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Front row - L to R: Jane Moore, Diana Spurlock, Dale Richardson, Mary White. Back row L to R: Jim Adams, Denver Robinson, David Dunlap, Steve Smith, Bob Gray.
Friday's competition saw play indoors consisting of pro sets because of the day long rain. Playing 3 teams/3 courts at a time, the Murfreesboro team went undefeated without losing a court while defeating teams from Chattanooga & Memphis.
Saturday brought sunshine and the best of 3 sets outdoor, with 3rd sets being determined by championship tiebreakers. Playing teams from Loudon and Knoxville, Jane Moore/Steve Smith, continuing to play in the #1 position, lost 2 matches, each in a championship tiebreaker. But other teammates Mary White/Bob Gray, Dale Richardson/David Dunlap, Diana Spurlock/Denver Robinson, kept their records untarnished and the team undefeated by winning 2 courts each match round. Mary White/Bob Gray probably had the "two best matches" of the tournament on Saturday. They defeated Loudon in a hard fought 3rd set tiebreaker Saturday morning to keep Murfreesboro undefeated. Then on Saturday, at the 2:00 pm match against Knoxville, they were down 4-0 when the rains came. After about a 45 minute rain delay, they came back out as hot as the sun winning the next 12 of 15 games and taking the match 6-4, 6-3. This left the team's undefeated chances in the hands of Dale Richardson/David Dunlap and they proved very capable by showing their championship ways by winning a hard fought 3 set match tiebreaker. Out of 7 teams, this left Murfreesboro as the only undefeated team with only 2 rounds to be played Sunday.
Championship Sunday saw the Murfreesboro teams of Moore/Smith, White/Gray, Spurlock/Robinson defeat all 3 teams from META in the 10:00 am match. Then, an undefeated tournament and an outright championship rested on the teams of Dale Richardson/David Dunlap, Diana Spurlock/Denver Robinson & Jane Moore/Jim Adams as they were set to do battle against the rival team from Nashville at 2:00pm. Dale, having exceeded speed limits and driving on a faulty tire from Murfreesboro, just made it in time as the teams were being called on the courts. Carrying that "rush" onto the court, Dale and David won 6-3, 6-2! Playing #2 proved not to be as easy for Diana/Denver as they were matched against the #1 team of Nashville. After trading points & games, Nashville squeezed out a close victory 7-5, 6-4. Now all the pressure rested on Jane Moore/Jim Adams. End of the day, last court, last match, last chance, after a "heated" match, Moore/Adams WON in straight sets giving the Murfreesboro team an undefeated and untied "USTA 2009 7.0 MIXED DOUBLES TENNESSEE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!"
(Players note: Steve Smith makes dedication to Dr. Michael Jordan who performed "total knee replacement surgery" February 2008, and to family and friends for recovery support and encouragement!)
