Back on the same side of the net, Ikaika Jobe and Dennis Lajola again find themselves within reach of the Creative Energy/Blue Moon Men’s Night Doubles title.

The duo twice won the tournament as partners, faced each other late in last year’s bracket and reunited this summer as the top-seeded team in Kailua Racquet Club’s signature event.

Jobe and Lajola earned a familiar place in the final by holding off fourth-seeded Hendrik Bode and Pierre Tafelski 6-4, 7-6 (2) in Friday’s first semifinal match at KRC. They’ll face second-seeded Mika Maatta and Jan Axel Tribler on Saturday in the final of the 44th annual tournament, with the opening serve scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

Maatta and Tribler beat third-seeded Minh Le and Wei-Yu Su 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (3)in Friday’s second semifinal.

"You always try to imagine how it’s going to feel to play in the finals. But once you get there it’s a totally different feeling," said Lajola, who will play for his fourth KRC Night Doubles crown.

"Nerves start to come into play, the crowd gets bigger, so you try to prepare as much as you can, and no matter how many times you play it always still feels new.

Lajola first entered the tournament at 14 and his debut ended with Jobe across the net. He hasn’t dropped a match since in the event, claiming the title with Jobe in 2009 and 2010.

Lajola partnered with Michael Yani last year and advanced to the final with a three-set win over Jobe and Thomas Shubert in the semis before winning the tournament title a third time the following night.

A few years have passed since they last played together and full-time jobs –Jobe as an attorney and Lajola in real estate — limit their practice time. But the chemistry remains.

"We know what each other’s weaknesses and strengths are, so in big moments you don’t really need to ask, ‘What are you going to do,’ " Lajola said. "That helps when you’ve played a lot together."

Jobe and Lajola began the summer by beating Bode and Tafelski 6-2, 6-2 in the final for the Oahu Club Night Doubles title in June, the first stop in the Triple Crown of Tennis.

The rematch was far tighter and Friday’s pivotal moments came late in the second set, with Bode (the head coach at Hawaii Pacific University) and Tafelski (an HPU assistant) leading 6-5 and up 30-0 with Lajola serving.

Lajola and Jobe won the next eight points, the last four of the game to hold serve, then the first four of the tiebreaker, to assert command of the match.

"When it comes down to these rounds it’s anybody’s match and it’s just really who stays solid and keeps cool," said Jobe, Punahou’s girls varsity head coach. "It could have easily gone to the third and you never know what will happen."

Lajola opened the tiebreaker by getting a lob to fall just inside the baseline and ended it by ripping a return of Bode’s serve on match point.

"I don’t plan on it," Lajola said. "It’s just when I see an opening I try to go for it no matter what the situation is."