North Vancouver’s Philip Bester took his final shots this week, playing singles and doubles at the VanOpen in what was his final tournament as a pro before retirement.
The 28-year-old teamed up with partner Marius Copil to win a doubles match before falling to James Cerretani and Neal Skupski in the second round Thursday in what was his final match.
The big moment came on Centre Court on Tuesday, however, when Bester battled hard against Belgium’s Ruben Bemelmans but ultimately fell 7-6, 6-4.
“This is a very special night for me,” Bester said. “Being able to retire here at Hollyburn in front of my friends, my family, I feel so special to have both my parents here who have sacrificed so much in their lives for me and given me this opportunity.
Bester also acknowledged the members of Hollyburn, particularly Guy O’Byrne and his wife Jean, who died in May. The O’Byrnes sponsored Bester when he was just seven years old, helping him gain access to the club’s tennis facilities to train.
“(They) allowed me to chase my dream,” he said. “I was able to use the courts and build incredible relationships with members, a lot of familiar faces that I see today. Thank-you for all your support throughout the years. It’s been very difficult at times to play on this court, but only because I wanted to win not just for myself, but for all of you as well.”
