Sentinel Tennis Cup winners' doubles

Stone schoolgirl Nicola Wagg came back strongly to take the girls under-18's singles title for the Sentinel Trophy and achieve a double success in the Basford Lawn Tennis Club's junior tournament last night.

Nicola had already won the under-15 girl's final in convincing style to take the Nicholas Cup but the Staffordshire county junior, playing her second final almost without a break, found stiff opposition from Basford member Pat McCausland of Cobridge. The two-handed backhand of Nicola failed to disturb her opponent who threatened to provide a form book upset as she took the first set 6-4 with growing confidence and then led 3-1 in the deciding third set.

Bur Nicola threw off the signs of tiredness in her game and her obvious determination saw her levelling at 4-4 before clinching the match 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

It was a similar tale in the boy's events when country junior David Egerton of Sneyd Green, on his home club courts beat Anthony Burn (Sneyd Green) to take the under-15 boy's final for the Johnson Cup and then beat county colleague Chris Hinks of Penkridge 6-3, 6-1 to win the under-18 boys final and the Sentinel Trophy.

Burn, a sporting all-rounder, did not stay for the trophy presentation as he quickly switched sports to join Port Vale schoolboy set for their usual Thursday training session.

Left hander Egerton had beaten Hinks without losing a game on his way to the under-15's final but he found the Penkridge boy a tougher proposition on their second meeting.

At 3-3 in the first set Egerton's natural aggression saw him conceding only one more game to get on top of his opponent's baseline style.

The trophies were presented by Mr. Harry Roberts, Circulation Manager of the Evening Sentinel.

Evening Sentinel, 01 August 1980
Courtesy of The Sentinel News & Media