ANTHONY Downes and defending champion Jeremy Miller provided a fitting finale in their showdown for the Men’s Singles title on Thursday evening in the GBTI Tennis Open.
Watched by a packed crowd, the finalists  put on a show of quality tennis in what turned out to be one of the most competitive finals in recent memory. The match started off with Downes and Miller trading groundstrokes from the baseline with the occasional advance to the net by Downes. Tied at 4, Downes showed his experience by holding serve at love to put pressure on Miller to stay in the set. Miller was up to the challenge and produced a big game of his own to tie it up at 5. On his next service game Downes upped his game  by serving and volleying to win the game easily with his trademark swinging forehand volleys
Miller again responded on his service by hitting two winners on a forehand and lob, to force the tie-break.
The tie-break was fiercely contested  with both players going for winners. A marathon rally, which saw Downes running down a lob and eventually winning the point, allowed Downes to tie it up at 3, before Miller again went ahead 5-3 as he hit a down-the-line backhand passing shot. A broken string seemed to distract Miller, as Downes then won the next four points with some excellent tennis of his own to win the first set.
Miller, on his first service game in the second set, quickly faced three break points as Downes hit three return forehand winners.
Miller saved all three break points and won the game to tie 1-1. Downes’ forehand then became dominant as he punished the short backhand slices put up by Miller and it was a see-saw battle as both players tried to impose their styles on the game.
It wasn’t until Downes had to serve down 4-5 in the set, did he falter as Miller upped his game with some stunning backhand passing shots and seized the crucial break after five deuces.
Miller at this point was on an emotional high and he quickly reeled off three straight games against the fading Downes. But Downes mounted his own comeback and he was helped by the fact that Miller allowed himself to get distracted after a ball change and a confrontation with the chair umpire who prolonged the issue.
Downes could not be stopped as he played brilliantly at net and repeatedly put away short balls with his swinging volleys to seize the next six games and win his first GBTI Open Men’s Singles title.
A dejected Miller could not come to grips with the fact that he let the match slip from his hands and could not retain the title he won last year.
The final score read 7-6 (5),  4-6,  6-3 to Downes and it marked the first major title for the talented overseas-based 19-year-old who had competed in three senior finals locally which he lost while still a Junior.
The tournament lasted for three weeks and featured matches in twelve categories.
The presentation ceremony will take place today at 17:00hrs at the GBTI Recreational Centre.