On Saturday Matt Coombes became the Over 45 Great British singles and doubles champion which was played at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon from 16th-24th August.
The final was a very close, tense affair as the 7-6, 7-6 scoreline suggests, against fellow GB Over 45 team mate Paul Scullard from Hampshire. Although it was a very close match he was always in front, leading 6-5 in the first set going with serve, Matt had a set point at 30-40 on Paul's serve, but he managed to hold serve with some powerful serve and volley play and force a tiebreak which Matt won 7-5. Again in the second set it was going with serve until 4-4 when he managed to break serve after another long Scullard service game to go 5-4 up and serve for the title only for Scullard to break back and get back on level terms. With another service hold each again it was a tiebreak to decide the set, at 5-5 a long point which went to Coombes, which was then followed by a wayward forehand from Scullard to give Coombes the British title.
Then shortly after the 2.5 hr singles Matt teamed up with Chris Hearn from Bucks to again take on Paul Scullard who was partnered by Graham Neal in the Over 45 doubles final. Coombes and Hearn took the first set comfortably 6-2, with 2 breaks of serve, but relaxed at 2-0 up in the second set to allowed the Hampshire pair back into the match and with momentum on their side they took the second set 6-4. As with most doubles matches nowadays rather than a final set a Match tiebreak is played which is an extension of a normal tiebreak but to 10 rather than 7. The first 8 points were shared at 4-4, Coombes and Hearn then strung together a run of 4 points which included a screaming forehand return from Coombes to put them in the driving seat at 8-4. The Hampshire pair kept fighting but at 9-7 some quick reflex volleys from Hearn saw Coombes and Hearn both achieve the double as Chris had won the Over 50s singles earlier on the day.
As captain of the GB Over 45 team, Matt will be training hard at the Bournemouth Gardens Tennis Centre where he coaches and manages the centre over the winter ready for the ITF World Team Championships which will be held in Palm Beach Gardens near Miami, Florida in April.
Other local players competing were Brett Townsend (over 35) last 16, Martin Tinker (over 50) last 16, Boyd Brackstone (over 60) Runner Up, Phil Tovey (over 60) q/f, Tim Dean (over 75) last 16, John Cave (over 75) last 16, Sylvia Shipley (over 55) q/f, Nina Crane (over 60) last 16, Pauline Fisher (over 60) s/f + doubles winner.
Singles Draw and Results
http://lta.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/draw.aspx?id=20E82089-B57A-4CA7-BF1F-C0F1C4129F32&draw=7
Doubles Draw and Results
http://lta.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/draw.aspx?id=20E82089-B57A-4CA7-BF1F-C0F1C4129F32&draw=9
