Aussie Autumn 2016 - Mornington F3 #6

For the doubles final, the Mornington Peninsula served up a blustery, rainy day. As the singles semi-finals matches were played first, the doubles final, scheduled for 5pm, was pushed back as the intermittent rain delayed the start of play and had the singles matches temporarily stopped, so that it was well into the evening, in cold conditions and with light fading that Greg and Andrew Whittington took to the court, against the No.2 seeded pairing of Brad Mousley and Gavin van Pepperzeel. Twenty year-old Mousley, ranked 331, was a promising Junior player, winning the Australian Open Junior Doubles title twice, in 2013 and 2014 whilst Van Pepperzeel, ranked 514 in the doubles, was the No. 1 seeded player in the singles this week.
With the light fading fast, in cold windy conditions both teams were keen to get on with the match, quick between points with no messing around. Greg and Andrew were the first to get an advantage, breaking theor opponents in their first service game and holding to get to 3-0 up. The No.2 seed hit back, breaking and levelling at 3-3, only to see Greg and Andrew break again to lead 5-3 and serve for the set, which they did to snare an important first set win 6-3.

Doubles winners Greg and Andrew, with
finalists Van Pepperzeel and Mousley

Greg said the second set was a bit farcical as the players increased the play rate in order to get a result before the fading light would stop play, games quickly going to 1-1. Greg and Andrew then applied the pressure and where able to break Mousley and Van Pepperzeel twice to take a stronghold lead in the match with a double break 4-1, then 5-1, lead. A couple of service games later and Greg and Andrew won the set, doubles title winners with a 6-3, 6-2 score-line.
Greg was chuffed with the win, which will build his confidence and gave him some more valuable court time, albeit in windy conditions not too conducive to playing quality tennis. He will get his doubles ranking back with a bang, with maximum points gleaned in only his second tournament for quite awhile. Still a bit stiff from being on the court each day, he is hopeful that his body will recover injury free and he will be back on court in good shape next week.