Cook aces third title

Michelle Cook won her third successive women’s A-grade title at the annual Patron’s Plate tournament last Sunday.

Hosted by Lawley Park Tennis Club, 44 players took to the courts in the men’s and women’s A and B-grade divisions, competing for a slice of the $1200 prize money donated by club patrons Graeme Heal and Jennifer Sinclair.

After teaming with Eileen Bairstow to claim last year’s title, Cook rejoined Anne-Marie Horwitz, with whom she won the 2012 championship, a pairing that again proved successful.

Cook and Horwitz were undefeated on the day, winning four sets and 36 games, but had to fight hard to come from behind in two sets, including against eventual runners-up Sam Capararo and Bairstow, who won three sets and 33 games.

In the men’s A-grade, David Kerr and Nathan Watson teamed up again in the hope of going one better after finishing runners-up on a countback last year.

They succeeded, going through the day undefeated with six sets and 48 games, but not before a scare in their final set of the day against Les Bairstow and young gun Aaron Crofts.

Games were on serve in the final set until Kerr and Watson secured a vital break in the 13th game to lead 7-6, but they could not capitalise on numerous set points on Watson’s serve, with Bairstow and Crofts taking the set to a tiebreaker, which Kerr and Watson won 10-3 to secure the title.

Vince Hilder and Phillip Sharpe were runners-up, winning five sets and 45 games on the back of some trademark heavy hitting from Sharpe that often drew applause from onlookers and had opponents taking evasive steps.

In the men’s B-grade, Greg Cook and Ross Alexander were too good on the day, going undefeated in winning six sets and 48 games to take the title.

Vince Perich and Ken Pears were runners-up on five sets and 46 games.

In the women’s B-grade, Vanessa Hillman and Katrina Perich were the champions, winning three sets and 30 games, while Glenda Jones and Lesley Brown were runners-up with two sets and 26 games.