The eagerly anticipated over-40s men's final at Helensburgh Tennis Club's senior championships didn't disappoint as Kevin Stephen retained his title.

Last year Stephen was taken all the way to a tie break decider, saving four match points before taking the trophy ahead of Alastair Hope, the pair renewed their rivalry in this year's final.

Stephen got off to a flyer in the opening set before Hope clawed his way back. At 5–4, 30–30 on Alastair’s serve, the watching crowd felt it was a Hope first set, but Stephen hit two great winners to break the serve and went on to win the next three games and take a one set lead.

In the second set Kevin hit deep drive after deep drive to take a 5–2 lead, but everyone knows that you should never let your guard down against Alastair as he fought back to win the next two games.

At 4–5 all he had to do was break Kevin’s serve but Kevin moved up a gear and served two amazing aces down Alastair’s backhand.

At 40–15 Alastair managed to save a match point but in the next rally Kevin hit a wide shot to Alastair’s backhand which he tried to put down the line but Kevin anticipated it and was at the net to punch the volley away to take the title.

In the ladies' over-40s final Jackie Hunter came up against last year’s runner up Alison Fotheringham. Alison quickly went 0-5 down in the opening set but she managed to claw her way back to 3–5, only for Jackie to recover to clinched the set 6–3.

In a bizarre second set Alison stormed to a 5–1 lead as Jackie’s concentration deserted her. Everyone was ready for a nail-biting champions' tie-break to decide the match but gradually Jackie’s concentration returned and she broke Alison’s serve twice to level the set at 5–5.

Both players were looking tired but Jackie managed to force more and more errors from Alison and eventually took the set 7–5 and the title.

The men’s over-40s doubles produced the closest match of the tournament as Phil Hamilton teamed up with Ralph Ward to take on Clive Charters and Colin Buchanan.

Colin and Clive went 4–1 ahead in the opening set then had two set points at 5–4, 40–15, but couldn’t find a winner, and Ralph and Phil hung on to steal the set 7–5.

The second set saw Colin and Clive lead again at 5–4 but Phil and Ralph once again managed to find the shots to break serve and force a tie break at 6–6. In the end it was a clinical display in the tie break from Phil and Ralph as they took it 7–4 and the title.

In other matches Keith Love and Clive Charters beat Ralph Ward and Andrew Morison in the over-55 men’s doubles in a thrilling final.

At one set all the champions' tie break produced some brilliant rallies with Keith and Clive winning it 13–11.

In the ladies' over-55s doubles event Val Pace and Frankie Hamner beat Phyliss Fullarton and Janette Howieson. The over 55s' mixed doubles event was decided on a champions' tie break as Val Pace and Clive Charters beat Iain MacLaren and Jeanette Howieson 6–4, 3–6, 10–5.

* Craighelen Tennis Club's championships continued last week, with the encounter between Sue and Gerry Black and Sarah Colman and Rob Colston being one of the picks of the week.

Fortunes fluctuated throughout the match: in the first set the Blacks came from 2-4 down to take the set 6-4, then the second set went to Sarah and Rob 6-2.

With it all to play for in the final set. Sue and Gerry raced to a 4-1 lead playing consistent tennis, combining good length baseline shots with accurate winners.

Then back came Sarah and Rob, winning five games in a row.

Sue and Gerry came back, and won the tie-break.

In another mixed doubles match, Chris Bowman and Anna Scullion proved too strong and solid for Catherine and Harry Gould.

In the ladies' doubles semi-finals Sue Black and Susan Bell defeated Eileen Drummond and Lesley McGowan 6-2 6-3 in a match where the power and accuracy of the winners prevailed.

In the other semi-final Jackie Morris and Sandra Juster came from a set down to beat Anna Scullion and Sarah Colman 3-6 6-3 6-3.

In the men's singles quarter finals, David Thorpe beat Gerry Black 6-3 6-3, Adam Juster beat Kieran Martin 6-2 6-1, Harry Gould beat Rob Colston 7-6 6-0, and Chris Bowman beat Alex Newcombe without dropping a single game.

Chris Bowman and Tam Morris beat John Colman and Paul Carter 6-4, 6-2 in a men’s doubles match.

Tam played with Arthur Connolly in a gents' pot luck doubles which they won 7-6 0-6 7-6.

In a third match, Tam lost out to Kieran Martin in a veterans' singles match.

In the ladies' pot luck doubles , Julie Dodson and Dari Young beat Louise Robertson and Lyndsey Cromar 7-5 4-6 6-3, and, Elizabeth Sammon and Lorna Hunter beat Shenah Dean and Anne Doig 6-1 6-0.