TENNIS: Stefan Steps Up in Amherst Club Finals
BILLIE KOTTING
This year’s Amherst club tournament involved around 60 players playing across five formats – mens and ladies singles, mens and ladies doubles, and mixed doubles. With a main draw and ‘consolation’ contests for first round losers, that resulted in 97 matches over 12 days, including ten on finals day, Saturday 20 June.
Stefan Le Breuilly receives trophy from Amherst club president Michael Foster
Surprise winner of the men’s singles, with a career best performance, was Stefan Le Breuilly. He is son of former club chair Trevor Le Breuilly and became acting chair in his own right earlier this year. After clinching the first set against defending champion Quentin Soucek, Stefan trailed in the second, but saved two set points at 4-5 and another two at 5-6, and eventually triumphed in the tie-break.
In the men’s doubles, Stefan teamed up with Jack Watson to play teenager Toby H—- and Pete Farthing, veteran coach. Pete put on a master-class of serve and volley, but also employed the SABR, sneaking forward on service returns to be first to the net. He and Toby stormed to a first set advantage. Stefan and Jack turned the tide, their angles getting sharper, and they took the second. In a full third set, Toby held service bravely at 2-1, the momentum shifted again, and the age-contrast duo saw out the match.
The other three finals in the main draw all featured perennial finalists Nikki Crowhurst on one side of the net and Pearl Hare on the other.
In the mixed doubles, Nikki partnered Dylan Preece to play top seeds Pearl and Josh Craig. The match couldn’t have been tighter, with each pair each taking a set, the decider a Championship tiebreak, nicked 11-9.
Straight back on court in the women’s doubles, Pearl paired with Karen Cunnington, while Nikki teamed with Debi Ani. The former pairing enjoyed a straightforward win.
In the ladies singles Pearl and Nikki went head to head in a rematch of last year’s final. The first set was even, only sealed by a late break of serve in Nikki’s favour. In the second, Pearl got off to a flying start and equalised. In the Championship tiebreak – a full third set was an option, unsurprisingly declined by the players after six full sets – Pearl hit some gems but it was Nikki who swooped in to take back her crown. Both have vowed never to play the singles again – but rival club members shouldn’t count on it.
Final results
- Mens singles: S Le Breuilly bt Q Soucek 6-4, 7-6
- Ladies singles: N Crowhurst bt P Hare 7-5, 2-6, 10-5
- Mens doubles: P Farthing and TH bt S Le Breuilly and J Watson 6-3,1-6, 6-1
- Ladies doubles: P Hare and K Cunnington bt N Crowhurst and D Ani 6-3, 6-0
- Mixed doubles: D Preece and N Crowhurst bt J Craig and P Hare 4-6, 6-4, 11-9
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