The Tennis Yukon Championships wrapped up Tuesday night with the men’s and mixed doubles events.

The team of Kieran Bertsch and Fleur Marsella won both titles, as the mixed team was allowed to compete in both events.

Bertsch and Marsella earned the men’s doubles event by narrowly defeating Shahid Syed and Ken Anola 6-4 and 7-6.

The team’s performance in mixed doubles was more dominating as they downed Carly Bohman and Ryan Lane 6-4 and 6-1.

Anola was crowned as the men’s A singles champion last week after the other finalist, Matthias Hoenisch, had to withdraw because of injury.

John Tran earned the men’s B title last week after dominating the round robin format with three wins and no losses.

Also crowned last week was U18 repeat champion Kaelen Halowaty after defeating Evan Howells in a see-saw thriller.

U14 champion Evan Howell was crowned after defeating Oliver Halowaty 6-1 and 7-5. Stacy Lewis, a director with Tennis Yukon, explained this morning now that the championships are over, the organization is hoping to keep the courts at the Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre open well into September.

It will depend on weather, particularly temperature as the tennis nets and the mesh around the courts do not respond well to freezing temperatures, she said.

“The past few years we managed to leave them up so people can play, even if it’s with their coats on.”

Lewis said Tennis Yukon normally begins the season on May 1 but they were delayed this year by about three weeks because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The club spent a lot of time in May speaking with Tennis British Columbia and Tennis Canada getting advice on how other clubs in the country were addressing concerns related to the pandemic, she said.

Lewis said they did have their opening-up plan approved by the Yukon’s office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

Restrictions were relaxed somewhat as the Yukon entered phase two on July 1 and subsequently phase three, she explained.

Lewis said despite the late start, the number of season’s passes sold this year – 160 – exceeded the number sold last year.

Tennis Yukon wasn’t able to offer its regular programming but did offer some, although the rainy days of this summer also presented a challenge, she said.

City council last week approved a new 10-year-lease with Tennis Yukon for the courts at Mount McIntyre – a year early.

The organization sought the early renewal so that they could demonstrate long-term tenure as they go out to seek funding to help cover the cost of resurfacing the courts next summer.

Lewis said the cost of resurfacing the four courts in 2011 was $45,000.

The club has saved about $30,000 from membership fees since 2011 to assist with resurfacing, she said.

Lewis said they’ll need to raise the difference from other funding agencies.

The industry standards for resurfacing courts is every seven or eight years but with careful maintenance, Tennis Yukon has been able to stretch it out, she said.

Lewis said the work takes about two weeks and will have to be done by a company from down south, which means an additional cost to provide food and accommodations.

It’s likely the resurfacing will be in mid-summer because temperatures need to be at least 15 degrees, preferably around the clock, she explained.

Lewis said they may be able to keep two courts open while the other two are resurfaced but that will be up to the company.