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Kooyong’s men made the most of their opportunities to win the final of the South East Conference of the Asia Pacific Tennis League at the National Tennis Centre yesterday.

In a torrid final against the talented Royal South Yarra line up, the Kooyong Classics showed their grit and determination to fight their way out of some precarious positions.

The match started with Greg Jones and John Peers hoping to reverse their fortunes from Friday night’s final round blockbuster against Royal South Yarra where Luke Saville and Dane Propoggia won in three sets.

Peers was quick out of the gates and raced to a one set advantage against Propoggia and pushed on early in the second set to serve for the match at 4/2 3/0 but Propoggia broke back and then held serve to put the pressure back onto the Kooyong star who served it out at his second opportunity to give the Classics an early lead with a 4/2 4/2 victory.

Jones went down in the first set to a confident Saville and was down 0/40 in his first service game of the second set but dug his way out of trouble. Saville then piled on the pressure and got the break he was chasing before serving for the match at which point things started to turn in Jones’ favour. He was able to break the Saville serve and then sent the second set into a tiebreaker and it was there that Jones was able to send it into a deciding set with some big serving and electrifying ground strokes. The momentum had swung and Jones continued to fight his way out of tricky situations while creating break point opportunities of his own and it was one of those that were taken that allowed Jones to win 2/4 4/3 4/2 in a crucial match for the Classics in the overall scheme of things.

Andrew Whittington and Daniel Byrnes were next on court against Alex Bolt and Adam Hubble respectively and it was Whittington that came out firing against his familiar foe. Bolt dropped the opening game of the match and that was just the opening that Whittington needed to secure the first set as he served with precision and forced his opponent into difficult positions with his stroke play.

In the second set, Whittington continued to pile on the pressure and it was two wayward overheads that allowed Whittington to break twice and run away with the match 4/2 4/1.

On the next court, Adam Hubble put on a serving clinic to hold Daniel Byrnes at bay 4/3 4/3 to give Royal South Yarra a slight chance of winning with two straight sets doubles victories.

The two doubles matches were entertaining affairs and both could have gone either way as the first set of each showed. Jones and Peers took on Saville and Bolt and Whittington and Byrnes tackled Propoggia and Hubble and both matches reached a first set tiebreak.

With Kooyong needing a set to keep their noses in front, Whittington and Byrnes were able to get through the shortened tiebreak in front to just about guarantee victory while Jones and Peers dropped the first set they were then able to bounce back to win the second set to settle everyone’s nerves. The win was assured and Royal South Yarra went on to win both doubles matches in the match tiebreaker to no avail.

In the women’s competition, Kooyong played off for third spot but were unfortunately beaten 4/2 by the Mornington Missiles.

Congratulations to all of the players involved in a wonderful season and we look forward to seeing the men in action at the National playoffs during the Australian Open in January!