February 27, 2005, Newport: The Burke Cup, rescheduled from the final week in January to this weekend, featured only five local players. Steve Fazzini and Jane Lippincott were the #1 and #2 seeds respectively, and while it might have been expected they’d face off in the final, it was very nearly the case that neither made it.
Steve was leading Ross Cann 6/3 and 4/1 when his back suddenly went out … he had to default. Jane ran into a determined Arthur Chapman (who’d earlier beaten Tim McGeary in straights), who came back from 1/5 down in the first set to take the lead in the match, 6/5. However, Jane righted things, and walked off court with a date in the final, 5/6, 6/2, 6/4.
In the final, Ross took the first set 6/3, while Jane answered with a 6/2 second set, and appeared to have things going her way. In the third set, the players were never more than a game apart until Ross broke things open to go up 5/3. He didn’t look back, and as a result, had a national level championship winner’s trophy.
Ross, marker Rich Smith, and Jane.
Quarters: Arthur Chapman vs. Tim McGeary, 6/4, 6/0.
Semi’s: Ross Cann vs. Steve Fazzini, 3/6, 1/4, ret.
Jane Lippincott vs. Arthur Chapman, 5/6, 6/2, 6/4.
Finals: Ross Cann vs. Jane Lippincott, 6/3, 2/6, 6/3.
