Cayla Cross and Tara Lambert, though unseeded, avoided what could have been an embarrassing moment for Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association when they came from a set down to ‘upset’ second seeds Laverne Stowe and Allison Towlson in a three-set marathon in the first round of the ladies’ open doubles at the Vitamin Water Open.

Cross and Lambert prevailed 6-7 (2), 7-5, 7-6 (5).

The BLTA are still in the process of naming their team to participate in the Island Games in Greece later this year although The Royal Gazette has learned that 15-year-old Cross is a member of that team while her partner, 26-year-old Lambert, missed out on the final selection.

To have been beaten by the veteran pair of Stowe and Towlson before the full team is announced could have caused the selectors some uncomfortable moments.

Stowe and Towlson used their experience and ability to keep their younger opponents off balance throughout the match, starting in the first set.

When the second seeds went up 6-5, they were on top of their game and had their opponents in a pickle in the 12th game when they were up 30-0 with Cross serving to save the set. Though they eventually levelled the score at 30-30, Cross and Lambert were not able to maintain that momentum and lost the first set when Cross mistimed a volley that clipped the net and rolled off court. And Lambert followed suit when she saw her forehand sail past the baseline with her opponents stranded on the same side of the court.

Though they lost the first set, the two youngsters fought back to eventually clinch victory two hours later.

But that wasn’t the way things looked after the eighth game of the second set when Stowe and Towlson held a 5-3 lead.

“That is when we should have sealed the match”, said Stowe, “but we just didn’t have that kick in our strides when we needed it and couldn’t close it out.”

First it was Towlson being drawn out of position with a well hit backhand by Lambert that went down the line just as Towlson started to move to the net from where she top edged the ball out of play. Then she netted when well placed.

Towlson showed her displeasure with those two strokes by faking a smash at the nets with her racquet.

In the final set the younger legs put their older opponents to the test, running off to a 4-1 lead before Stowe and Towlson fought back to 4-4. Cross held to go up 5-4, but Stowe held for 5-5 then gained the advantage by breaking Lambert for a 6-5 lead.

The tables were then turned on the veteran pair when Towlson was unable to serve out for the match.

With the score knotted at 6-6, Cross won the first point in the tie-break with a great running forehand down the line to Stowe’s backhand, but when Towlson double faulted on her first serve to fall 2-0 behind the writing was on the wall with the youngsters holding on to win 7-2 for game, set and match.

“It was a great match,” said Stowe. “I have to give credit when it is due. They played a great game, and I am glad for them, especially to see young Cayla playing so well. While I hated to lose it was so nice to see young Cayla play so well.”

Cross had earlier defeated Joanne Stewart 7-6 (8), 6-2 in singles.

Meanwhile Barbara Lambert and Eldon Daniels defeated Coralita Joseph and Nicholas Butterfield 7-5, 6-1 while Sammy Maybury and Charmaine Thomas had to come from a set down to defeat Jamie Hamer and Clare Warburton 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (2) and Shonette Wilson and Yuko Girard beat Kim Burns and Louisa Freisenbruch 6-1, 6-2.

Men’s second seed Jacob Trott opened his singles account with a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 victory over Sylvain Girard, while Earl Leader, the seniors top seed, beat Darion Thomas 6-1, 6-1.

Twelve-year-old Kieran Joynes outlasted fellow teenager Nicholas Butterfield 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5) and Paul Towlson beat Jan Jarmula 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (6) in a match that lasted more than three hours.