Finn Reynolds and James Watt have had a terrific week in Ostrava, and they were hoping to crown it with the title when they met Jan Jermar and Stefan Latinović in the final. It was the last-named who served first, forcing Reynolds into a return error before Jermar won a fantastic 13 shot rally with a lovely backhand volley through the middle of the court. They had started in a very light drizzle, but it wasn’t enough to make more than two or three spectators put up umbrellas.
Latinović went on to hold serve comfortably, as did Watt, but Jermar was taken to deuce when Watt’s big inside-out forehand return flew off Latinović’s racquet. Reynolds’ forehand return of the deciding point went long, and he gave away break points on his own serve when he double faulted for what would be the first of too many times. Latinović fired a forehand into the net before Watt smashed away a volley to take them to deuce, and Jermar was forced to hit a backhand into the net to lose the deciding point.
By now the rain was getting noticeably heavier, and they would surely have suspended play if the match had been on a hard court. It’s different on clay, though, and umpire Christophe Damaske told them to continue. It was the right decision, as the rain gradually eased back to nothing, although the sun didn’t come out properly until they were into the second set.
Latinović and Watt again had easy holds before Jermar was taken to deuce for the second time after having to save a break point. He won the deciding point with a forehand volley, only to receive a warning after the change of ends for a coaching violation. Watt’s forehand volley won Reynolds’ first point, but the left-hander double faulted before Latinović and Jermar both hit poor returns. Two more double faults dropped the New Zealanders back to deuce, and Jermar got the crucial break with a beautiful cross-court backhand return.
Reynolds and Watt broke straight back when they forced an error to start the next game and finished it with three more, and Watt again held comfortably to level the scores at 5-5. Jermar held again, this time needing only six points rather than seven, and that left Reynolds serving to take them to a tie-break.
He was cruising at 40-0, but Jermar’s backhand return touched Watt’s racquet on the way out of court before Reynolds served another double fault. The incredible 15 shot rally which followed was the best of the match, but it ended when Reynolds was forced to hit a backhand volley into the net. The deciding point also became a set point for the European pair, and Reynolds’ sixth double fault of the day gave them the break they needed. The set had taken 47 minutes.
The serving order stayed the same as they started the second set, with three comfortable holds before Reynolds stepped up. Latinović started with a beautiful forehand winner through the middle of the court, which Watt cancelled out with an easy volley, but another double fault was followed by Watt hitting unforced and forced backhand volley errors to lose the game. Latinović needed to ace Watt out wide to save a break point in the next game, and his serve on the deciding point was near enough to another one, so that consolidated the advantage for Latinović and Jermar.
Latinović pulled a beautiful backhand return into the tramlines when Watt served next, with the latter needing to force Jermar into a return error to get to deuce. Latinović’s backhand lobbed return of the deciding point went long, but he and Jermar still held the advantage of a break. That disappeared in the next game, although plenty happened before the break was completed.
Reynolds started with a big forehand return down the tramlines, with Jermar then double faulting before acing Reynolds out wide. Latinović hit a beautiful angled forehand winner before Watt hit a gorgeous forehand volley through the right-hand side of the court, although the net cord which Reynolds hit two shots earlier had certainly affected the eventual fate of the point. Latinović was then forced to watch his inside-out backhand volley fly wide, and the New Zealanders were back on serve.
Latinović hit a great inside-out backhand return into the tramlines off Reynolds before Watt was the victim of the net cord, rather than the beneficiary, and he was forced to hit a forehand into the net. He lost the final point when forced to hit a forehand volley into the net, leaving Latinović to serve for the title.
A couple of forced errors from Reynolds took the score to 40-15, giving Latinović and Jermar three Championship points. Reynolds saved the first with a beautiful forehand return down the line, and Latinović double faulted to give away the deuce. It was third time lucky, though, as he forced Reynolds into another return error to wrap up the match after an hour and 23 minutes. The final score was 7-5, 6-3.