WYTHALL'S winter tournament finals were held at the weekend.

The ladies match paired the top seeds when Julie Gifford and Christine Bateman met Helen Hill and Julie Shaw.

The first set was tight with both pairs attacking the net but Gifford and Bateman broke Shaw for a 4-2 lead, an advantage they held to win the set 6-3.

The second set was a complete reversal with Hill and Shaw starting well to build a 4-1 lead. Hill was creating problems with her deep forehand, which allowed her and Shaw to dominate the net and take the set 6-3 to level.

The final set began with Hill broken and Gifford holding serve for a 2-0 lead. This put Shaw under pressure to hold serve and avoid two breaks and Gifford and Bateman took advantage and broke for a 3-0 lead.

The match swung again as Hill and Shaw fought back from 1-4 down to level at 4-4 with Hill serving to be in front for the first time in the set. Although the game was close Hill was broken and Gifford held to an exciting final 6-3 3-6 6-4.

The men's final saw top pairs Mike Wyatt and Mark Turner face Matt Smith and Christ Maggs

The first four games went against serve. Turner held in the fifth game, hitting two aces for a 3-2 lead. Then Smith went down 0-40 but recovered to win the following five and level at 3-3. In the eighth Maggs was broken and Turner served the set out 6-3.

The second set began with Smith broken and Wyatt and Turner 5-3 up with Turner serving for the match. But Smith and Maggs broke serve. The set went to a tie-break with Smith and Maggs trailing but recovering to win the set and level the final.

Turner had served powerfully throughout and was soon 40-15 up, but two winning forehands from Smith and a double fault meant he was broken. Wyatt and Turner broke back the next game and that break was pivotal as Wyatt and Turner began to dominate rallies and won the following five games to take the title 6-3 6-7 6-1.