British youngster Tara Moore came out on top against German Myrtille Georges in the final of the Aegon GB Pro-Series tennis championship with a hard fought 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 win. Moore, who was the top seed in the tournament which was held at the Dan Maskell Tennis Centre, came through the stern test in the three set final which lasted nearly three hours.
Moore controlled much of the opening set, despite requiring a medical time out after just the third game after going over her ankle. The injury seemed to have little effect on her performance, as she broke Georges for the first time in the next game. Despite being broken back and being 4-2 down in the resulting tie break, Moore fought back to take the first set 7-6.
It looked as though Moore would ease to a comfortable victory when she took a commanding 4-1 lead in the second set. The seven games which followed were the most dramatic of the match. In game eight, Georges saved two match points and one more in game ten.
At 5-5, 30-40 Georges thought she’d won the game, dropping her racquet in disbelief when the chair umpire to overrule a call and the point to be replayed. Moore earned a third match point only to leave a dropping ball which bounced well inside the base line and Georges capitalised to take a 6-5 lead.
Georges won an amazing five games in a row to clinch the second set and force a decider.
With Moore beginning to really struggling with her serve, the third set started like the second with consecutive breaks of serve. A tight and tense set ensued with neither player wanting to make the key mistake which could hand victory to their opponent. The pressure finally told on Georges when she was broke in the ninth game after a powerful base line tussle at 30-40. This gave Moore her second chance to serve for the match.
And this time she made no mistake, a couple of powerful forehands and a brilliant passing shot when Georges came to the net put her at 40-15 before a long forehand from George gave victory to Moore.
The 19-year-old Brit, currently ranked 332 in the world, has had a excellent week in Loughborough, winning the doubles competition on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s final.
For a full report on the Aegon GB Pro Series, including news on Britain’s James Ward and Oli Golding, make sure you pick up a copy of Label Magazine on Friday 18 November.
