The searing heat had no effect on the eternally youthful Tom
Macpherson who ran the baseline like David Ferrer and whipped in majestic
backhand returns in the style of Richard Gasquet. Gordon James was big on serve,
and cat-like at the net; in the process decimating the Helensburgh midge
population as he wielded his Babolat like a handcrafted sabre of the finest
Toledo steel. Team MacPherson collected all 3 sets in a 1 - 6, 1 - 6, 4 - 6
win.
Craig Beaton and David Wight - replacing (the hen-pecked) Neil
Miller - were on court for over 2hrs. After a straightforward 2 - 6 win in the
first, Craig and David were forced to come back from 4 - 1 down & 5 - 2 down
in the last two sets, to finally come through 6 - 7 and 5 - 7. David possibly
set a new club record for serving 28 double faults in the match - well done
David! Although, rumour has it Ian Coventry is claiming he still has this
venerable honour.
Third couple, Ewan Wilson and Alan King, were 5 -1 down after
less than 20 minutes. Captain Craig Beaton's adjoining court pep talk ("if you
guys don’t win this, you are both are getting the train home from Helensburgh"),
seemed to do the trick - they came back to win 5 - 7. With the threat of West of
Scotland public transport still ringing in their ears, they promptly won the
next two sets 1 - 6, 2- 6. Well done to all the guys.
