Whittaker and Thanyne Claim WSC Doubles Championship
Bill Whitaker and Cruz Thayne upheld their No. 1 seed in the Western State Conference men's doubles draw, coming from behind to defeat the No. 2 duo from Glendale 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 Friday at the VC Tennis Center. The win was the fifth consecutive conference title for a Pirate doubles team. Additionally, Whitaker advanced to the men's singles final before falling to the tournament's top seed.
See Updated WSC Men's Singles Brackets
See Updated WSC Men's Doubles Brackets
Bill Whitaker and Cruz Thayne upheld their No. 1 seed in the Western State Conference men's doubles draw, coming from behind to defeat the No. 2 duo from Glendale 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 Friday at the VC Tennis Center. The win was the fifth consecutive conference title for a Pirate doubles team. Additionally, Whitaker advanced to the men's singles final before falling to the tournament's top seed.
The day began with singles play as Whitaker, the No. 7 seed in the draw, defeated the No. 6 seeded player from Santa Barbara in a three set decision, 6-3, 4-6, 10-7, to move into the championship match. It was the fifth straight year that a Pirate had advanced to the WSC men's singles final.
Immediately following the semifinals, Whitaker took on the No. 1 seed from Glendale in the title match, falling 6-4, 6-2.
With little time to rest, Whitaker and Thayne took to the championship court in the doubles final. Facing the No. 2 seed from Glendale, the Pirate team dropped the first set 4-6, before rallying to take the second in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-5). Whitaker and Thayne used the momentum of their comeback to take the third set 6-4 to claim VC fifth consecutive men's doubles title.
In other play for Ventura Friday, Sam Gazzera fell in his attempt to qualify for the CCCAA State Championships in the singles backdraw.
The next competition for the Pirates will come in the CCCAA State Singles and Doubles Championships at The Ojai Tournament beginning Thursday April 27. Whitaker, Thayne, Augustin Lestelle and Rodrigo Perdigao have qualified for the draw in singles while the doubles teams of Whitaker and Thayne, Lestelle and Damon Mitchell, and Perdigao and Hamilton Walker all qualified for the doubles tournament.