Andrew Rosz Defeats 6-Time Defending Champion T.J. Urhobo
To Capture Spring 2007 Top-Gun Singles Tennis Title

On a cool Friday evening at the West-Wind tennis facility in Lauderhill, both finalists arrived shortly before 8:00 PM and began their pre-match warm up. Although a bit windy, both players looked sharp and ready to do battle. T.J. won the toss and elected to serve but was immediately broken by Andrew's powerful and steady service return. Andrew then easily held his own first service game but T.J. came right back with a service hold of his own. With T.J. still down a break, each player continued to hold serve until 5-4 when T.J. finally broke back to even things up at 5-5. As both players were "going all out" and literally blasting the ball in long "slug-it-out" baseline rallies, neither player made many unforced errors as both players seemed to be at the top of their game. Toward the end of the first set, Andrew once again held serve with two crisp service winners to take a 6-5 lead and then finally broke T.J. to capture the first set 7-5.

After losing the first set, T.J. was clearly frustrated but it didn't take him long to regroup and capture an early 2-1 second set lead with two brilliant service return winners and an early service break. T.J. then continued to hold and break again to go up 4-1. As Andrew's hopes in the second set were seemingly fading fast, Andrew managed to break back to 4-2. With Andrew intently focused on holding serve in this most important seventh game of the second set, T.J. shattered Andrew's hopes and delivered yet another near-perfect service return performance to go up by a score of 5-2. T.J. then easily won his serve at love to take the second set, 6-2.

With the match all tied up at one set all, both players were granted a ten-minute break and new balls were introduced. With Andrew firing serves to open the third set, returns began to spray from T.J. and Andrew easily won the opening game. Following up with a quick service break and another hold, in less than ten minutes Andrew raced off to an early 3-0 lead in the third and final set. T.J. then finally held serve to get on the board at 3-1. But again, Andrew held his serve to come within eight points of closing out the match. Now up 4-1, Andrew picked up the pace of his game even more but T.J. still had it in him to crack two clean winners to even the game score at 30-30. After going back and forth to deuce several times, Andrew finally ended the sixth game with a blasting forehand down-the-line winner to come within one game of victory. But by this time, both players were clearly feeling the pressure as evidenced by two unforced errors from each player in what might be the last game for T.J. At 30-30 and in an attempt to end a long grueling point, T.J. sprayed a forehand out wide to give Andrew a match point. Determined to close out the match right then and there, the players engaged in yet another long drawn out rally with T.J. playing it safe so as not to lose the match on an error. He didn't. Instead, Andrew eventually took the initiative and blasted a forehand crosscourt deep into the corner for an outright winner. The forehand skipped off the baseline and the match was over. Andrew wins it; 7-5, 2-6, 6-1.

Congratulations to Andrew for a brilliant performance and a magnificent win against defending champion T.J. Congratulations also to T.J. as our 6-Time defending Top-Gun Champion Runner-Up. You both are truly great players and we thank you both for putting on a great show. As tournament director, I would also like to extend a great big thanks to all the players and spectators who came out to support the Spring 2007 Top-Gun tennis event and we look forward to seeing you all again next season.

Donny Lawrie, Tournament Director
Spring 2007 Top Gun Singles Tennis Championship at West-Wind
Lauderhill, Florida, USA