Sydney University Men (1) fell just two games short of victory in the Grade 1/1 final of the Tennis NSW Badge competition played at Manning courts on Saturday.
Always the underdogs against the minor premiers from Sydney Lawn, the Sydney University boys staged a mighty comeback in the reverse rubbers to be just edged out in a thrilling final set tie-breaker.
Back on the grass courts for the first time in over a month, SUSF Elite Athletes Steven Goh and Anthony Tuong split tie-breakers with their opponents in a marathon first rubber on Court 7.
On the adjacent court, fellow scholarship holder Kris Balakrishnan and his partner Brian Ly couldn’t recover from a slow start in their first set and were forced to wait after losing their opening rubber 2-6 4-6.
Leading by three sets to one at the change-over, a fourth consecutive competition victory for Sydney Lawn in the competition Premier Division seemed a certainty.
However, the Sydney University boys rallied strongly. Bala and Ly took out the first set of their reverse rubber in a tight tie-breaker and Goh and Tuong won their set 6-4. A magnificent diving forehand passing shot up the line by Ly secured a 6-4 win in set seven and saw Sydney University ahead for the first time in the match, up by four sets to three.
In fading light, Goh and Tuong had chances to take out the final set and notch up an historic upset victory. The match result came right down to the wire, with the Sydney Lawn team eventually prevailing in the last set tie-breaker to score the win.
