After a trio of wins for Savills HOK, this year's Irish Times/IAVI tennis tournament was won by competition stalwarts Sherry FitzGerald

SHERRY FITZGERALD beat Hooke MacDonald to win The Irish Times IAVI Tennis Tournament held in Lansdowne Tennis Club last week.

The winning team - Simon Ensor, Colin Smith, Roly Burke and Kate Carton - were presented with The Irish Times Perpetual Trophy by Jim Mooney, advertising sector manager of The Irish Times.

Twelve teams entered the tournament and, as ever, it was keenly contested.

The teams were divided into two sections of six: one section was won by Sherry FitzGerald with Hooke MacDonald as runners up and the other was won by Bennetts, taking part for the first time, with Daphne L Kaye as runners up. Bennetts were beaten by Hooke MacDonald in one semi while Sherry FitzGerald overcame the Daphne L Kaye team in the other.

In the final Hooke MacDonald's men team won 6-3 but Sherry FitzGerald took the ladies match 6-0 - giving Sherry Fitz the title on count-back 9-6.

By all accounts there was an excellent atmosphere at the competition.

Teams knocked out in earlier rounds headed for the well-attended barbecue or the bar.

The hotly contested tennis-fest is traditionally held before estate agents gear up for the autumn season.

Originally intended as a purely social outing, over the years it has become a bit of a white-knuckle event, with agencies taking the whole thing very seriously and bringing their not inconsiderable sense of competitiveness to bear on the proceedings.

Savills HOK won the tournament for the last three years but this year's win gives Sherry Fitz a sixth title - bringing them one clear of arch rivals Hooke MacDonald who last won the tournament in 2004.