Both Open division matches mirrored each other with amazing similarity. Saturday afternoon’s clash between former men’s singles champion Mark Beers and young Argentinian Tomas Azar set the standard for the Monday night second semi. Azar produced some amazing tennis and went on a run to eventually overcome the ultra clever and consistent Beers.
The talented Argentinian was forced to produce his absolute best, firstly to hang in the match, and then eventually take over control of the entire match.
Early it looked like the result would go to the Australian in straight sets. Beers led one set to love and was up 3-0 in the second. The Argentinian appeared rattled and the uncertainty was contributing to an erratic serve that was unreliable and stopping him from meeting his potential.
But in a comeback every bit as good as the 2021 championship match comeback by Frenchman Olivier Vautier to beat Michael Levy 0-6, 6-4, 6-2, Azar showed great courage to find an unbelievable level of ground strokes, perfect touch and big lift in his entire service performance.
Azar dug in starting with one game to get back to 1-3 in the second set. He grew back into the match with grit and composure and eventually became completely unstoppable, serving strongly and hitting clean winners of both sides of the court, particularly the backhand.
Azar squared up the first semi 7-5 at one set all, and then qualified himself for the 2026 Open final and chance to claim our 2026 number one spot by dominating the third, 6-3, in front of 30 to 40 thoroughly entertained and slightly inebriated locals.
The second semi became an almost carbon copy of the first semi, except this time a permanent local managed to prevail over another extremely talented Argentinian opponent.
Argentinian, Lucas Ruiz looked to have one foot in the door to meet Azar in a Benalla first all-South American final when he had Gardens Tennis Coach, Michael Levy, completely rattled, with perfect touch and his brilliant strategic game.
The extremely fit clay court specialist had Levy completed frustrated. Time after time Levy tried to finish points by dragging Ruiz wide and deep in the court, but Ruiz kept winning the majority of points, running everything down and lobbing with wizard like placement.
A boilover looked on the cards when Lucas claimed the first set quite quickly 6-2. Just like Azar in the first semi, though, Levy went deep in to his bag of experience. He went to a slightly more patient point rally structure and somehow worked his way back into the match. Levy squared it up at one set all when finally finding a way to respond to Ruiz’s brilliant game by claiming the all important second set 6-3.
Unlike the Azar over Beers run in the Saturday semi, the second semi’s deciding set was not dominated by one but became a complete war of attrition. At 1-1 Levy had cramping in the calves, and by 3-3 the cramping had moved well into his right hand.
Both players were dehydrated from brutally long rallies earlier in the match. At 4-4 Ruiz started suffering and Levy had to receive treatment from the crowd as his leg cramps continued. Ruiz again looked destined face Azar when Levy appeared to not be able to go on, with only treatment from an Italian massage specialist saving him from forfeiting the match.
Levy returned to the court limping and went down 4-5 when Ruiz emphatically held serve, and with his now abbreviated serve Levy looked like he might be finished off. He tried to use the boost from the previous games’ treatment and he threw down one final challenge for the Argentine.
Giving it everything, Levy somehow held serve for only the second time in the decider. Energised by great crowd support the Australian utilised the energy to roll three games in a row and somehow progress to this year’s final, where the other equally, or perhaps even more, talented Argentine waits.
The third place play-off between Beers and Ruiz will be the curtain raiser to the Championship final between Azar and Levy, but the third place play off will likely be an equally high standard.
2026 Men’s final day is set to be played on Gardens Tennis Club’s hard courts sometime early Sunday afternoon, April 12, weather permitting. For any match scheduling or information, or details for the Men’s Plate Division semi finals, please feel free to contact Benalla Gardens Tennis Club by texting 0433 520 809.
