Springvale North’s Stephen Sruk volleys during his team’s marathon doubles win over Gracedale Park on Saturday. 20625 Picture: Stewart Chambers.– Paul Pickering
SPRINGVALE North shook its doubles hoodoo on Saturday, defeating the highly rated Gracedale Park to move into the finals bracket in Tennis Victoria Pennant Grade One.
After struggling in the pairs format throughout the season, Springvale North combined devastatingly to take all four rubbers in trying conditions at Furnew Street.
Springvale North’s number two pair, Trent Cobb and Zoran Josic, got the tie off to a promising start by taking the first set 6-3.
After slumping to a 2-4 deficit in the second, they broke back twice to win the set out 7-5.
In the number one match-up, Stephen Fotakis and Stephen Sruk won an epic three-setter (6-3 4-6 7-6) in almost three hours, taking the decisive tie-breaker 7-5.
Springvale North went on to cruise through the reverse doubles ties to complete the four-rubber whitewash.
Playing coach Sruk was delighted at the way his charges combined.
“It was a great day’s tennis by the boys, except for a few tense moments in that first doubles match,” he said, welcoming a return to fourth position in a tight Section One.
“Every week the ladder positions change dramatically – whether you win or lose – with the evenness in our section.”
This weekend, Springvale North will host Essendon – now in second place – in the penultimate round of the regular season.
