When local USA Adult League team champions take the court Friday for the West Regional Adult Championships at Longboat Key, New Port Richey's Ria Graham will be among the competitors.
Graham played her second season on the Phil Green Tennis Academy 4.0 women's team, primarily playing doubles with Hank Skoczen. The PGTA squad was unbeaten in the regular season and won a playoff match 4-1 to advance to this weekend's regional contest.
"Our team was really close last year at regionals, and I think we're even a little stronger this year," Graham said. "We had some additions to the team and now have three singles players to fill the two positions and three good regular doubles teams, along with the rest of the team that is all quite competitive."
Graham credits Skoczen with a strong understanding of what doubles is all about.
"If I get a good shot, Hank sees our opponent is in trouble and uses her good hands and angles to take advantage," Graham said. "I'm pretty quick around the court and volley fairly well. Together we make a good team."
Graham, a lefty, plays the backhand court and utilizes her crosscourt forehand to run her opponents off the court. Right-hander Skoczen then prepares to attack the return.
"This is our first year being a team together, and we're still working on some things," Graham said. "The key thing in doubles, though, is to communicate."
Graham knows the competition at regionals will be tough but is confident in the PGTA team's chances this year.
Graham has played tennis a little more than 10 years, and in that time she has achieved a number of feats. In 1997 she won club championships in singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles at the Westin Innisbrook Resort. Two years ago she earned a No. 1 state ranking in the women's 60-and-over division.
Last month Graham teamed with Treasure Bay's 4.0 senior squad in Pinellas County to win the local competition. A state championship qualified the team for the USA Senior Doubles League National Championships.
"Both of these teams are strong," Graham said. LEAGUE ACTION: Seven other local USA Adult League winners join the PGTA 4.0 women's team Friday in the West Regional Adult Championships.
Competing will be the Renaissance Vinoy 3.0, Feather Sound Country Club 3.5 and McMullen of Clearwater 4.5 among the women and McMullen 3.0, Treasure Bay 3.5, Seminole Lake Tennis Center 4.0 and PGTA 4.5 among the men.
Each of the four men's and women's teams play a round-robin format with teams representing Tampa, Naples, Sarasota and Cape Coral. At the end of the three-day competition the team in each division with the best record advances to the state tournament in August.
The USA Adult League is offering a fall league, scheduled to run Aug. 23-Oct. 25. Contact league coordinator Carol Levin at (727) 797-8416 for details.
JUNIORS AT NATIONALS: Among the players at this week's U.S. Tennis Association Super National Clay Court Championships are Sukhwa Young, Shaun Young, Konstantin Lazarov and Alex Vuckovic in boys 18-and-under in Lexington, Ky.; Evan Dufaux and Nicholas Berning in boys 16 in Rockville, Md.; Megan Broderick, Alexis Dorr, Christina Liles, Laura Gioia, Yumi Hasegawa and Zoe Kent in girls 16 in Virginia Beach, Va.; Matthew Broom, Jeff D'Adamo, Clint Bowles and Justin Herzig in boys 14 in Fort Lauderdale; Morgan Frank, Lyndsay Dvorak, Alexis Kreslick and Jamie Mera in girls 14 in Plantation; Racquel Hylton, Kaysara Mandry, Alexis Moreno-Kaste, Alexandria Cercone, Danielle Day and Morgan Basil in girls 12 in Boca Raton. The 192-draw national events conclude Sunday.
NET SHOTS: Amber Li defended her top seeding to win the girls title in last weekend's July Spectacular Super Series in Seminole, as did top seed Jennifer Miller in girls 12.
In the Royal Summer Super Series in Clearwater, No. 3 Andrea Meythaler won the girls 16. Vu Anh Thai teamed with Nicholas Thuell to capture boys 18 doubles. Brendan McKay was a boys 16 finalist and Cameron Babbitt reached the boys 18 semifinal, as did Paige Kensrue in the girls 16.
Laura Gioia, who won girls 16 consolation at Florida State Championships, was named to this month's Florida's Girls 16 Intersectional Team Championships.
Hasegawa will compete in the USTA Zone 16 Team Championships later this month in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Mera and D'Adamo played in the USTA Zone 14 Team Championships in Pompano Beach.
COMING UP: The East Lake Junior Rookie is this weekend at East Lake Woodlands. Call (727) 785-2212 today. ... The Summer Classic Too is July 26-28 at the Phil Green Tennis Academy in Safety Harbor. Call Phil Green (727) 724-7729 before the July 23 deadline. ... Hunter's Green Rookie II is July 26-28 at the Hunter's Green Country Club. Call (813) 973-4220. ... The Temple Terrace Adult Summer Bash is July 26-28 at the Temple Terrace Tennis Center. Call (813) 989-7178.
