Back-to-Back Championships for North Canton's Finest!
Timothy and Matthew win Inaugural 3.0 Title and proudly hold their championship ... boxes!
How'd the tournament go? Find out ... here!
Round Robin
Match 1
Kurt & Greyson d. Kevin & Sean 9-8(5) - The opening matches were both barn burners as all 3.0ers involved knew that had a chance at 3.0 tournament glory! Kurt and Greyson, hailing from the legendary courts of North Canton, faced off versus Kevin and Sean, hailing from parts unknown! At stake was more than just tennis, but tennis teachings. The slim and trim trainings of Sensei Benji Young versus the doubles experience of Robert Rosenau, two players with well over 100 3.0 victories between them! In the end, the tournament experience of Benji's teachings made the difference, as, in the tie-breaker, Kurt and Greyson were able to harness the Jedi-like trainings of their hero to begin the day with the win!
Timothy & Matthew d. Akhil & Denis 9-8(4)
Timothy and Matthew looked to repeat their fine showing from last weekend's Midwest NTRP Championships, in which they enjoyed a runner-up Vice Championship and punched their tickets to the NTRP Championships in Arizona! Standing in their way were a pair of untested newbies who were facing the bright Towpath lights of their first ever tournament. Perhaps not knowing the stakes or not feeling the pressure, Akhil and Denis came out strong as Timothy and Matthew, perhaps knowing the stakes or feeling the weight of 3.0 pressure, were initially on their heels. But those heels were made for tennis, and Timothy and Matthew soon rallied (a nice tennis skill as it turns out), and got back in the game, winning a tough tie-break to get the first win monkey off their back!
Match 2
Timothy & Matthew d. Kevin & Sean 8-1
Now warmed up and ready to play some tournament 3.0 tennis, Timothy and Matthew did exactly what they did in their previous tournament - showed no mercy! Indeed, just like last weekend, these two went to work, and despite the fine efforts of Kevin and Sean, swept the tennis leg to a convincing victory, putting them just within reach of all their hopes and dreams - a 3.0 tournament title!
Akhil & Dennis d. Kurt & Greyson 8-5
Akhil and Dennis were looking to bounce back from their heart-breaking first round loss, and came out firing in match number two. No doubt helped by the emotional let down that Kurt and Greyson felt after achieving their first ever 3.0 doubles victory together, Akhil and Dennis were able to use that distraction to their advantage, meaning both were now 1-1 and back in the tournament title chase!
Match 3
Heading into the final matches of the Round Robin, several scenarios existed for three of the four doubles tandems. The easiest, of course, was for Timothy and Matthew to continue winning ... math can be easy!
However, if Kurt and Greyson defeated Timothy and Matthew, oy vey, the tie-breaking possibilities! LET'S GO THROUGH THEM!
Since the tie-breaker is games won, going into Match 3, Timothy and Matthew held the lead with 17 games won while Akhil and Dennis were in second with 16 and Kurt and Greyson were in third with 14. So....
Timothy & Matthew - Win and in. Easy peasy!
Akhil & Dennis - Since they lost head-to-head to Timothy and Matthew, Akhil and Dennis would have to have one more game won than them, meaning if Akhil and Dennis could win their match 8-"x" they'd have 24 games won, meaning if Morrow and Gambry could defeat Timothy and Matthew 8-6, giving Timothy and Matthew 23 games won, Ahkil and Dennis would be Towpath Champions! Simply put, Akhil and Dennis had to win and had to hope that Kurt and Greyson not only defeated their Canton brethren, but did so in normal time!
Kurt & Greyson - With 14 games won, they needed a victory over Timothy and Matthew and needed to keep their opponents to five games won or less won and also needed Kevin & Sean to defeat Ahkil and Dennis 8-5. SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S A CHANCE?!
Back to Match 3...
Akhil & Dennis d. Kevin & Sean 8-3
Knowing the stakes (we think), Akhil and Dennis came out strong, taking an early lead (we think) despite the spirited comeback efforts of rookie 3.0ers Kevin and Sean (we think). In the end, Akhil and Dennis had done their part - win their match - and now stood at 24 games won, meaning if Kurt and Greyson could defeat Timothy and Matthew, things could get interesting...
Timothy & Matthew d. Kurt & Greyson 8-5
... and interesting things indeed did get! Kurt and Greyson, using the brotherly love of the Canton area, schmoozed their way to an early lead, taking a 5-0 lead against Timothy and Matthew, meaning if they could win three more games, the whole tournament would be a mess of potential tie-breakers! With their legacy on the line, Timothy and Matthew pushed aside their love for all things Canton and focused on the task at hand - the task of making 3.0 history! Winning the next 32 straight points, the pair staged one of the most impressive comebacks in 3.0 tennis history to not only win the match in dramatic fashion, but hoist high above their heads their first ever 3.0 title!
*Note: All of that is made up. We weren't there. But if it did happen like that, that would be pretty wild, eh?!
Congrats to Timothy and Matthew for their maiden 3.0 victory and a fantastic two weeks of 3.0 doubles tennis as they went 5-1 en route to two titles - a Vice-Championship and a Championship! Somewhere, deep within the woods of Canton, Sensei Benji was nodding his approval...
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*nods* - Sensei Benji