Phyo Min Thar in action during the Myanmar National Open Championships final in Yangon last week.

PHYO Min Thar is Myanmar’s youngest-ever national tennis champion after beating the more experienced Min Min in the final of the Myanmar National Open Championships in Yangon.

The 17-year-old won the final 6-3, 6-1. It was only the second time he had beaten the 28-year-old Min Min.

Phyo Min Thar also beat his other main rival – Khin Maung Win – in the semi finals, 6-0 6-4, and this victory seemed to give the youngster the confidence he needed to go all the way. It was the first time he had ever beaten Khin Maung Win.

In the final, it was Phyo Min Thar who proved the most consistent, executing a wide breadth of groundstrokes and showing fabulous footwork during the 65 minute match.

Min Min went ahead 2-1 in the first set but lost his serve in the fifth and seventh games, leaving Phyo Min Thar leading 5-2. With Phyo Min Thar serving for the set Min Min saved four set points and broke back, taking the score to 3-5.

But the energetic Phyo Min Thar kept his opponent under pressure and took out the set 6-3.

The second set was a one-sided affair as Phyo Min Thar played a brilliant serve-and volley-game, which made it hard for Min Min to get any momentum going.

Min Min also appeared to lose his confidence in the second set, failing to produce his trademark powerful serve and accurate backhand strokes, most of which ended up in the net.

After the match Phyo Min Thar was ecstatic with the result.

“I am very happy to take this victory, which I have been dreaming of since I was 14,” Phyo Min Thar said.

“Min Min is much more difficult to beat than Ko Khin Maung Win because he has a powerful serve and his backhand is marvellous. But I managed to keep him under pressure for most of the game,” he said.

He said the tournament had been a big focus for him and he did not take a training break after returning from December’s SEA Games.

“I didn’t take a rest from my training because I wanted to win this tournament really badly,” he said.

Sadly for the women’s tournament there were only seven contestants and defending champion, Chit Su Yee, dropped out of the tournament because of sickness a day before the action.

In the women’s final, last year’s runner up Kyi Mya Zaw beat Htar Htar Myint 6-2, 6-0 to win her first ever National Championship.

“I’m happy to win the title this year but I hope it will be more competitive next year,” Kyi Mya Zaw said.