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This year the Redlands Lawn Tennis Association’s Club Championships reverted to a weekend format, being played over Sunday 2nd and 9th August. And, thanks to the urging and encouragement of club manager Sophia Toparis, for the first time in many years we have been able to conduct women’s singles and doubles events along with the men’s events.
The Men’s Singles Champion for 2009 is Matt Stitcher. He and Andrew Crane played a marathon three-set final in which Matt came from a set down to win 1-6, 6-3, 6-2. Both players had played against each other in the preceding doubles final which had also gone to three sets, so it was very much a case of survival of the fittest. Andrew looked the goods in a dominant first set where he was able to keep Matt on the back foot and the points short. However, by mid-way through the second set, there was a significant change in fortunes with Matt battling for every point and Andrew starting to make a few errors. At a set all, the momentum was all with Matt and by the end of the match he was dominating most of the points. An appreciative and sometime vocal crowd of spectators was on hand to witness some excellent tennis on what was a beautiful Redlands Sunday afternoon.
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2009 Singles Champion Matt Stitcher (left) being congratulated by club coach Dean Toparis
The Men’s Doubles final was won by Andrew Crane & Justin Schneider, beating Matt Stitcher & David Young in three tight sets 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. The match was a fluctuating affair as one pair and then the other would get on top. Andrew and Justin had to work extremely hard in the deciding set, breaking Matt’s serve to stay in the match and then surviving three match points on Justin’s serve to draw level. From that point, the momentum was with Andrew and Justin, even though the match was still in the balance up until the last point.
Doubles finalists(from the left) Justin Schneider, Andrew Crane, David Young & Matt Stitcher
In other results, Melissa Gibb was crowned the 2009 Womens Singles Champion with Melinda Dawson the runner-up; Tania Carroll & Maureen Hilzinger won the Womens Doubles from Helene Mitchell and Lisa Ruhle; Les Appolloni and Kylie Steele won the Mixed Doubles from Kim Reimers and Tania Carroll; and Ben Parr won the B Mens Singles from Jayk Pascoe.
Results
Helene Mitchell & Lisa Ruhle competing in fashionable pink& grey
The "D-Train" (David Young) in action in the doubles final
Womens Doubles winners Tania Carroll & Maureen Hilzinger
The President congratulating Mixed Doubles winners Les Appolloni & Kylie Steele
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