Canberra Velocity’s men’s and women’s team have stormed into the national final of the Asia-Pacific Tennis League tonight with convincing victories at Sydney Olympic Park.
The women upset the undefeated Stanmore Wyverns four rubbers to two, while the men avenged last week’s 5-1 drubbing against the Sydney Olympic Rebels, also winning 4-2.
Alison Bai kicked off the winning night for Velocity, dropping only one game against Nicole Kriz, and Ashley Keir beat Deon Mladin 4-3 (5-3), 4-0.
In the other singles matches, Tyra Calderwood won in a walkover against Julia Morairty 4-0, 4-0, while Nicole Hoynaski was edged out by Ange Svinos 4-1, 2-4, 3-4 (3-5).
In the doubles, Bai-Keir were too good for Moriarty-Svinos winning 4-0, 4-2, while Hoynaski-Calderwood lost a thrilling match in the super tiebreak 4-1, 2-4, (7-10).
It was the second year in a row the Rebels and Velocity met in the NSW/ACT Conference final, with the Rebels convincing winners last year.
However, an under-strength Velocity, missing star Nick Kyrgios due to illness, avenged their loss in style tonight.
Canberra’s James Frawley put the first win on the board with an upset 4-0, 4-3 (5-3) victory against Adam Feeney, and former professional – now high performance coach – Alun Jones outclassed Ryan Henry, winning 4-2, 4-2.
Rebels’ Matt Reid didn’t drop a game against Velocity’s Robert Howe, while Canberra’s Jake Eames beat Jonnathon Cooper 4-2, 4-0.
With a three rubbers to one lead entering the doubles, Velocity was only one set away from a national finals berth.
Howe-Frawley were unable to secure victory against Reid-Feeney, losing 1-4, 1-4, while Eames-Jones snared the winning set against Henry and Luke Bourgeois and then the match, winning 3-4 (4-5), 4-3 (5-3), (10-8).
The Velocity duo came from 3-4, 2-3 down with Bourgeois serving for the match.
Team captain Alun Jones said the winning double was great for Canberra tennis.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better result tonight,” he says.
“This was a massive upset for the boys, it is like Paramatta beating the Roosters in the final.
“At 3-2 down in the second set in the doubles, I went to the sidelines to find out what the equation was, and the boys told me we had to win the set or we’d lose the tie. Jake and I just went into the zone and hardly missed a ball from that point on.”
The national final will be played at Melbourne Park during the Australian Open in January.
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