DAVID WIGHT STAYS THREE AT TENNIS TRIATHON
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This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from August 1984.
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All other seeds have retained their places, after two rounds in most cases, including the title singles champ, Brian Wight, David Bodden, Althea Codner and Maria Alberga, first and second respectively.
By luck of the draw, and to the delight of the spectators present at the Cayman Islands Tennis Club on Tuesday evening, David Wight and Steve Bassett met up and battled out a three-set marathon, which could have gone either way throughout. Shot for shot, serve for serve, the two were evenly matched. David took the lead at the end of the first set by winning a 12-point tiebreaker at 6-6 (7-4), but Steve came back with a service break at 3-2 in the second, going on to win the set 6-4. David again took the lead in the third set, breaking Steve's serve in the fourth game to lead 4-1. At 5-3 and match point for David, fans poised to applaud an exciting, entertaining match, the very determined Mr.Bassett placed a winner in the back right-hand corner of David's court and, minutes later, won that game and four more before bowing. Coming from behind throughout the third set, Steve held his own right up to the 18th and final game, saving four more match points along the way, all of which David had in the 14th game, but somehow could not manage to put two winning points together. However, he did manage four in a row, with Steve serving a love game at 8-9 to end it all.. A great match and a real crowd-pleaser, quite possibly the best of the triathon! Said a frustrated Steve after the match, "If I'd managed to win, I probably would have met another Wight in the next round!" He now moves to Category "C" in the singles.
Although Steve Bassett is no novice at tennis (in fact, was a pro at a private club in his native USA before coming to Cayman), this tournament is his introduction to competition in Cayman AND the many athletic members of the Wight family! In the first round of the singles, he met David's brother, Philip, against whom he fared very well (6-0,6-1). He was then party to another of the three-set matches so far in the tournament, in an up-and-down match with partner Gyanendra Jha, defeating Mark Panton and new club member, Tom Guest, 1-6, 6-1,7-5 and now scheduled to meet no.1 seeds, Brian Wight and partner, John Aiken He also has the possibility of meeting Brian a second time, and Carole Kirkconnell, if he and partner, Althea Codner, get by David Bodden and Jean Bodden in the mixed doubles.
The draw has now been posted for Category "B" matches (all those who came "second" in the first-round matches), some of which were scheduled to commence yesterday, and this category along with Category "С" ("second-place" players in second-round matches) should also produce some very close, exciting competition.
Michael and Philip Wight, who took brothers David and Christopher (no.2) to 6-4,6-4 in the first round of the doubles, are favourites in Category "B", but the experienced Tom Guest and Mark Panton are also now in this division, a partnership not to be taken lightly.
Again by the luck of the draw, combined with the steady play of Claudine Lam, favourites in Category "B" singles, Gail Aiken and Patricia Ebanks, were both knocked out of Category "A" at the hands of Claudine, 6-2,6-2 and 6-2,6-4 respectively.
Although Gail and partner, Jean Bodden, are still in Category "A" in the ladies' doubles (no.3), she and Ken Ryan went down to defeat by Jim Henderson and Eloise Reid (6-2,6-3) in the first round of the mixed doubles and could quite possibly meet up with David Wight and Judy Rutty, also now competing in Category "B" through the fine play of Bob Reid and Jean Fenton (6-2,6-0).
Tournament Director Marlene Ames (who adapted the triathon from curling competition popular in her native Canada) has not, generally, had a good week at or on the courts.
She and partner, Rosemary Rutkowski, lost a three-set marathon on Sunday afternoon to the doctor and nurse team of Marilyn McIntyre and Eloise Reid, taking a tumble on the court while leading in the third set at 7-6. The medical team won the match (6-2,1-6,9-7), and bandaged up Marlene's arm later in compensation. She therefore had to concede a walkover to Judy Rutty on Monday evening, and THEN, Wednesday night, it rained all over her parade!
However, last seen at the clubhouse in her temporary cast and sling (left arm, than heaven!) Marlene was still smiling, rescheduling the rained-out matches, planning to re-enter the competition, and making known her new strategy of intimidating opponents by playing with the cast on.
