Sport

Benalla Gardens Tennis Championships ǀ Gallery ǀ Crittenden salutes in delayed final

Feb 15, 2022

Getting on top of it: Matt Crittenden. Photo by Brenden Paddock

Matt Crittenden has reclaimed the number one Benalla tennis ranking after downing Mick Levy at the delayed 2021 Benalla Gardens Championship final.

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Both players served well in the tense opening set, but with the score locked at four apiece, Crittenden applied pressure on Levy’s service.

Airtime: Mick Levy sends down a serve. Photo by Brenden Paddock

A second double fault on break point cost Levy the break and a near faultless service game by Crittenden gave him the first set.

Levy immediately responded early in the second set to break Crittenden twice to lead four one.

Crittenden, who has proven to be arguably the most consistent player in Benalla over the last four to five years, responded, breaking Levy’s serve twice to square a quality set back up at four all.

Return to sender: Matt Crittenden returns. Photo by Brenden Paddock

The pendulum then swung back to Levy.

He raised his game and had his best patch of tennis for the match to win the next two games to take the set.

The match headed to the third set with both players tiring.

At full stretch: Mick Levy. Photo by Brenden Paddock

Crittenden found form again immediately, attacking Levy’s first service game. Finding the lines and hitting with better depth frequently Crittenden raised to a 3-0 lead in the decider.

Levy tried his best to go back to Crittenden’s level.

With the score at five-two the healthy crowd saw Crittenden hold nerve to serve the match out and claim victory.