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DOUBLES FINAL: Tim Mason

MEN'S doubles favourites Julien Lawes and Tom Legg breezed into their second Town Tennis final last night as they overcame doctors Paul Mason and Matt Brook in just 42 minutes.

They will meet the Mason brothers - Tim and Jon - in Saturday's final after they shot down Ed Evans and sidekick Pete Smith in two quick sets.

All four players confidently held serve in the opening games (2-2) but Lawes pounced on break point with a volley down the middle as Mason lost his second service game to 15.

In the next game Legg punched a backhand volley away to round off a love service game for Lawes and the duo were beginning to turn the screw on the medics as Brook saw his serve broken to 30 for 5-2.

The eighth game proved to be the best game for Mason and Brook who came from nowhere to force a break on the Legg serve - through a top-drawer Mason lob and a fine Brook volley - having saved two set points.

However, the reprieve did not last too long as Legg and Lawes broke back immediately to take the set 6-3 and then the combo upped the tempo further to assume control of the second set.

Lawes confidently held serve and then Legg finally took a fourth break point on the Brook serve with a thumping volleyed drive down the centre (2-0).

A stabbed volley from Lawes clinched Legg's service game to 30, Legg blasted a service return back at Mason to take that game to 15 and then the same player thundered away a smash to take the fifth game to 30.

Brook did conjure up a game point on his serve in the sixth but once again it was not taken and last year's beaten finalists completed the job with Lawes first sending both his opponents the wrong way with a placed smash to bring up match point before Mason volleyed a Lawes' service return into the net.

Earlier in the evening Legg came out on top against eighth-seed Mark Mathias in a men's singles quarter-final that sets up a semi tonight (6pm) for the former champion against his doubles' partner and top seed Lawes.

Legg, carrying a shoulder injury that has clearly taken the edge off his serve on the last two evening's play, still proved too strong for his Bridport opponent in a one-sided first set that ended 6-0.

However Mathias grew more confident on his forehand in the second set and, after an initial break from Legg, he recovered strongly to win back to back games for a 2-1 lead.

The fourth-seed then took three games on the bounce to lead 4-2 before Mathias just managed to hold following a number of deuce points.

Legg then confidently held serve to 15 for 5-3 and Mathias, serving to stay in the tournament, conceded a second match point with a wild backhand slice out of court.

Mathias then misjudged a Legg lob allowing his opponent to charge to the net and put a smash away at the second attempt for the match after one hour and ten minutes.

Meanwhile the longest game of the night saw Val Sewry and Pete Smith just overcome Sally and C Davis - 6-4 in the deciding set - to set up a mixed doubles plate final with A Walter and Steve Pellow on Saturday.

RESULTS AND ORDER OF PLAY Men's singles: T Legg (4) bt M Mathias 6-0, 6-3.

Men's doubles: J Lawes & T Legg bt P Mason & M Brook 6-3, 6-0, T & J Mason bt E Evans & P Smith 6-0, 6-2.

Ladies' doubles: Z Acutt & S Ramsbottom bt J McAuley & R Sharpe 6-4, 7-6.

Mixed doubles: R Lawes & C Moreton bt G Corben & E Evans 6-4, 6-1, S Ramsbottom & T Togood bt J Willemse & S McIntyre 6-2, 7-6 (7-3).

Mixed Plate: V Sewry & P Smith bt C & S Davis 7-6, 3-6, 6-4.

TONIGHT'S ORDER OF PLAY: 6pm - Men's singles semi-finals: J Lawes (1) v T Legg (4), P Roberts (5) v T Mason (3).

TOMORROW'S ORDER OF PLAY: 6pm - Boys' 16 and under final: J Frederick v Kieron Morrissey.

Mixed doubles semi-finals: G Stickland & J Lawes v J Hennessy & M Henman, R Lawes & C Moreton v S Ramsbottom & T Togood.

8:55am Thursday 24th July 2008

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