K-Swiss player caps his season with a championship
By NANCY MORGAN
Published May 26, 2004
Michael Halisky followed an unbeaten singles record in the K-Swiss spring season with a second straight 6.0 playoff championship.
Undefeated among 16 players in the regular season, Halisky beat Mohan Reddy 7-6, 6-4 and David Fink 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 to reach the final with Clearwater's Richard Dietz. Halisky won 6-4, 6-4.
"He had a big serve and was a good player," Halisky, 29, said of Dietz. "I only broke his serve once each set. That was the difference in the match."
Halisky, the oldest of 11, is an assistant teaching pro at St. Petersburg Country Club. Homeschooled by his parents in Clearwater, Halisky took off about 10 seasons from tennis in his late teenage years before getting the urge to play again.
"I was in Orlando for a while, then Atlanta and finally Virginia," Halisky said. "I was up around Front Royal in Virginia and really liked the summers there, but not the winters.
"I started coaching at a high school team there and began to get the bug to play again," he said. "That's when I decided to come back to Florida."
Halisky hadn't played tournaments the past few months with demands of work at SPCC and the K-Swiss season. In three consecutive tourneys, however, he won one and was a finalist in two.
"I'm basically a baseliner, and I mix flat with heavy topspin groundstrokes," Halisky said. "My consistency is coming around as I play more. My backhand is much stronger."
Halisky plans to compete in the K-Swiss 6.5 singles division but will devote time to doubles with hopes of achieving a professional ranking.
"My brother, Scott, who was an even better player than me when we were kids, is back here and we're playing doubles together," Halisky said. "In the pros, I would probably have about five years left to play quality singles, but in doubles, you can play much longer."
When St. Petersburg's Gerry Ashley reached the K-Swiss 3.0 championship, he faced Anthony Lacrosse, who had beaten him in regular-season play. A positive attitude helped Ashley turn the result around so that the tournament's No. 6 seed defeated Lacrosse 6-0, 7-6.
"I had played K-Swiss before but not for the last six years," Ashley said. "It got so hard to find someone to play singles with, I decided to join up again, and I'm glad I did."
After winning the K-Swiss Tampa Bay title, Ashley played the Southwest division in the regional championship. There, he lost in a three-hour match that went to tiebreaks in both sets. This summer, Ashley will compete in the 3.5-minus division.
Maria Vierling returned to the K-Swiss league after a three-year hiatus due to knee problems. Reaching the 3.0 playoffs as the sixth seed, she won three matches to reach the final. A two-set win for the Tampa Bay crown advanced Vierling to the regional championship.
"I played the winner from the Sarasota area, and she was good - especially her serve," Vierling said. "We played a three-hour match in the middle of the day at Hunter's Green in Tampa. In the third set, I had a chance to win when I was up 5-4 and serving at 40-love. I lost it, and she knew she had me. I lost 6-3, 6-3, 7-5."
Nevertheless, Vierling is registered for the next session in 3.5-minus.
Joining Halisky in the regional winners' circle were Clearwater's Karim Salah (3.5-minus) and Kevin Hayslett (5.5). Other Tampa Bay winners were Kimberly Culbreth (4.5), Karen Phipps (4.0-minus), Cindy Swartz (3.5), Marian Fierro (3.5-minus), Richard Dietz (6.0), Leonardo Cruz (4.5-minus) and Matt Chambers (3.5-minus).
Registration for the K-Swiss summer league continues through Friday, with the season beginning June 5. For information, call 865-0615.
YOUTH TEAM TENNIS: Sign-ups for the summer's USA Team Tennis for players 6-and-older continue through June 4. Coed squads in skill levels from beginner rallyball to advanced are planned. Matches will be played on Wednesdays. Eligible players may attend the state championships, July 23-25 in Lakeland. For information, call 867-9105 or 368-0882.
NET SHOTS: Top-seeded Morgan Frank reached the singles final in the girls 14-and-under division of the U.S. Tennis Association National Championships in Macon, Ga., and teamed with Lindsay Dorak to win the doubles. Second-seeded Joel Samaha won the consolation draw and was a doubles finalist.
Local players captured singles titles in this month's Treasure Island Rookie Tournament at Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club. Girls winners included Shaunte Southern (14), Tiffany Easton (12) and Angel Deng (10). Among the boys were Zev Mandelker (12) and Matthew Kopelman (10). Finalists included Sidney Howard (10), Kristin Rebescher (12), Kyle Gallauer (14) and Kevin O'Brien (16).
In the Train Smart Tennis Super Series, Julia Claire Jones won the girls 12 singles and teamed with Jana Quinones to capture the doubles. Singles finalists at the Tampa event were Anthony Barrancotto (boys 12), Robert Perry (10) and Kelly Sullivan (girls 12). Doubles winners included Brian Shim and Justin Herzig (16).
COMING UP: East Lake Woodlands plays host to the 14th annual Morton Plant Mease Fundraiser Tournament on Friday-Monday. Men's, women's and mixed doubles in 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and open divisions are available. Call 785-2212 or e-mail MPMTennis@aol.com ... Treasure Bay is offering specials for play beginning Tuesday. Call 360-6062.
