SCOTLAND'S tennis championships went back to their roots last week
when they were staged at Dyvours Lawn Tennis Club in Edinburgh's Raeburn
Place.
Forced to find an alternative venue, as Craiglockhart undergoes
reconstruction to make way for a #3m tennis complex, the organisers
secured the use of the five grass courts at the Grange club, where the
championships began in 1878.
Ageing photographs on the walls confirm that the first six men's
finals were, ironically, contested indoors at Dyvours in ''a pavilion of
metal construction'' known as ''the tin temple'' which ''housed two
courts, two cramped dressing rooms and a gallery with six rows of
seats.''
Saturday's finals attracted a large and enthusiastic audience, with
Ken Wood and Heather Lockhart emerging as champions for the first time.
Second seed Wood lifted the men's title and a cheque for #250 at the
expense of the favourite Malcolm Watt.
However, Watt, winner of the Ballycastle Open in Ireland a week ago,
made the better start. Taking advantage of some uncharacteristic errors
from his nervy opponent, the Newlands man broke serve in the fourth game
when a vicious slice return forced a wayward volley from Wood. Watt
extended his lead to 5-2 but the Dunfermline player raised his game and
won 12 of the next 14 points to draw level.
The set was decided by a tie-break in which Wood saved two set points
at 4-6 before serving his first ace on the fourteenth point to clinch
the set.
The 24-year-old Scottish No.3 survived six break points against him in
his first two service games of the second set but from 2-2 he took the
next four games, sealing victory on his first match point thanks to a
double fault from Watt.
In contrast the women's final was a gruelling two-hour baseline
battle. Lockhart made an impressive start, dropping just seven points as
she pocketed the first set 6-0 in 19 minutes.
However, opponent Alison Reid staged a remarkable recovery to lift the
second set 6-4 and went on to lead 3-1 in the third as Lockhart's
ground-strokes began to break down. The Dunfermline player came within a
point of leading 4-2 but over-hit a simple backhand which allowed
Lockhart to regain the advantage, and she took the set 6-4.
Watt and Reid had the consolation of lifting the doubles crown later
in the day. Watt teamed up with 19- year-old-Calum McKnight to defeat
Wood and Brian Barnet 6-7, 6-3, 8-6 while Reid partnered her elder
sister Fiona to a 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 success over Lockhart and Nicola Burns.
Final results:
Men's singles -- K Wood (Dunfermline) beat M Watt (Newlands) 7-6, 6-2.
Women's singles -- H Lockhart (Newlands) beat A Reid (Dunfermline) 6-0,
4-6, 6-4. Men's doubles -- Watt and C McKnight (Newlands) beat Wood and
B Barnet (unattached) 6-7, 6-3, 8-6. Women's doubles -- Reid and F Reid
(Dunfermline) beat Lockhart and N Burns (Whitecraigs) 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.
* Poloc Summer Series Tournament. Men's final -- L Smith (Clarkston)
beat J Shelvin (Poloc) 4-6, 1-0, (Shelvin retired due to injury).
Women's final -- L Fulton (Ayr) beat A Fraioli (Craighelen) 6-0, 6-0.
* Lenzie Junior Open. Boys. Under-18 singles final -- R McDonald
(Western) beat R McIntosh (Kilmarnock) 7-6, 6-3. Under-16 singles final
-- G McLean (Oban) beat F McQuarrie (Whitecraigs) 6-2, 6-4. Under-14
singles final -- J McDonald (Craighelen) beat J Gray (Bearsden) 6-4,
6-0. Girls. Under-14 final -- F Gordon (Newlands) beat G Pace
(Craighelen) 6-2, 6-2.
* Nairn Tennis Championships. Men's singles -- M Kilday (David Lloyd
Club) beat A Dickson (Burnside) 6-1, 6-1. Women's Open singles -- A Wood
(Dunfermline) beat S Adam (Westermains) 6-0, 6-2. Men's doubles -- D
McKay and A Dickson (Burnside) beat M Kilday (David Lloyd Club) and M
Bain (Cults) 5-7, 7-5, 6-4. Women's doubles -- A Wood (Dunfermline) and
S Elliott (Arnside) beat A McDonald and S Adam (Westermains) 6-1, 6-4.
Mixed doubles -- A Dickson (Burnside) and S Adam (Westermains) beat D
McKay (Burnside) and A McDonald (Westermains) 6-3, 6-1.
* North Angus Tennis Championships. Men's singles -- P Hutcheon (Games
Club) beat M Christensen (Denmark) 6-1, 7-6. Women's singles -- C
Young(Torphins) beat A Smith (Broughty Ferry) 6-3, 6-0. Men's doubles --
M Kane and N Martin (Craigielea) beat D Croll and B Kane (Broughty
Ferry) 6-4, 6-4. Women's doubles -- D Gallacher and A Smith (Broughty
Ferry) beat W Symington and D Gourlay (Broughty Ferry) 6-3, 6-3. Mixed
doubles -- D Gallacher and A Gibson (Broughty Ferry) beat W Symington
and D Croll (Broughty Ferry) 6-4, 6-2. Men's singles 21-and-under -- P
Hutcheon beat M Christenson 6-3, 6-1. Boys' singles 18-and-under -- P
Lints (Westhill) beat P Hutcheon 6-1, 6-0.
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