BOTH Holcombe Brook men's and ladies tennis teams have made the grand finals of the KIA National Club League in Bournemouth in September.

Away against Scotland's Stirling University, the men pulled off a 2-0 tie break shoot-out victory after the score leveled.

"The lads had a real battle up there. It went to a tie break shoot out at 3-3 and our number one player, Simon Roberts won his game 17-15," said team captain Tony Lawson.

"Then Andrew Davies won his 10-8, but it was a very tight match and it could have gone either way."

In the finals the Longsight Road club will pit themselves against Sutton Tennis & Squash Club (Surrey), Bromley (Kent), Esporta Royal Berkshire, Esporta Croydon (Surrey), St Georges Hill (Surrey), Caesarean (Jersey) and David Lloyd Raynes Park (Surrey).

Meanwhile, the women will face Newlands (Glasgow), Hallamshire (Yorkshire), Edgbaston Priory (Birmingham), Northern (Manchester), Halton (Buckinghamshire), West Hants (Dorset) and Bath University.

Speaking of the women's team's chances Lawson added: "I'm not sure we will win it because we aren't able to play our number one Julia Lutrova.

"Had she been playing I think we would have given anybody a run for their money down there.

"But so far seven of our 12 girls have committed to Bournemouth, which is enough, and the men are committed.

The ladies team qualified by default two weeks ago when opponents East Gloucester failed to fulfil their play-off fixture.

"It was very annoying and it isn't the way I'd like to have gone down to Bournemouth for the finals," added Lawson.

"We had the whole team assembled on Friday night and East Gloucester only rang us on Saturday morning to say they had injuries.

"I was optimistic we would have won the match. The bonus is that our men won and from the club's point of view we are very pleased that both team are going to Bournemouth.

"This is the second year we have had both teams down at the finals.

"We're very grateful to local sponsors, Thompson Jones Accountants and Rayson Wilshaw Estate Agents, who support us in the event."

The prestigious finals are held over three days at the West Hants Club in Bournemouth on September 3 to 5 with clubs competing for prize money of more than £100,000.