2 over Angela Lo; W4.0, Melissa Aomoari 6-3, 7-6 over Tania Skelcher; W3.5, Nicole Noriega 6-4, 6-2 over Ellen Schurr; W3.0, Belinda Miller-Foey 6-3, 6-1 over Karen Tyldesley.

Men’s Doubles – M4.5, Kristian Kiland/Stefan Lazarevic 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 over Paul Hayato Beaton/Sattawat Dueansawang; M4.0, Troy Nguyen/Stanislav Zarud 6-2, 6-2 over John Mah/John Park; M3.5, Ralph Oswald/Francis Sauve 6-4, 6-4 over John Asbacher/Adrian Lam. Women’s Doubles – W4.0, Summer Lee/Chihoko Tashiro 6-2, 6-0 over Rhea Friesen/Kris Kim; W3.5, Junko Breen/Mako Endo 6-4, 6-1 over Kim McCord/Kelly Wood; W3.0, Catherine Hopkins/Gillian McPherson 7-5, 6-4 over Michelle Kokan/Colleen North.

Mixed Doubles – 4.5, Tim Goepel/Kelly McNabney 6-4, 6-1 over Allan Duong/Kari Gunton; 4.0, Chris O’Connor/Amy Day 6-1, 6-4 over Kyle King/Jian Jia.