Marc Zamanillo of St.Petersburg started playing for fun when he was a ninth-grader at St.Petersburg High School.
At 32, he still plays for fun, as well as for exercise and meeting others.
In the past eight years, Zamanillo has limited his playing to the city singles flex league and casual competition with friends.
After recently winning the A-3 league, he was placed in this session's A-1 league.
"I've won a few matches and played some good ones, too," said Zamanillo, 32.
"I believe you get better when you play those that are better than you are, so I'm improving," he said.
Zamanillo moved to St.Petersburg in 1978 after living in Toronto and Nova Scotia. He played some at the high school level his last two years before graduating in 1990.
"I've pretty much kept playing tennis since I started and am always trying to improve," Zamanillo said.
"My serve is not real powerful, but it's fairly reliable. Sometimes it's on and sometimes it's not.
"I have a forehand on both sides, which is pretty unusual," he said. "I got used to hitting that way from hitting against a backboard so much. I'm working on changing that to a one-handed backhand."
Zamanillo describes his style as that of a baseliner who likes to hit passing shots at his opponents.
Some of his foes comment on his use of topspin, which Zamanillo says he hits purely by accident.
To advance to the A-1 division in the city league, he had to play Ken Dexter, who handed Zamanillo a loss during the regular season.
"That playoff match was really a good one and brought out the best in both our games," Zamanillo said.
"In the season, the first time I beat him in straight sets, and the second time we played, he beat me. The playoff, though, was really a tough one."
Zamanillo won the first set 6-2, lost the second 6-4 and rebounded to take the third 6-4. The victory advanced him to the league's top division.
"This league is about over, and I don't usually play in the league during the summer," Zamanillo said.
"My work is especially busy in the summer, plus it's hot. I'll be back in the fall."
When not competing, Zamanillo's real job is installing, sanding and refinishing hardwood floors, a career he learned from his father when Zamanillo was 15.
For the past six years, it has been Zamanillo's full-time work, although he would rather be playing tennis.
SUPER SENIORS: The Westin Innisbrook Resort women's 3.5 team defended its state championship last weekend.
Wins over Jacksonville, Lakeland and Ormond Beach put Innisbrook in the final with Naples. Innisbrook won 2-1.
Last year, the squad played a similar team from Naples for the title.
The PGTA 3.5 men fell short of a third state crown, losing to Vero Beach and eventual champion New Smyrna Beach.
PGTA defeated Lakeland and Tallahassee 3-0 to finish the tournament 2-2 overall.
Fort Myers captured the men's and women's 3.0 championship and the men's 4.0. Naples topped the women's 4.0 division.
NET SHOTS: The No.1 team for Treasure Bay, which recently captured a championship in the Florida Senior Women's 4.0 Doubles Sectional Tournament to qualify for nationals, was Marion Murch and Hank Skoczen.
Murch and Skoczen were unbeaten.
Volunteers are welcome to assist in the June 16-19 camp for about 35 youngsters at Academy Prep of St.Petersburg.
The 1-3 p.m. event will be at St.Petersburg Tennis Center and coordinated by SPTC tennis director Rick Crockett.
To volunteer, call Academy Prep board member Darlene Grayson, 892-4688.
In a USA Adult League playoff, captain Jayma Main's Renaissance Vinoy squad competes for the women's 3.0 local title with Crescent Oaks on Saturday. Both teams have a 6-1 overall record.
In other women's divisions, a 3.5 playoff is scheduled for this month. The 4.5 was won by defending champion McMullen.
Two more weekends of matches remain in the 4.0 class. PGTA at Safety Harbor leads the standings with a 10-0 mark.
PGTA is followed by St.Petersburg Tennis Center. The center's only loss through today is a 3-2 decision to PGTA.
In the men's USA Adult League, PGTA captured the 4.5 division with a 6-1 record. The Racquet Club of St.Petersburg (4-2) finished second, and Seminole Lakes (2-5) was fourth.
Treasure Bay secured the 3.5 South crown with an unblemished mark and will enter a playoff.
