JEREMY Miller blasted some of the hardest serves seen in recent memory on the local circuit when he teamed up with Jason Andrews to capture the Men’s Doubles title in this year’s Guyana Lawn Tennis Association-organised, Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI)-sponsored Tennis Open tournament at the Bank’s Bel Air Park court last Friday evening. Miller, who ended in the runner-up position in three tournaments last year where he lost to Anthony Downes, Phillip Squires and Ezra Sue Ho seemed determined to make the next step this year as he abandoned caution on his serves by going for outright winners against Leyland Leacock and Gilbert Barckoy in what was his final match before the Men’s Singles which serves off this afternoon at 1730hrs.
The Men’s Singles Final between Miller and Anthony Downes will follow the Ladies’ Singles finals which will feature Shawna Gentle up against Berbician Carol Humphrey.
The first set went to the Miller/Andrews pair, who took same with a 6-3 score line as they complemented each other’s play –  Miller’s heavy groundstrokes and deft volleying by Andrews.
In the second set Leacock and Barckoy battled hard and after going evenly up to 6-5 were able to break Andrews’ serve to take the set, before Miller and Andrews put on a show in the final set with Miller blasting first serves, which their opponents had little chance of returning, to take the set 6-0 and subsequently the match 6-3, 5-7 and 6-0.
Miller’s path to the final included wins over Seanden David-Longe, Andre Lopes –who did not turn up for their encounter – and Gavin Lewis while Downes got past Khalif Gobin, Sandeep Chand and Leacock in that order.
Downes will be featuring in two finals, after he teamed up with Rebecca Mitchell to play Carol Humphrey and Godfrey Lowden in the Mixed Doubles last night, and, following the conclusion of today’s matches, the presentation ceremony for the tournament will begin.