The 2018 National Doubles produced three first-time Open division champions—Georgina Stoker, Ed Garno and Alex Stait—while Stephanie Hewitt marks her fifth career Open title this weekend in Philadelphia.
Hewitt & Stoker, both WSDA professionals, fulfilled their Open division top seeding without dropping a game all tournament. The 3-0 final scoreline is deceptive, as defending champion Meredeth Quick & Dana Betts pushed the top seeds in each game 15-14, 15-13, 15-12.
Hewitt has now won the National Doubles five times with four different partners—including previous titles with both Quick & Betts—and first in two years. Stoker continues a successful 2017-2018 season, adding her maiden National Doubles title to her 2017 World Doubles title.
Having regularly competed together on the SDA Pro Tour for the past few seasons, Philadelphia locals Ed Garno & Alex Stait made a surprise title run as the three seeds in the Men’s Open draw.
Garno & Stait recorded two 3-0 victories on their way to the title, including a semifinal upset against fellow SDA pros Imran Khan & Aaron Luque.
First-time partners Zac Alexander & Steve Sharff—a two-time champion—made a strong run in the top half of the draw, knocking out both three seeds Will Mariani & Dane Sharp, and top seeds and defending champions Graham Bassett & Preston Quick in the semifinals.
In the final, it was Garno & Stait who emerged victorious in four games 15-11, 11-15, 15-11, 15-11. While both players celebrate their first National Doubles title, Stait earns his second national title in addition to his 2017 National Singles 35+ title.
The 2018 National Doubles involved 141 partnerships—the highest tournament entry in eight years.
The 141 partnerships competed across a tournament-record eighteen divisions: Men’s Open, A, B, C, 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+ and 75+, and Women’s Open, A, B, 40+, 50+ and 60+.
The tournament was headquartered at the Cynwyd Club with matches also taking place at Merion Cricket Club, Germantown Cricket Club, Philadelphia Cricket Club and Philadelphia Country Club.
View all results on the 2018 National Doubles tournament page. View images on the 2018 National Doubles Smugmug page.
