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Tennis

K-Swiss veteran player captures her first singles titles

By NANCY MORGAN
Published May 18, 2005

Janet Eschenroeder joined the K-Swiss Spring Singles League several years ago to improve her groundstrokes and endurance.

The Seminole resident has not only achieved her goals but captured the 4.5 Tampa Bay and regional championships this season.

"I've always thought of myself as more of a doubles player and, because of that, have a variety of shots," Eschenroeder said. "I used those in my singles play and always tried to get the ball back one more time."

Eschenroeder, who lost two matches in the regular season, entered the K-Swiss playoffs as the No. 2 seed. A three-set win over Janet Valone advanced Eschenroeder to the Tampa Bay final with Ellen McIntosh, who had beaten her in three sets during the season. Eschenroeder won this time, 5-7, 7-6, 6-2. In the regional, she posted a two-set victory over Petral Klos of Fort Myers.

"I've played in K-Swiss several seasons, but this is my first win," Eschenroeder said. Eschenroeder is joined by seven other Pinellas players who claimed Tampa Bay crowns, including Victoria Hess (4.0-minus division), Colleen Martin (3.0), Charlie Abell (4.0), Paul Tomey (4.5-minus), Phil Hubbell (5.0), Jon Bloom (5.5) and Jason Horwitz (6.0-minus).

"I started out in the 3.5-minus several years ago, and this is my third win," Hess said. Hess, who plays out of Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club, wishes more women would play singles. Though a 55-plus competitor, she plans to stay on the court as long as she can.

It was Bloom's first K-Swiss season, and he found all his matches highly competitive.

"My basic strategy is to keep the ball in play and wear out my opponent," said Bloom, 35. "If we go three sets, I can usually outlast them." Tomey, who spends the summers in Michigan, lost just one match in the 4.5-minus regular season and was the sixth seed in the playoffs.

"Even though I'm 63, I prefer singles," Tomey said. "I'm very consistent, and if my opponent gets impatient, he's doomed." Tomey, who plays at the Racquet Club of St. Petersburg, won three straight-set matches en route to a 6-0, 6-2 finals victory.

Six-foot-five Abell used a serve-and-volley strategy to capture his 4.0 title. Horwitz, a former college player, topped the 6.0-minus class.

Hubbell was especially motivated in 5.0 after his 7-5, 6-2 semifinal win over nemesis James Gatza. Martin took the 3.0 Tampa Bay final with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Cathy Hayes and advanced to collect the regional crown by default.

LEAGUE NEWS: The Feather Sound Country Club 3.0 men's squad narrowly lost its bid for a USA Tennis Florida Senior Doubles Sectional championship in Daytona Beach. In its five-team round robin, Feather Sound beat Tallahassee, Gainesville and Fort Myers with 2-1 scores but fell 2-1 to Naples. Feather Sound and Naples each finished with a 3-1 record. But Naples produced eight of a possible 12 individual victories, compared to Feather Sound's seven, and was named the champion.

Shipwatch Tennis Club's 3.5 women won their flight competition with a 3-1 mark, advancing to a semifinal with Buckhorn. A 2-1 loss halted Shipwatch's quest for a title. Lakeland defeated Buckhorn 2-1 in the championship. The St. Petersburg Tennis Center 3.0 women finished fourth in its flight of five squads. Fort Myers was the overall winner. The East Lake Woodlands 3.5 men were winless in four matches. Fort Myers claimed the title.

The Renaissance Vinoy edged Bardmoor Golf and Tennis Club to capture the Suncoast Ladies Doubles League overall championship. The Vinoy won the 14-team league's fall title and was first in the fall and spring B divisions. Bardmoor won the spring overall crown and the A division in the fall and spring seasons.

First-time league participant Vinoy was led in the A class by Leah Adams, Kiki Flynn, Diana Gabay, Heather Nicoll, Teresa Ross, Robyn Bowman, Channing Sanderson, Christine Ennis, Penny Robbins, Fran Gentile, Linda Meehan, Suz Wendkos, Sue Clark and Linda Murray. The B-competition players were Barb Andrews, Anne Anderson, Sharon Keegan, Jojo Davis, Ann Winkler, Nancy Rutland, Kari Dickerson, Cecilia Vestergaard, Suzanne Berns, Marian Foelgner, Beth Frierson, Ruth Ann Ott, Kathy Caffrey, Lynne Newton and Lisa Wells. The Aces finished first in the nine-team Advantage Ladies Tennis League. Playing for the Aces were Linda Bishop, Marilyn Symanski, Marilyn Green, Sharon Wexler, Leslie Murray and Terri McKenna.

NET SHOTS: St. Petersburg's Shaunte Southern claimed her third singles title in the past two months with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Tampa's Regina Valdes in the 12-and-under division of the Seminole May Day Tournament. Last month, Southern won the round robin of the Junior Spring Championships in Lady Lake and the Hunter's Green Junior Championships in Tampa.

Treasure Island Rookie Tournament winners included Natalie Boruk (12 division), Michael Dolan (boys 14), Nicolas Tournant (10) and Ricky Symanski (12). Carolina Barnett was a girls 12 finalist, and Emily Hays won the 10 consolation.

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

[Last modified May 18, 2005, 00:50:19]