A change in the doubles combinations couldn’t save Canberra Velocity from a narrow defeat in its fifth place playoff at Melbourne Park today.
Velocity, the fourth seeds, finished the inaugural Asia-Pacific Tennis League competition in sixth place after losing to Kooyong Classics 4-2.
Both teams split the singles matches but Velocity lost both doubles matches in a third set super tiebreak.
In the deciding doubles matches, Velocity’s Alison Bai and Nicole Hoynaski lost to Belinda Woolcock and Kate Antosik 4-2, 2-4 (10-4), while Ashley Keir and Tyra Calderwood were defeated by Sally Peers and Michaela Johansson 4-2, 2-4 (10-8).
Alison Bai made a strong start in the singles for Velocity, dropping only four games against Sally Peers, while Tyra Calderwood lost two tiebreak sets against Michaela Johansson 3-4 (5-2), 3-4 (5-1).
Ashley Keir served for the first set against Belinda Woolcock before losing 4-3 (5-3), 0-4, while Nicole Hoynaski won a tight match against Kate Antosik 4-2, 4-3 (6-4).
Team manager Todd Larkham said Velocity had to improve its team combinations for the next competition.
“We need to strengthen our doubles, it really let us down this week,” Larkham said.
“We tried a few different combinations but it didn’t work, we didn’t combine well when it mattered most.”
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