Top seeds triumph
5th title for Grovetown duo
TENNIS It was deja vu in the men’s section and a changing of the guard for the women as the Drylands Marlborough Rapaura Doubles tennis titles were decided for the 35th time on the grass at Rapaura yesterday.
Top-seeded Grovetown duo Scott Woolley and Graham Thomas clinched their fifth title with a three-set victory over Japanese brothers Kenta and Daika Naka while promising teens Lily O’Fagan, from Marlborough, and Ashley Calder, from Nelson, managed their first win, beating multiple winners Jane Bay and Debra Schollum in three.
The men’s final was a close affair, marred by an ankle injury to Daika Naka at 1-1 in the second set, the third-seeded siblings having taken the first 7-5 after a couple of errors by Thomas and Woolley in the final game.
Daika was treated on court but was restricted in his movement as the Grovetown pair recovered from the early setback to claim the second set 6-3 and then hit their straps in the third, romping away with it 6-2.
The blustery wind was also a factor in the match, making serving and overhead play difficult although both pairs used the lob to good effect at times. Thomas, who has now won the tournament 13 times, and Woolley showed the benefit of playing together at club level, their serve and volley game as sharp as ever – their teamwork and determination when the chips are down never more evident.
The women’s final was also a three setter, but ultimately the youthful combination of Calder and O’Fagan had too many guns for the defending champions, prevailing 6-1 6-7 6-0. Top seeds Bay and Schollum, as usual, were full of fight, and recovered from 2-4 down in the second to force a tiebreaker which they won to keep the match alive. But it was one-way traffic in the final set with Calder’s power game superbly complementing the touch and placement of O’Fagan.
In the semifinals second-seeded Calder and O’Fagan beat Eveline Apthorp and Trisha Bancroft 6-0 6-2 while Bay and Schollum defeated Elaine Fluit and Denise Rounthwaite 6-0 6-2.
Thomas and Woolley won their semifinal 6-3 3-6 6-1 over fourth seeds Hamish Morrow and Andrew Mitchell while the Naka brothers beat second seeds Julian Main and Phil Wright 6-2 6-3 in the other.
Full results in Tuesday’s press.
Ex-