Saturday 11 July was finals day at Onslow Village Tennis Club. The weather was not kind to the players, but they all battled through with a few stops along the way.

In the Men’s singles Justin Hardy played Neil Baxter. This was the first time in the Final for both players and fine early serving in the first game got Hardy off to a good start. They were evenly matched until the ‘Dan Maskell vital 7^th game’ when Baxter broke Hardy. The 8^th game saw Hardy almost break back, but it was not to be and with no more breaks in the set it was taken by Baxter. Once into the 2^nd set, Baxter seemed to get into his stride and it quite difficult conditions steamed ahead to a 5-1 lead. Hardy managed to hold his serve for the next game, leaving Baxter to serve it out and win the match 6-4,6-2.

Later in the afternoon the two singles finalists were again pitched against each other in the men’s doubles. Baxter with Steve Lee and Hardy with Neil Roberts. This was always going to be a tight match, and certainly contained some very watchable moments.  The first set was nip and tuck with first Hardy & Roberts up and then Baxter and Lee winning 4 games on the run to lead 6-5, but a tie break was always on the cards for this closely contested match. Hardy and Roberts took the tiebreak and may be that was enough to give them the push to surge ahead in the 2^nd set as although they reached 2 games all that saw the end for Baxter and Lee and Hardy and Roberts won 7-6, 6-2.

The Ladies Singles was another close fought match and Angela Austin did everything she could to try to stop Pauline McFadden winning the title for the 7^th year. Despite all Austin tried, McFadden managed to  return the ball and  eventually win the set 7-5. The first few games of the 2nd set seemed to go all McFadden’s way, but Austin was determined to keep fighting her corner and edged back into the game but McFadden eventually won through, taking the match 7-5,6-4.

Ladies Doubles produced the only three set match of the day. Sara Hosking and Mary Anne Mackenzie stormed through the first set against last year’s champions June Freyne and Jo Naish, with some fine volleying at the net from Hosking. The second set however was a lot more competitive and although Hosking and McKenzie were 2-0 up, Freyne- who overcame her nervy start and Naish completely turned the set around to take the next 6 games and the set. Again in the final set, Hosking and Mackenzie took a 2-0 lead but Freyne and Naish would just not go away and they battled on to re take the championship 1-6, 6-2,6-3

The mixed Doubles saw Roberts and McFadden paired together against Daniel Bloodworth and Sue Gunter. The first set was a close run, and there was plenty of support from club members for what was the last match of the day. There were fine rallies from all 4 players but Roberts and McFadden had the edge to take the first set. In the 2^nd set Roberts and McFadden soon stole a march and came out the winners 6-4,6-2.

In the junior event the boy’s singles was a rerun of last year with Champion Chris Curtis taking a commanding lead  to quickly be 5-0 over  Johnny Brown in the first set.. They was a slight ‘walk about feel ‘ to the rest of the set but eventually Curtis got his act together to win it. He then failed to hold his first service game in the 2^nd set after 4 deuces. This was obviously the incentive that Brown needed and we had a real match going at last. At 6-5 down it was Brown’s turn to have 4 deuces and again he won the game to take the match into a tiebreak. This was a nip and tuck tiebreak but Curtis shone through in the end wining 6-3, 7-6.

In the boy’s doubles Curtis teamed up with Calum Toone to defend their title against Jonathan Curtis and Adam Cooney. There was quite an age difference here and despite a valiant effort by the younger pairing, Cutis and Toone were champions again, winning 6-0,6-1.

Katy Gunter had hoped to hold on to her title in the Girls Singles, but this year she was out gunned by Steph Austin. Both girls are stylish players and it was a good match to watch and maybe the end score did not do justice to the fine play by the elegant Gunter. Austin won the match 6-1,6-2.

In the girls doubles Austin and Gunter teamed up to take on Gina Curtis and Annebelle Tidy. There was a big age difference with Austin and Gunter already in their teens and Curtis and Tidy only 11. It was a good experience for Curtis and Tidy who both hit some good shots, but realistically they were overwhelmed by the experienced play of Austin and Gunter who won 6-0,6-0.

Austin then went on to look for her 3^rd title of the day in the junior mixed. She partnered Calum Toone against Chris Curtis and Katy Gunter.  It is good to see juniors playing mixed tennis and this was a close fought game which Austin and Toone winning 6-4, 6-3, so congratulations to Austin for 3 fine results.

The evening was rounded up as usual with a bring your own food BBQ enjoyed by over a dozen people.

Photos are available in the Photo Gallery.

Carole Lee