Crossword Genius

State facts about defeat on last point in tennis? (5,6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

south dakota

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'state' is the definition.
(I know that South Dakota is a state)

'point in tennis?' is the wordplay.
'point' becomes 'south' (south is a kind of point).
'in tennis?' becomes 'dakota' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'south'+'dakota'='SOUTH DAKOTA'

'facts about defeat on last' acts as a link.
This may not be correct. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for south dakota that I've seen before include "northern state" , "part of the Louisiana purchase" , "US state, capital Pierre" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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