Alan Hamer with winners Bret Richardson and Mike Happell
The Australian Amateur Doubles champions, Mike Happell & Bret Richardson, yesterday won the RMTC club doubles championship for the first time, defeating the scratch partnership of Julian Snow & Tim Heughan 6/1, 5/6, 2/6, 6/3, 6/4. Snow was unable to defend with his usual partner, Chris Sievers, who injured his hand in practice a few weeks ago. Heughan, nominally much the weakest player on court by handicap, deserves great credit for the way in which he responded to the call to replace Sievers; he played really well and was by no means outclassed. When he & Snow led by 3 games to love and 40-0 in the final set, a boil-over seemed a distinct possibility. To their frustration, however, Happell & Richardson raised their game at the crucial moments, illustrated by the final shot of the match when Happell readily beat chase worse than two with a speciality cross-court cut volley return of serve.
It was a much more competitive match than many had anticipated, which entertained a decent Monday evening crowd at the RMTC.
