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VC's Abbas, Preston win state doubles championship
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More from SportsThe Ventura College men's tennis team picked up a second state championship in three days Saturday when the doubles team of Hassan Abbas and James Preston completed a two-day run through the state doubles tournament.
Abbas and Preston defeated Doug Edwards and Jason Wall of Cerritos 6-2, 6-4 in the state final at El Dorado Tennis Center in Long Beach.
"It's pretty sweet," said Ventura coach Nelson Emery. "We got two out of three."
The all-English team defeated Pete Billingham and Evan Jurgenson of College of the Desert in the semifinals in three sets.
Abbas is from Saltaire, England, and Preston is a Pirate from Penzance, England.
"It's not just the accents," said Preston.
"We've got a similar mentality on the court. We both play an aggressive style of tennis."
Abbas had also contested the state singles final earlier in the day, falling in straight sets 6-2, 6-2, to Daniel Coehlo of Riverside.
"Hassan had one long day," said Emery.
Abbas made the final by upsetting top-ranked Yair Banuelos of Riverside 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, despite trailing 4-2 in the third set.
"I'm so beat," said Abbas. "I was on a high after Thursday, which got me through Friday.
"But I'm falling apart right now. (Trainer Mark) Chaney is putting me back together."
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