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Tennis
Leach-Ferreira pair triumphs
By Avinash Nair
CHAMPION PAIR: South African Ellis Ferreira (left) and American Rick Leach with their trophies after winning the Touchtel World Doubles Challenge Cup tennis tournament defeating Petr Pavel and Pavel Vizner of the Czech Republic in Bangalore on Saturday. - Photo: K. Gopinathan
BANGALORE, FEB. 3. Experience triumphed over exuberance as the seasoned pair of Ellis Ferreira and Rick Leach ended the Czech juggernaut of Petr Pala and Pavel Vizner at 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 6-4 in just over three hours of engrossing tussle in the final of the Touchtel World Doubles Challenge Cup at the Kingfisher-McDowell KSLTA courts here on Saturday.
This was the 37-year-old Leach's third World doubles title (although an unofficial one), all with different partners. Leach won his first crown in 1988 along with Jim Pugh and almost a decade later with Jonathan Stark in 1997.
A steady drizzle, which at times turned heavy during the afternoon, rendered the courts unplayable forcing the organisers to delay the start by over two hours. But the Bangaloreans' patience was justly rewarded as the tennis one witnessed was of a high order.
Rick Leach (US) and Ellis Ferreira (SA), as is their wont, started slowly. Ferreira on this day looked much more composed and chose to raise his game a couple of notches, while Leach did tend to waver a bit when the going got tough.
However, today it was the crowd favourite Petr Pala, the gangling Czech, who turned villain. Brother-in-law Pavel Vizner was steady, but Pala twice surrendered his serve, once each in the second and third sets, while also erring badly at the net.
The Czechs admittedly were disappointed but conceded that Ferreira and Leach served consistently, which made the difference.
Leach, who made a comeback after announcing his retirement after the World Doubles at Bangalore in 2000, on the other hand said, ``It was a bonus to win a title at 37.''
While the winning pair shared $145,000 for their efforts, besides the glittering trophy, Pala and Vizner took home $72,000.
The result (final): Ellis Ferreira (SA)/Rick Leach (US) bt Petr Pala/Pavel Vizner (Czech Republic) 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (7-2), 6- 4, 6-4.
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