Seacourt Eliminator

Vigona v Sayers

An eager Seacourt crowd awaited their first eliminator in 5 years as Bryn took on Steve Virgona in the first leg of the initial elminators. The first set saw Bryn get off to a solid 2-0 start playing good Tennis whislt Steve has not yet found his rhythmn. Steve stepped up a grear after the lion’s share of the service end to take the next 4 games and a 4-2 lead. With great Tennis being played from both ends, Bryn pulled the set back to 5-5 with some really clean striking and some timely grilles, but finished the 10th game at the receiving end. Steve served tightly and added a grille of his own and a couple of tambour winners to take the set 6-5.  
An increase in game pace saw Bryn put Steve under more pressure from the outset in the second set and after sharing the first 4 games, he raced into a 5-2 lead. The best Tennis of the match was probably played during this set with both players past the pre match nerves and hitting targets with greater regularity. Steve managed to stop the rot with a succession of grilles from the service end and punishing shots into Bryn’s forehand corner, and after more breath taking Tennis, the set was back at 5-5 again. Bryn was again down the receiving end, but he managed to find the dedans twice in the 11th and deciding game to take a 40-30 lead with a chase. Steve saved the first set point, but Bryn kept his cool to win the next two points and the second set 6-5. 1 set all!  
The third set was again played at a fast pace with Bryn gaining the early advantage and a 2-0 lead. Somehow in hindsight the set seemed to hinge on the third game. Bryn narrowly missed out on a stupendous tambour retrieve to hit the net tape resulting in a 40-30 deficit rather than the lead… and from then on Steve seemed to pull himself together avoiding the 3-0 to fire 5 quickfire games of exceptional quality to reach a 5-2 lead. Bryn fought hard to get back to 3-5, but a couple of brutishly paced grille shots saw Steve close out what should have been a really close set 6-3.  
The fourth set ended up being one way traffic with perhaps the only difference being that Steve has been in this position many times before and is used to winning at the very highest level. All 6 games were close, but Steve found the edge in every single one of them to take his away leg victory back to Philadelphia where the guys will fight it out again next week.  
A great spectacle for the crowds, who always seem to really appreciate the quality of good Tennis down at Seacourt, I am sure the battle at Philadelphia will be of equal outstanding quality.  
 Final result Steve Virgona 6-5 5-6 6-3 6-0 Bryn Sayers

Matt Ronaldson