Surrey’s Anna Smith and her partner Johanna Larsson from Sweden claimed the Shrewsbury women’s doubles title, defeating Middlesbrough’s Sarah Borwell and Courtney Nagle from the USA, 7-6 (6) 6-4.
In an entertaining match that kept the impressive crowd at the Welti Tennis Centre enthralled for one hour and 25 minutes, Smith and Larsson, the tournament No.2 seeds, turned the form book on its head, defeating top-seeded Borwell and Nagle.
Smith and Larsson went into the match with two titles to their names in 2008, in Sunderland in January and Stockholm in February. Borwell and Nagle have also had a successful season in 2008, combining to win Felixstowe, reaching the final in Bad Gestein; and Borwell also winning titles in Capriolo and Irapuato during the season.
Borwell, Britain’s No.2 doubles player, and Nagle took an early break to lead 2-1 but Smith and Larsson soon broke back, held, then broke Borwell’s serve to lead 4-2.
Borwell and Nagle were quick to respond, breaking Smith’s serve for a second time in the set and some solid Nagle serving saw things locked up again at 4-4. Borwell and Nagle had a break point on Larsson’s serve in the ninth game of the match but were unable to take their chance and the set progressed to a tiebreak.
Smith, the world No.232 doubles player, and Larsson made a fast start to the tiebreak, taking a 5-1 lead, but two missed first serves by Larsson allowed Borwell and Nagle back into the set and, with Borwell serving, things were rapidly squared at 5-5.
Having trailed for most of the set, the more highly-seeded pairing looked like they would snatch the set from under the noses of their opponents, taking a 6-5 lead. But in the end it was Smith and Larsson who claimed the set courtesy of a lob by Borwell, who is currently at her career-high doubles ranking of No.145, which narrowly missed the baseline.
The second set was a one-sided affair, Smith and Larsson’s famously solid returning making a huge impression on their opponents. Breaking Borwell’s serve in the opening game of the second set and winning Larsson’s serve with an ace on a sudden-death deuce point gave Smith and Larsson a 2-0 lead. This they rapidly extended by breaking Nagle’s serve, two netted volleys by Borwell and two solid smashes by Smith deciding the game.
Trailing 1-5 the top seeds were able to work their way back into the match, climbing back to 4-5. But Smith and Larsson were not to be denied; claiming the match and the $75k women’s doubles title.
“It was a tough match and Sarah and Courtney played a great match and it was played in great spirit,” said Smith following her victory. “I am very happy because this is my first big title. I’ve found myself a great partner in Johanna and I’m lucky that we’re good friends off the court as well so I’m really happy with everything.”
A disappointed Borwell was complimentary about her opponents. “It was a hard fought match and Johanna and Anna played the bigger points better than us,” said Borwell. “We had our chances in the first set but we didn’t take them and I think that is what made the difference in the match.”