The close matches continued on Sunday at the Hub City Open Tennis Tournament. There were five super-tiebreakers on day, including three in championship matches at the Northern State courts.

It was only fitting that final match of the tournament was decided in a super breaker in the open mixed doubles championship.

AJ Prehn and Julia Knie overcame a rough second set to dominate the super-tiebreaker 10-2 and claim the title. After winning the opening set 6-4, the two high school players fell 6-1 in the second, and wanted to make sure they at least won a point in the breaker.

“The only thing we said was, we’ve just got to get one point so we don’t get bageled,” Knie said. “So that was our preparation.”

There was no need to worry about that as they quickly bolted out to a 4-0 advantage.

Knie, who won the singles championship with a win over her doubles partner Avery Tennant, fell in a super-tiebreaker 10-8 in the women’s doubles final to Alice Vogel and Emily Ringgenberg.

The upcoming senior at Central, Knie compared the three divisions that she competed in.

“Doubles with my friend Avery is usually like relaxed … singles is just stressful. I hate singles,” Knie said, “And then mixed doubles is just, I really don’t know. … It’s probably the one that makes me the most nervous, but it’s probably the most fun.”

Because mixed doubles in not an option in most youth tournaments, it’s the division that Knie has the least experience with. She said that she and Prehn both normally play the deuce court, so something had to change.

“He plays right, I usually play right, too,” Knie said. “I tried the left and it didn’t go all that well at times, but it went well enough that it worked out, I guess.”

Knie’s sister, Sarah, also had a big tourney. She needed a super-tiebreaker to win her semifinal match on the way to winning the 4.0 singles crown, and then teamed with Aric Tennant to win the 8.0 mixed doubles title.

The most dramatic super-tiebreakers occurred in the men’s division. Grady Anderson came up with an 18-16 win in a super in the semifinals on the way to winning the 4.0 singles championship.

Cason Hellwig, who won a super-tiebreaker on Saturday along with teammate Landon Zikmund in the men’s open doubles, was back at it again on Sunday, only in a much more memorable victory.

Hellwig was facing his brother, Colton and his partner Ron Meier, in the championship match. Hellwig and Zikmund fell behind 8-3 in the super-tiebreaker, just two points from defeat.

“One point at a time. That’s what we told ourselves,” Cason Hellwig said. “Well, just got to keep the ball in, stay consistent and make them hit the good shot.”

The strategy worked as Hellwig and Zikmund pulled out the improbable 11-9 victory.

Hellwig said he could feel the momentum starting to swing at 8-6.

“We’ll, we’ve got a chance here if we can win this next point,” Hellwig recalled thinking, “and then we did.”

While Hellwig and Zikmund were doubles partners at Roncalli and know each other’s styles, he said his opponents also had something in their favor.

“I think the experience of older players actually makes them better, and harder to play against,” Hellwig said. “They know better strategies than high school players.”

The match is something Hellwig will remember for a long time, facing his brother.

“I think it was our first time playing competitively in a match,” Hellwig said. “It was different. Something I’ve never done, but just treat him like any other opponent.”

While Cason won’t soon forget the results, he’ll make sure Colton doesn’t either when he comes home for the holidays.

“I’ll try not to bring it up too much to rub it in his face,” Cason said, “but just enough.”

MEN’S DIVISION

Open Singles

Josh Hadler def. Dawson Pederson, 6-1, 6-1; Cason Hellwig def. AJ Prehn, 6-0, 6-2.

Championship: Hadler def. Hellwig, 6-3, 6-2.

Consolation: Ezra Feickert def. Mason Ligon, 10-2; Aric Tennant def. Paul Vocu, by default. Consolation Championship: Feickert def. Tennant, 10-7.

Open Doubles

Championship: Cason Hellwig-Landon Zikmund def. Ron Meier-Colton Hellwig, 6-7 (0-7), 6-4, (11-9).

4.0 Singles

Grady Anderson def. Hunter Miller, 6-4, 3-6 (18-16); Ryan Ng def. Brock Anderson, 7-6 (7-2), 7-5.

Championship: Anderson def. Ng, 6-4, 6-3.

Consolation: Miller def. Travis Zotti, 10-3. Consolation Championship: Miller def. Brock Anderson, 10-3.

WOMEN’S DIVISION

Open Singles

(Round Robin) Julia Knie def. Avery Tennant, 6-1, 6-0.

Championship: Alice Vogel-Emily Ringgenberg def. Avery Tennant-Julia Knie, 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, (10-8).

4.0 Singles

Mady Holman def. Ashley Ortega, 6-1, 6-2; Sarah Knie def. Anneliese Wells, 6-3, 3-6, (10-4).

Championship: Knie def. Holman, 6-0, 6-1.

Consolation Championship: Estelle Riggs def. Penelope Vogel, 10-6.

MIXED

Open Doubles

Colton Hellwig-Mirra Frohling def. Josh Hadler-Estelle Riggs, 7-5, 6-2.

Championship: AJ Prehn-Julia Knie def. Hellwig-Frohling, 6-4, 1-6, (10-2).

8.0 Doubles

Championship: Aric Tennant-Sarah Knie def. Gannon Pederson-Mady Holman, 6-3, 6-2.