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Super senior tries to keep mixing it up aggressively

By NANCY MORGAN
Published March 16, 2005

Rick Warrener took up tennis at age 30 when he realized it would be difficult to continually get enough guys together for a basketball game. And after he became involved in tennis in 1974, Warrener never really stopped.

"I enjoyed tennis a little when I was younger, but nothing special," Warrener, 60, said. "Once I got started, though, I caught the (tennis) bug."

Warrener used tennis as a form of therapy during his career as a licensed CPA, spending much of his career in the private industry working as a controller. Originally from near Toledo, Ohio, Warrener found himself relocating to Florida in stages. In 1974 he landed in Tampa.

"I always lived somewhere between Odessa and Tampa," Warrener said. "I knew that after college I didn't want to live anywhere north of Atlanta, because of the weather."

Warrener joined leagues in the Tampa area, but from 1997 to 2003 he spent a lot of time working in Ohio. While his teammates played three times a week, Warrener was limited to once a week if lucky.

"While I was in Ohio, my fitness and tennis suffered," Warrener said. "Even though I was still on the team, I'd find myself being beaten by them. I decided to pay the price and started hitting more balls."

Basically a self-taught player, Warrener started taking weekly lessons from Vince Trapano, the teaching pro at Royal Racquet Club in Clearwater, after he returned to the area in 2003.

"My natural style of play has always been to keep the ball in play, but that just doesn't always do it," he said. "Through my lessons I'm trying to force myself out of that mode and ... hit more winners."

Warrener describes himself as a steady player with balanced consistency on both the forehand and backhand sides. His one-handed backhand is his favorite.

Warrener plays in adult, senior and super-senior leagues, and over the past 10 years has been on quite a few teams that have advanced to region and state championships. He was captain of the senior doubles team, based at Hillsborough Community College, that finished first this season among six teams and will compete at state in May.

Although his super-senior doubles team did not win this season, Warrener will compete in May at a national invitational in Kansas City on the team that won in 2004.

"We have some Pinellas players and then myself, Tom Kessler and Dave Borenson that will head out in May," Warrener said. "It will be fun and we'll give it our best."

Warrener and Kessler began playing state-sanctioned tournaments when they were eligible for the 50-and-over division. They both achieved singles rankings in the low 20s, Warrener said.

Determined to continue to improve, Warrener plays as many singles tournaments as possible.

NET SHOTS: Nina Joung and Samantha Page were finalists in last weekend's Seminole Lakes Rookie event. Joung reached the girls 12-and-under final, and Page played to the 10 final. No. 3 Zachary Benham won the boys 10 consolation draw.

In the USA Tennis Florida sectional events this month, Lutz's Paul Polarczyk, No. 7 in the boys 14, upset the top seed in a quarterfinal match and played to the title match. There, Polarczyk fell to Bradenton's Patrick Whitner 6-7 (1), 7-6 (10), 7-5.

Other local finishers include No. 2 George Navas at third in the boys 18 and top seed Alexander Saltiel at third in the 10. In fourth were Lindsay Dvorak in the girls 16 and No. 1 Danielle Collins in the 12.

USA Adult League Tennis kicked off last weekend for 37 women's teams and 33 men's. The women's competition is divided into 2.5 level with three teams, 3.0 with eight teams, 3.5 with 13, 4.0 with 11, and 4.5 with two.

In men's competition are six teams in 3.0, seven in 3.5 South and 3.5 North, eight in 4.0 and five in 4.5.

Competition plays through the first of June, with winners advancing to regions in July.

COMING UP: Sarmiento's Annual Championships for juniors starts Saturday at St. Petersburg Tennis Center. Call (727) 823-2225 today. ... Clearwater's Junior Spring Classic is Mar. 25-27. Call the McMullen Tennis Complex at (727) 669-1919 before the March 23 deadline.

News for this column may be faxed to Nancy Morgan, 727 796-5559, e-mailed to namorgan46@msn.com or sent to 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. Include a phone number.

[Last modified March 16, 2005, 01:32:17]