Tennis
GB doubles delight for ace Rowe

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PERSHORE Tennis Centre ace Mark Rowe and his doubles partner Alistair Alexander (South Wales) were crowned 2012 GB men’s over 45s Indoors Doubles Champions last week at the David Lloyd Centre in Birmingham.

The second seeds received a bye in the first round before beating Douglas Evans and Edward Edwards (both H&W) 6-2 6-2 in the quarter-finals.

In the semi-finals they took on and beat the No 3 seeds Mark Cunningham (Kent) and Russell Boulton (Oxfordshire) 6-4, 6-2 and then in a hard fought final they came back from the verge of defeat to beat the unseeded pairing of Ged Doherty and Peter Godber (both Nottinghamshire).

After losing the first set 7-5, they then levelled the match by taking the second set 6-3. In the third set, after being 3-0, 4-2 and 5-4 down, they turned the whole match around to win the British title 5-7, 6-3, 7-5.

Afterwards Rowe said: “It was a super-human effort and neither of us could believe at the end that we had won it! We are both over the moon.”

Rowe will next be playing in the Scottish Indoor championships in Glasgow in February.

PTC offers an extensive coaching and social play programme for all ages and abilities and has the largest junior membership of any club in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

The three indoor and five outdoor courts are available to members and non-members and can be booked online or by phone.

Visit the website at www.pershoretennis.co.uk or ring 01386 556677 for more details.

Doubles delight: Mark Rowe (right) and playing partner Alistair Alexander. (s)