DOUBLES finals action at the Mildura International had local fans hooked as both the men’s and women’s deciders went down to the wire.
Both winning teams recovered from being down match point to be crowned champions on a scorching day at Mildura Lawn Tennis Club on Saturday.
In the men’s final, New Zealand big man James Watt and Queenslander Matt Hulme fought out a cracking contest against fellow Kiwi/Aussie combination Ajeet Rai and Josh Charlton to the double titles 6-7, 7-6, 13-11.
Meanwhile, Lizette Cabrera, who would go on to win the women’s singles crown the next day, also teamed with best friend Gabriella Da Silva Fick to take out the women’s doubles in an entertaining clash with Alicia Smith and Belle Thompson 2-6, 6-3, 12-10.
In ITF tournaments, if double teams have each won a set, the third set immediately becomes a 10-game tie break, that being the minimum score for a team to reach while still winning by two points.
Both matches went over that mark in the final set as the Mildura crowd was hooked on every point.
In the men’s contest neither team could break serve in the first set, forcing the tie-break and despite the Watt/Hulme combination holding a set point, Rai and Charlton earned the first set 9-7.
The story was exactly the same in the second set, however this time Watt and Hulme flew through the tie-break tin win 7-1 and give them momentum for the final set tie-break.
Rai and Charlton took the early lead with the first three points but once it as levelled up there was never more than one between the teams, until they reached match point at 11-10.
Watt and Hulme, however, powered their way to the next three points to take out the thrilling final contest.
In the women’s doubles, after each side won their first two service games, it was the combination of Smith and Thompson, who faced off for the Victorian Grasscourt Championship at Mildura a week prior, who won four consecutive games to claim the opening set.
Cabrera and Da Silva Fick then turned the tables in second set before it went neck and neck in the tie-breaker.
Smith and Thompson saved match point once in that final set tie-break, however Cabrera and Da Silva Fick would not be denied as they went on to claim overall honours.
