Real Tennis: Battling Fahey hangs on to retain his title

Robert Fahey, of Australia, survived the most thrilling World Championship Challenge of recent years to retain his crown after a spectacular fightback by Tim Chisholm, the world No 2 who won four straight sets on the final day, taking the match into a heart-stopping decider.

Chisholm, the New York head professional, trailed by two sets to six at the start of the third day of the best-of-13 set challenge at Hampton Court, London, and most assumed that a Fahey victory would be little more than a formality.

The American, who had defeated Fahey in the recent British Land National Open final, his first major loss in three years, had other ideas and attacked ferociously to take the opening two sets. Chisholm volleyed crisply and retrieved doggedly, while the champion looked shell-shocked, dropping the next two sets.

With the challenge poised at six sets all, Fahey dug deep, battling to take a crucial 5-2 lead and, although the American won the next game, Fahey's extra weight of shot finally proved decisive and he retained the title he has held since 1994.

MOBILIS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (Hampton Court, London): R Fahey (Aus, defending champion) bt T Chisholm (US, challenger) by 7 sets to 6.