11-year-old looking ahead to his pro future

Christopher Gupta of Zephyrhills is just 11 years old, but he has already established some definite plans for his future. Gupta plans to play professional tennis and works daily to prepare himself.

"I started playing tennis when I was about 5 years old," Gupta said. "I was born in England and it wasn't until my dad was working in the U.S. that I started taking group lessons at a club.

"It got so that I was getting better and better among the players I met in New Jersey where we lived that we came to Florida about a year ago."

Gupta has been training at the International Fitness and Professionals Association (IFPA) in Tampa. The IFPA provides fitness training under the direction of James Bell and tennis development led by Tommy Thompson.

Last weekend in the SPTC Junior Super Series, Gupta measured his progress. Seeded No. 2 in the boys 12-and-under division, Gupta marched past Angel Pena of Caracas 6-2, 6-1, Nathan Leavitt of Texas 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in a quarterfinal and Orlando's Omar Ammouni 6-3, 6-4 in a semifinal before falling to Bradenton's Sekou Coker Bangoura 6-1, 6-3.

ADULTS AT STATE: Three teams competed in last weekend's USA League Tennis Sectional Championships at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach. Fifty teams and about 500 players competed over the three-day competition. Clearwater's McMullen Tennis Center finished second in the women's 4.5, its only loss coming to champion Ponte Vedra. The Phil Green Tennis Academy's 5.0 men's team also placed second, its only loss coming to champion Pensacola. PGTA's 4.0 women's team finished behind champion Fort Lauderdale and runner-up Jacksonville.

NET NOTES: In last weekend's SPTC Junior Super Series, Yoji Masuoma of Wesley Chapel won the boys 18 singles and Alex Peckham and Subbu Pichappan captured the 10 doubles title. Layman Pichappan teamed with boys 14 singles winner Philip Barlow of Indian Shores to win the 14 doubles.

Three players competed this week in East Providence, R.I., in the USTA National Men's 40 Grass Court Championships. Bob Cooke of Wesley Chapel and Tampa's Selim Benbadis and Robert Hoskinson are among 75 players entered in the event.

Juniors Anabela Plasencia and Daigo Sakurai are in Philadelphia through Sunday, competing in the USTA Junior International Grass Court Championships.

Morgan Basil competes Aug. 19-25 in the Southern Open Championships in Dothan, Ala.

HOLIDAY LEAGUES: Registration for fall leagues is Aug. 23 through Sept. 8. Leagues offered are Friday night mixed doubles, men's and women's singles and Thursday morning women's doubles. A meeting will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 6 at the Holiday Complex. Play begins the next week. For information, call Donna, (727) 934-4198.

COMING UP: Tampa Palms' Junior Summertime Classic is Saturday through Monday for singles players 18 and under. Call Hamilton Franz, (813) 632-1676. ... Back to School Championships for junior singles players are Aug. 24 to Aug. 26 at the Arbor Greene Fitness and Athletic Club in Tampa. Call Alan Williams, (813) 991-9741. ... The Bay Area Adult Championships begin Aug. 30 at the McMullen Tennis Center. Men and women's singles and doubles' are offered in open, 30-and-over, 40 and 50 divisions. Call Tomas Ollestad, (727) 669-1919.

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