Former champions Claire Duke and Julie Keegan have won a heart-stopping women’s pairs final in the tie-break at the $30,000 NSW Open in Wagga.
During an engrossing affair, Duke, who claimed the crown in 2007, united with Keegan, who completed the same feat a year later, to trade blows with reigning NSW Open triples champion Maryann Parcell and Pine River’s Noelene Dutton for nearly three hours before prevailing 6-6, 7-7, 3-2.
After trailing 2-6 after six ends of the opening set, the Australian representatives hit the scoreboard in each of the remaining ends to tie the set.
The position was reversed in the second set, with Duke and Keegan leading 6-2 before Parcell drew 3 from two feet away whilst Duke failed to get inside the yard-stick with Dutton drawing another on the last to pick up 4.
The match was drawn going into the third end of the tie-break before Duke converted to claim the title and pocket the combined $2000 winners’ cheque.
“We just had to knuckle down,” Keegan said following her win.
“We fought back hard to get that draw in the first set.
“We always knew it was going to be tough because we played them in our section and it went down to a tie-break.
“It was a good game; I’m just wrapped to come away with a win.
“The conditions got tougher and tougher because the green sped up a little bit and it was harder to get them close.
