
Back on top: Waters, Johns outduel Bright, Johnson in five-game epic
Championship Sunday at the Lake Kennedy Racquet Center began with Anna Leigh Waters/Ben Johns taking the mixed doubles crown with a 4-11, 13-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-5 victory over No. 2 seeds Anna Bright/JW Johnson.
Bright/Johnson started off the contest strongly and were both effectively countering Waters’ speedups off the bounce. Johnson was also finding success with his slice dinks through the middle, which created some confusion between Waters/Johns.
That helped the No. 2 seeds comfortably take the first game and earn two game points at 11-10 in the second, but Waters/Johns fought back to take Game 2 and even the match.
The teams then split Games 3 and 4 by identical score lines to bring on a fifth and deciding contest.
In Game 5, the top seeds found their highest level of the day. Tied at 5-5, they went on to score the final six points of the match to return to the top of the podium after earning bronze few weeks ago in Mesa.
Johns applauded the performance of the first-time pairing of Bright/Johnson.
“All due credit to JW and Anna. It’s a first-time partnership that clearly works very well. That was an incredible match with really great points, so congrats to them.”
Both Johns and Waters will be back in action later on Sunday. Johns will play in the men’s doubles final alongside Andrei Daescu, while Waters will pursue a Triple Crown in women’s doubles with Catherine Parenteau and women’s singles against Lea Jansen.
No. 3 seeds Catherine Parenteau/Christian Alshon and No. 4 seeds Jorja Johnson/Hayden Patriquin will square off for mixed doubles bronze.
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