Rhodes’ finals day is one to forget

The centurions final featured mixed pairs whose combined ages were 100 or over and Rhodes was paired with Steve Proctor.

The duo were slight favourites having beaten final opponents Belinda Simmons and Andy Maguire in the group stages but with that match having gone the distance, another close encounter looked on the cards.

Simmons and Maguire were beaten finalists last year and were determined to go one better this time but Rhodes’ vast experience told in the first set as she and Proctor took it 6-4.

The underdogs settled down to take the second set 6-3 and looked home and hosed in the third as they led 5-2.

However, a spirited fightback from Rhodes and Proctor had the crowd on the edge of their seats as they came back to 5-5, only for Simmons and Maguire to take the last two games and the title.

The ladies’ open final saw Rhodes return after a short break to partner Rosie Fuller against favourites Kate Perkins and Melanie Jennings.

Some high quality baseline rallies and very few unforced errors made the encounter a joy to watch for the spectators.

Perkins and Jennings were quickly into their stride and led 3-0 before going on to take the first set 6-3.

Two breaks of serve saw the second set level at 2-2 before Perkins and Jennings pulled away for victory with four straight games.

The last match of the day was the open mixed final, with a fatigued Rhodes teaming up with Tom Holmes against husband and wife pairing Mel and Paul Jennings.

A long afternoon clearly took its toll on Rhodes as she and Holmes slipped to a 6-3, 6-4 defeat.

In the day’s only other final, Mike Crisp faced Charlie Griffin in the handicap singles.

It took almost two-and-a-half hours to separate the duo in a highly charged affair, with Crisp eventually winning out 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

The men’s open doubles between James Roe and Richard Sharman and Charlie Griffin and Tom Holmes was also due to take place, but with Roe suffering from illness the match will now take place at a later date.

The presentations will be made after captain’s day on October 9.