VETCELL WORLD DOUBLES AND SINGLES


Eight of the highest ranked players in the world competed in two tournaments generously sponsored by Vetcell, a company at the forefront of equine stem cell research.

Players (British unless stated)

Rob Fahey (Australia), Chris Bray, Nick Wood, Steve Virgona (Australia), Danny Jones, David Woodman, Kieran Booth (Australia) and Tom Durack.


In the semi-finals Holyport head professional Nick Wood defeated his great rival Chris Bray of Petworth to book a showdown against Fahey, who had survived a spirited challenge from the brilliant young Australian Steve Virgona in his semi.

As predicted the likeable Aussie put on a near-faultless display in the final and despite fine retrieving from the stylish Wood, underlined his current dominance with a string of winning forces, thundering through the first two sets for the loss of just three games. In the third, Wood attacked relentlessly, producing some immacualte backhand winners and serving tightly to snatch the set 6-4 before Fahey turned on the power and took the fourth to love. The victory made it a double for the powerful Australian who had earlier partnered his fellow-Tasmanian Kieran Booth to the Vetcell doubles title, defeating Wood and the rising British amateur David Woodman in a thrilling final.

Vetcell World Real Tennis Singles (British unless stated)

Semi-finals:
R Fahey (Aus) bt C Bray 6-2 6-4 6-3
N Wood bt S Virgona (Aus) 6-2 6-5 5-6 6-3

Final:
Fahey bt Wood: 6-1 6-2 4-6 6-0

Vetcell World Real Tennis Doubles (British unless stated)

Semi-finals:
R Fahey (Aus)/K Booth (Aus) bt C Bray/T Durack 6-2 6-1
N Wood/D Woodman bt S Virgona (Aus)/ D Jones 6-2 3-6 6-2

Final:
Fahey and Booth bt Wood and Woodman 6-4 6-5

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