Third seed and former champion Jenson Bascome ended the run of his friend, doubles partner and tournament top seed Gavin Manders at the semi-final stage of the Argus Open tennis tournament when he came back from an early break to win 6-3, 6-1 at the W.E.R. Joell Stadium.

Manders, playing in his first senior tournament while ranked number one, showed early nerves and though he got a break of service in the third game and held for a 3-1 lead, his game took a tumble for the worse when he tried to run down a sliced backhand and twisted his right ankle in the process.

With Manders unable to put any weight on that ankle for the rest of the match, Bascome played his usual steady game.

Following the injury, Bascome won 11 of the next 12 games.

?It was hard to play him after he got hurt,? said Bascome afterwards, noting that he hoped Manders would recover sufficiently to keep the pair?s hopes alive in the men?s doubles.

In tomorrow?s men?s singles final, Bascome will take on former champion Andy Bray.

The hard-serving, hard-hitting right-hander breezed past a battling David Jenkins in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.

Jenkins said: ?I had a lot of chances on both sides to hold or to break but I just wasn?t able to capitalise, and when you think about it that is the difference between winning and losing.?

Possibly the best match of the day occurred in the ladies? doubles when the second seeded sisters Jacklyn and Tara Lambert came from a set down and a service break from being upset to stop the spirited challenge of Allison Towlson and Yuko Girard 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Playing superbly for most of two sets, Girard wilted somewhat near the end of the second and the Lambert sisters grasped their opportunity. They altered strategy to try and stay away from Towlson and focused all of their energy on Girard.

The second seeds opened a 4-0 lead in the deciding set only to see Towlson and Girard battle back to 3-4. That was as far as they got, however, before the Lamberts closed the door to move into the final.

They will face top seeds Ashley Brooks and Laverne Stowe, easy 6-0, 6-0 victors over Tracey Berrell and Jo Tucker.

In other action Stowe defeated Shelly Eve 6-0, 6-3 and Rhonda Caza upset Caitlin Gordon when the latter had to retire because of an injured right shoulder with the score 3-6, 6-4, 1-0.

In seniors? action, the Leader brothers, Earl and Erwin, defeated Oliver Bain and Jan Jarmula 6-2, 7-5.

All finals are slated for tomorrow.