Perennial finalist Simon Bayne edged the up-and-coming Randy Bennett 21-14, 18-21, 21-14 in an all-Christ Church quarter-final when the Bush Hall Dungeon Road Tennis Tournament continued at the Deighton “Pa” Roach Centre in Bush Hall on Tuesday night.
Bennett had surprised the pundits by reaching the “B” class quarter-finals and he should have advanced further since he matched and surpassed Bayne with some smoking line-drives and smashes.
However, that aggression handed the game to the resolute Bayne who played a game of defence while allowing his opponent to commit costly errors.
The opening set saw the players rallying while moving the ball from forearm and backhand with a skill that belied a “B” class game.
Deceptively relaxed styles by Bennett and Bayne confused the crowd as both combatants moved and saved many rasping drives, drop shots and smashes.
Unfortunately, Bennett’s repeated errors saw Bayne moving from 5-5 to build up leads of 15-10 and 18-12 to claim the first set.
The first point in the second set was won after 25 rallies and the intensity was maintained with the scores locking from three up to 18 when Bennett unreeled some classy winners to even the contest.
Bennett moved to a 4-1 advantage in the decider and with Bayne pushed back, Bennett scored a deft injection which stopped just behind the net and excited the crowd at 5-2.
However, Bennett’s overconfidence and aggression saw him squandering a 6-2 advantage as Bayne relied on his wait-and-win game.
Bayne locked the scores at seven and matched Bennett up to 10 before accelerating to 15-10 at which stage Bennett all but surrendered the game.
From 17-14 Bennett made successive errors which saw Bayne advancing to the semis where he was due to face Under-21 islandwide champion Darius “Baraccus” Gaskin last night.
Gaskin reached the semis by disposing of the stylish Ricky “Body Doc” Hoyte 21-18, 21-16.
The other semi-final pitted Dario Hinds against Emar Edwards.
On Tuesday night Hinds beat Andy Smith 21-13, 21-9 and Edwards stopped Lloyd Deane’s fine run 21-15, 21-16.
The Dungeon quarter-finals also proved to be one-sided battles with Ronald Chapman defeating Tyrone “Picker” Jones 21-18, 21-16, Tyrone “Lebron” Carter bouncing past Rodney Duke 21-18, 21-19, Rudy “National” Gill winning from Emmerson Cummins 21-14, 21-16, and Carlos Chandler beating Henderson Weekes in quick time 21-13, 21-15.
