Katie Favero and Sharmaine Delgado watched their daughters Milana and Lucy play with pride. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Thirty years after their mothers teamed up, two young Riverina tennis players have recreated a family sporting tradition at the annual 2026 MIA Open.
Eleven-year-olds Milana Favero and Lucy Delgado joined forces in the doubles competition at this year’s tournament, exactly three decades after their mothers Katie Favero and Sharmaine Delgado played together on the same Griffith courts.
For Milana, whose family has deep roots in Riverina tennis, it was a special moment.
“My mum has been an inspiration for me, and so has my coach Danny Dossetor,” she said.
“It was great playing with Lucy and I hope to be back next year.”
Katie and Sharmaine regularly played together throughout the 1990s. Sharmaine won the Under 13 Griffith singles girls’ championship in 1995 and 1996.
“It’s so special to see our daughters play together. Next year I might team up with Sharmaine so we can all play together,” Katie said.
Milana in action on court. Photo: Denny Fachin.
The mother-daughter connection was one of the feel-good stories from this year’s MIA Open, which again attracted some of the region’s best players alongside rising stars from across NSW and the ACT.
There was also local success at the top level, with Barellan’s Jane Haeusler continuing her dominance of the women’s competition.
The 21-year-old claimed her fourth consecutive MIA Open singles title, defeating Albury’s Lara Meagher 7-5, 6-1 in the final.
“It was a close first set. I started well, then she came back, so it was good to get the win in a tight match,” Haeusler said.
Haeusler previously competed on the professional circuit but has scaled back her ambitions following a serious hip injury and surgery.
“I’m playing for fun now while I’m at university in Albury,” she said.
“It’s tough to come back from an injury like that and it would be a risk to return.”
While Riverina players shone, one of Australia’s most promising young talents took out the men’s title.
Canberra teenager Ewan Duff won the MIA Open men’s singles crown at his third attempt after finishing runner-up the previous two years.
The 16-year-old was leading 5-4 in the final when defending champion Danny Dossetor was forced to retire with an ankle injury suffered earlier in the day.
“Third time’s a charm. It feels good to finally get it done,” Duff said.
Among those he thanked after the match was an unlikely member of his support team.
“I wanted to thank my barber Novak for giving me the perfect haircut before the final, as well as my coach Frank Calabria and my dad Jason,” he said.
Ewan Duff claimed the title at his third attempt. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Novak Zeljkovic is a fellow player at the Hughes-based Rising Star Tennis Academy (RSTA), where he also doubles as the team’s unofficial hairdresser. Duff’s father Jason won the over-45s singles title at last year’s MIA Open.
The victory gave Duff something even Nick Kyrgios could not achieve. Kyrgios competed at the MIA Open in 2009 and 2010 as a teenager but never won the singles title, reaching the semi-finals before embarking on his professional career.
Duff, Australia’s top-ranked under-16 player in 2025, hopes to play college tennis in the United States before eventually turning professional.
“Last year was a good year. I won a bunch of tournaments, played a few nationals and got to number one in Australia for the under-16s,” he said.
The St Mary MacKillop College student was also named ACT Player of the Year and is considering a future career in sports psychology, nutrition or physiotherapy.
Despite his injury disappointment, Dossetor still showed his trademark resilience, strapping up his ankle to win the men’s doubles title alongside Andy Watterson. The pair defeated Duff and Lachlan Goodwin in the final.
Now in its 105th year, the MIA Open remains one of regional Australia’s most enduring tennis tournaments, combining elite competition with the family traditions that keep players returning generation after generation.
A full list of results are available online courtesy of organiser Steve Longworth, who ran the tournament for the 50th time.
