8:54am Wednesday 23rd July 2008
By Dill Butcher
FOR the second night running Tom Legg and Richard Roberts took centre stage at Greenhill in the Weymouth Town Tennis Tournament and again it was the former that came out on top - this time in a men's doubles quarter-final clash partnering singles' top seed Julien Lawes.
Roberts, playing alongside brother Pete, shocked the reigning champions by taking the first set on a tie-break (8-6).
Each player had dropped a service game on the way to six-apiece but it was the competition favourites that conjured the first set-point with a fine overhead from Lawes for 6-5 in the tie-breaker.
Rich Roberts then tied it at 6-6 prompting a weak service return into the net from Lawes and then bringing up set point for the Roberts team with a huge smash.
Then, back on the Lawes' serve, Rich Roberts found the backhand corner for a terrific winner that clinched the set.
In the second set Lawes and Legg pulled 3-1 ahead before the latter, struggling with a shoulder injury that took the edge off his serving, managed to hold for 4-1.
Although Pete Roberts pulled a game back on serve the Legg/Lawes combo clinched the set 6-2 with Lawes punching away a winner into the tram lines.
Into the deciding set and the Roberts' challenge was fading fast after Legg's ever-slowing service game still managed to survive three break points in the opening game.
The Roberts looked like they had missed a golden opportunity and the champions went on to rack up a 5-0 lead.
An angled volley from Pete Roberts clinched his service game but it was only delaying the inevitable as Lawes served out to love - the game decided in an hour and 45 minutes.
On the next court there was an even longer ladies' doubles encounter as youngsters Zoe Acutt and Sophie Ramsbottom needed two and a quarter hours to clinch victory over Rhose Lawes and Joy Hennessy.
The game may have lasted longer but it was decided that a third-set tie-breaker would best determine the outcome as both the 16-year-olds and Hennessy were required on court again before darkness.
Acutt and Ramsbottom seemed to run out of gas as they succumbed to a straight-sets defeat to Michele Ireland and Sally Davis (6-4, 6-0) but Hennessy faired much better as she partnered Mark Henman to a mixed doubles success over Alan and Caroline Cash with an identical scoreline.
Earlier Alan Cash had just fallen short in his singles' quarter-final against 2006 champion Tim Mason.
* Following Saturday's presentation (5pm) players, their families and friends are welcome to attend a social gathering and buffet at the Weatherbury Hotel from 6.30pm.
RESULTS AND ORDER OF PLAY: Men's singles: T Mason (3) bt A Cash (7) 6-2, 6-3.
Men's doubles: J Lawes & T Legg bt P & R Roberts 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 6-1.
Ladies doubles: Z Acutt & S Ramsbottom bt J Hennessy & R Lawes 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), M Ireland & S Davis bt Z Acutt & S Ramsbottom 6-4, 6-0.
Mixed doubles: J Hennessy & M Henman bt C & A Cash 6-4, 6-0.
TONIGHT'S ORDER OF PLAY: 6.15pm - Men's singles: M Mathias (8) v T Legg (4).
Men's doubles: E Evans & P Smith v T & J Mason.
Ladies doubles: J McAuley & R Sharpe v Z Acutt & S Ramsbottom.
7.15pm - Men's doubles semi-final: P Mason & M Brook v J Lawes & T Legg.
Mixed doubles: R Lawes & C Moreton v G Corben & E Evans, S McIntyre & J Willemse v S Ramsbottom & T Togood.
Mixed Plate: C & S Davis v V Sewry & P Smith.
TOMORROW'S ORDER OF PLAY: 4pm - Ladies doubles: M Ireland & S Davis v A & S Ramsbottom.
6pm - Men's singles semi-finals: J Lawes (1) v M Mathias (8) or T Legg (4), P Roberts (5) v T Mason (3).
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