An exciting weekend of doubles was played over the weekend at The Maram, with two groups seeing playoffs and the final 12 pairs decided in the race for the 2010 ACTEBA Open Doubles Title. With only the Top 3 going through to the final round, competition was always going to be tight.
Group 2 produced the rare event of the top 3 being all but decided after the first two rounds. In fact, 2nd and 3rd would have to lose all their frames in the final round, with one of the three pairs tied on 4th having to win all their frames to overtake them. Needless to say, the group finished with a 5 frame difference between 3rd and 4th.
Group 3 saw one of the pairs drop behind in frames played, but then they stormed home to overtake two pairs and finish a clear 3rd by 2 frames, but at one point a 3-way playoff was on the cards…
A 3-way playoff was again on the cards with Group 4, as Ben Boyd & Troy Miller, Alessandro & Dragan Markovic and Brendon Smith & Matt Power were all tied on 11 wins going into the final frames. Alessandro & Dragan won their last frame to finish on 12, while Ben & Troy got up in their penultimate frame to score 12, leaving Brendon & Matt to, you guessed it, win their final frame to also finish on 12. Ben & Troy then faced the pressure to win their last frame and came up with the goods to dodge that playoff bullet, but Alessandro & Dragan and Brendon & Matt chose to play race to 3 to decide the last spot. The frames alternated until Alessandro & Dragan nabbed the last one to win 3-2 and take the last spot.
But the 3-way playoff couldn’t be avoided all weekend, with Group 1 seeing Michael Hazilias & Rony Sood, Andrew Pearce & Phil Morton and Kenny Nicol & Richard Bondietti all finishing equal 2nd and playing off for 2 spots. Hazza & Rony took the first match 2-1 over Andrew & Phil, but then fell 2-1 to Kenny & Richard and a 3/3 frame count. At this point a 2-0 win to Andrew & Phil would see them through with a 3/2 frame count, but the result was the opposite as Kenny & Richard finished 2nd with a 2-0 win, followed by Hazza & Rony in 3rd.
So the Top 12 is now decided, with the cut throat format to continue next weekend. Play will start at 11am both days (tables open from 10.30am) at The Maram. Two rounds will be played on Saturday, with the last round followed by the finals to be played on the Sunday.
Well done to all players this weekend, especially those who made it through, and a big thank you as always to our adjudicators, Scrol, Penny Foudoulis and Jason Scott. Also thanks to The Maram for hosting the weekend. (Thanks must also go to my daughter, Olivia, for allowing Daddy to adjudicate a group, and of course my beautiful wife).
Good luck to the Top 12 for next weekend, it is a rare chance to see 24 of the best players in the state compete in the one group, so come down, have a beer (or white win spritzer, whatever takes your fancy) and enjoy the action.
Please find attached the results for Round 2.
http://www.acteba.com.au/downloads/2010_Open_Doubles_Round2_Results.xls
Regards
Chris Jones
ACTEBA Tournament Director
