Tennis: Wilkinson spearheads win

Chris Wilkinson and Danny Sapsford, representing Royal Berkshire A, won the inaugural Vauxhall Premier League Trophy when they beat Matchpoint Bramhall 2-0 at Bracknell yesterday.

Sapsford put the host club ahead with a comfortable 7-5, 6-1 win over James Fox, the 19- year-old national junior champion from Peterborough.

Wilkinson, the British No 3 from Southampton who is based at the Bracknell club, ensured the pounds 7,500 top prize when he defeated Andrew Foster, from Stoke-on-Trent, 7-6, 6-2, in the battle between the two teams' No 1 players.

'Once we had won our first match, I knew we could win the tournament,' said Wilkinson, who will now be concentrating on next week's Challenger event in Monte Carlo.

VAUXHALL PREMIER LEAGUE TROPHY (Royal Berkshire Club, Bracknell) Final: Royal Berkshire A 2 Matchpoint Bramhall 0 (C Wilkinson bt A Foster 7-6 6-2; D Sapsford bt J Fox 7-5 6-1).

Michael Chang, the defending champion, surprisingly outserved Greg Rusedski to reach the Salem Open quarter- finals in Osaka yesterday. The American, who has won five of his 15 titles in Asia, beat the Canadian, 6-3, 7-5, in 90 minutes.