Velocity stages comeback to defeat Saints
Nick Kyrgios helped the Canberra Velocity to a nail-biting victory in the ATL men's competition, while it was a similarly close win for the Velocity's women's team.
Canberra ACT 2601, Australia, 21 November 2015 | Tennis ACT
Both men’s and women’s Canberra Velocity teams have staged comebacks to defeat the Sydney Saints.
World No.30 Nick Kyrgios lined up for doubles, while 12-year-old Annerly Poulos made an impressive debut for the team.
In the men’s match, world No.291 Matthew Barton got the Saints out to an early lead at the top spot defeating Velocity’s Jake Eames 4-1, 4-2. Alex Babanine then levelled the scores, defeating Brian Tran in two tiebreak sets. Simon Ede then put the Saints ahead 2-1 with a dominant performance against Daniel Guccione. James Frawley hit back to level the match with a win over Kody Pearson.
With the match locked at 2-2, Nick Kyrgios joined with former Davis Cup player Alun Jones to take on Benard Nkomba and Barton. Velocity went up an early break but were unable to consolidate, losing the first set in a tiebreak. They rebounded to take the second 4-1, and then won the third set tiebreak.
Velocity closed out the victory with Jake Eames and James Frawley defeating Ede and Pearson in straight sets.
The Velocity women’s team came back from the brink of defeat to beat the Saints, 3-3 (rubbers), 9-7 (sets).
Ashley Keir and Kaitlin Staines both lost tough three-set matches to see Velocity down 2-0. Tyra Calderwood staged a trademark comeback after saving three match points in the second set, winning the match 4-3 in the third.
Poulos then took to the court in her first match for the Velocity. Currently on a 35-match singles winning streak, Poulos dominated her older opponent, dropping just one game to level the scores at 2-2.
In the doubles, Keir and Calderwood were dominant in their victory over Lisa Mays and Brooke Winley, dropping just three games to put Velocity up 3-2. Staines and Poulos took the first set 4-1 over Angelique Svinos and Martina Hudaly, then dropped the second in a tiebreak. They lost the deciding match tiebreak 5-3 to level the score at 3-3.
Yet a count-back on sets saw Velocity win the match.
Both the other matches went down to the wire, with rubbers and sets both all tied. The Western Sydney Warriors women defeated the Sunshine Coast Breakers by just three games, while the Sunshine Coast Breakers men defeated the Western Sydney Warriors by seven games.
Velocity will return to action tomorrow against the Sunshine Coast Breakers at the Canberra Tennis Centre. The day will also feature family activities including a jumping castle, face painting, speed serve, hit the target, and ANZ Tennis Hot Shots.
Entry to the Canberra Tennis Centre is free.