Booth continues Australian supremacy at Victorian Open
Losing finalist Woods-Casey partners with Chapman to win doubles
On a weekend which featured the shortest day of the year and some ‘brisk’ local weather, most of Australia’s top players gathered at the Ballarat Real Tennis Club for the Victorian Open Championships.
It may have been cool outdoors, but the welcome inside the club was warm and some top tennis provided great entertainment for spectators.
Kieran Booth emerged triumphant once again, defeating the ever-improving John Woods-Casey in the final 6/3 6/2. Booth had the answers to most situations and his experience helped him at key points in both sets, when his opponent was threatening to get into the match.
In the semi-final the previous day, Booth had dropped the first set against a determined Paul Rosedale but Booth shrugged off the setback and roared home. In what had always loomed as the match of the tournament, the second semi-final saw Woods-Casey take on local hero Michael Williams, both players within an ace of each other on handicap. However, Woods-Casey showed the benefits of his recent stint in the UK and always looked to have the edge, winning a very entertaining match 6/3 6/4.
The tournament also featured appearances by some of our up-and-coming players, including new Sydney pro Alex Marino-Hume (playing his first major Australian tournament) and Rhys Williams from RMTC. One of the features of the event is that there are repechage matches for the first and second round losers so everyone gets lots of tennis.
In the doubles, top seeds Chris Chapman and Woods-Casey were untroubled in making their way to the final. However, locals Michael and Daniel Williams showed what an experienced pair they are, toppling Booth and Rosedale in straight sets in their semi-final. Daniel Williams played with great steadiness and length, and Michael Williams provided the firepower.
The final was notable for a number of reasons: there was going to be a new pair of winning names on the George Limb Trophy, for an extraordinary shot by Chris Chapman and for the sight of ARTA Chairman Alistair Curley handling the marker’s duties.
It was a game of three halves, as they might say, with the RMTC pros making the early running, and winning the first set 6/3. The second set was a complete reversal as the Williams brothers cut down their errors and won a series of tight games, to take it comfortably 6/1.
The crowd settled in for the deciding set, but Chapman and Woods-Casey ruined local hopes, with Chapman displaying much of the quality that took him to the No. 3 in the world and Woods-Casey serving tightly. So 6/1 in the final set to Chapman and Woods-Casey, culminating in a well-deserved win and fitting finale to the weekend.
Now to that extraordinary shot. After a frenetic rally, involving balls moving at great pace and some phenomenal gets, Chapman pounced on a high ball from mid-court around chase the door, and proceeded to complete an overhead smash down onto the floor and then up into the winning gallery! Sighted less frequently than a Tasmanian Tiger, this was a shot no one will forget.
Your author thinks that there is already a name for this shot (tho’ his memory fails him as to what it is) but, if there is not yet a name for it, then Coup de Chappie it is!
The domestic season will continue with the Tasmanian Open in July and NSW Open in August.
Match results:
Friday 6:00 PM (Quarter final): John Woods-Casey (3) def Rhys Williams 6/1 6/2
Friday 7:30 PM (Quarter final): Paul Rosedale def Alex Marino-Hume 6/3 6/5
Saturday 12:00 PM (Doubles semi final): Michael Williams & Daniel Williams def Kieran Booth & Paul Rosedale (2) 4/6 2/6
Saturday 1:30 PM (Doubles semi final): Chris Chapman & John Woods-Casey (1) def Alex Marino-Hume & Rhys Williams 6/3 6/3
Saturday 4:30 PM (Semi final): Kieran Booth (1) def Paul Rosedale 5/6 6/1 6/1
Saturday 6:00 PM (Semi final): John Woods-Casey (3) def Michael Williams (2) 6/3 6/4
Sunday 9:30 AM (Plate final): Alex Marino-Hume def Rhys Williams 6/4 6/1
Sunday 11:00 AM (Final): Kieran Booth (1) def John Woods-Casey (3) 6/3 6/2
Sunday 12:30 PM (Doubles plate final): Kieran Booth & Paul Rosedale def Alex Marino-Hume & Rhys Williams 6/3 6/2
Sunday 2:00 PM (Doubles final): Chris Chapman & John Woods-Casey (1) def Michael Williams & Daniel Williams 6/3 1/6 6/1
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