GBTI Open Lewis downs Downes in epic battle under lights

Jun 19, 2019 Sports

By Sean Devers

It is said that when night falls, stars come out to shine and on Monday night playing in the GBTI Open at the GBTI Lawn Tennis Court, Gavin Lewis shone brightly to beat the seemingly invincible Anthony Downes in an epic Men’s Open Quarter Finals which lasted 3hrs and 20 minutes.

Gavin Lewis stuns Anthony Downes in an epic Men’s Singles on Monday night.

When the final shot from Downes hit the net at 11:05 PM, the 22-year-old had won 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 to become the first player to defeat the 28-year-old Downes in seven years and emotions ran high.
In what was literally a war on the Court between the pair, the last match on Monday under flood lights and in very windy conditions, the exhilarating match had all the ingredients in an epic battle; high class tennis, long rallies, cramps from both players, plenty of sweat and tears.
Lewis went 4-0 up in the first set before the defending Champion dug deep and came back to win three straight games.
But the slightly younger Lewis was not fazed by Downes’ fight back and the underdog closed out 6-3.
In second set Lewis took an early lead, going up 2 but Downes using all his experience, came back and won 6 straight games before both players, soaking wet with s

Number 1 seed Cristy Campbell runs back to return a ball from Sekai Jones in her 6-0, 6-1 win on Monday.

weat, suffered cramps in the third set.
Downes went to 3-0 in the third set but with length of the match increasing both players began to show signs of tiredness and Lewis levelled the score at 3-3, Downes began to get cramps and the contest was halted.
When play resumed Downes went to 4-3 before gritty Lewis‘cramped-up’ and was in excruciating pain bringing tears to his eyes.
But with Downes still in distress, both young men did justice to the saying ‘Winners never quit and quitters never win’ and the battle for survival continued.

Gregorie Vincent (2nd right) returns a shot as his partner Andre Lopes watches in their Men’s doubles against Devon Gonsalves & Aubrey Younge (extreme right).

Downes served and Lewis went up 0-15 before a hard serve from Downes levelled it at 15-15. Downes served again and tried to volley the return but found the net it the way but won the next point to go to 30-30.
Lewis hit a return with the backhand, crosscourt and Downes sliced it down the line before he hit a heavy top spin to the forehand which Downes sent out of play to give Lewis match point.
Downes served and Lewis returned before Downes executed a thunderous smash that took game to deuce. The next serve Lewis returned with a low backhand slice which Downes chipped to net for a second match point.
With those who stayed on so late, on their feet, Downes served and moved to volley and hit to net. Game, set, match.
Number one seed, Cristy Campbell disposed of a spirited Sekai Jones 6-0, 6-1, while Kizzy Richmond defeated Simone Boucher 6-0, 6-1.
In the Men’s doubles, a fit looking Andre Lopes and Gregoire Vincent beat Devon Gonsalves and Aubrey Younge 6-0, 6-3, while Joshua Kalekyezi beat Viraj Sharma 6-2, 3-0, who retired in the Boys Singles Final.

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