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Tennis

Ex-River Ridge No. 1 strives to regain form

By NANCY MORGAN
Published July 28, 2005

Corey Brewer started tennis late by most standards, but that never kept the New Port Richey resident from striving for success.

When Brewer was 13, he worked hard to catch up to those who learned the game at an earlier age. He took lessons from several instructors, including Cruise Furious, whom Brewer credits with helping him develop stellar stroke techniques.

Daily training sessions followed at the International Academy of Tennis at East Lake Woodlands, then under the direction of Bob Butterfield. Brewer went on to play No. 1 for River Ridge his senior year of high school and was selected to the all-conference team that same year. Brewer played to the district finals in his junior and senior years.

"I picked up tennis late, but I really worked hard," said Brewer, 23. "It was great at the academy because I played against different players every day and my game really began to develop."

After high school, work and school limited Brewer's play somewhat, though he always planned to keep up his game.

Today, with one semester remaining at the University of South Florida before he earns a business degree and a job with a local title company, Brewer has found a schedule that allows more court time.

Brewer entered his first tournament in quite a while at Countryside Country Club this month. Primed to play in the open division of the NTRP competition, Brewer was disappointed the tournament was postponed because of Hurricane Dennis. Its re-scheduled date conflicted with his pre-arranged traveling plans.

"I really don't have time for lessons, so I just try to practice and get ready for tournaments," Brewer said. "My technique is okay, but I need to get in shape with my footwork. I'd like to get ranked in the open division."

Brewer believes he has developed more patience since he competed as a teenager, and instead of trying to immediately hit winners, will get more into the point. "I play a lot on the hard courts, but I think my game is really more suited to clay once I get more used to it," Brewer said. "I'm basically a baseliner who will grind out the points. I need a big serve and use my kick serve when I can."

NET SHOTS: Ria Graham of New Port Richey earned a No. 5 seed in the USTA National 65 Grasscourt Championships in Germantown, Pa., last week. Graham reached the quarterfinal round before losing to the third seed. In doubles, Graham and Mary Ann Plante fell to the tournament's top-seeded team. Graham is ranked among the top 10 in the nation in 65-and-over singles and is No. 5 in doubles with Plante.

Graham collected a 3-1 doubles record with Tammy Conrad to contribute to the Phil Green Tennis Academy 4.0 women's USA League Tennis West Region championship. Graham and Conrad recorded wins against Sarasota, Apollo Beach and Naples at the No. 3 doubles position.

PGTA advances to the Aug. 11-14 USA Tennis state tournament.

Saddlebrook Academy graduate Kelly McCain, who turned pro after her second year at Duke University, has joined the Springfield Lasers in World Team Tennis competition.

Alexis Dorr (girls 18-and-under) and Joel Samaha (boys 16) had singles wins in last weekend's North Florida Designated in Tallahassee.

Local players claimed three titles in the girls division and two in the boys in last weekend's Summer Classic Too at the Phil Green Tennis Academy in Safety Harbor. Rainy Perez won the 10, Vanessa Williams the 12 and Jodi Kleiner the 16 among the girls and Tyler Snook collected the boys 16 in straight sets, as did Subbu Pichappan in the 14.

COMING UP: The Tampa Bay Junior Championships begin Saturday at the Tampa Tennis Complex for singles players 18 and under. Call Earl Olson, (813) 259-1663. ... The River Hills Summer Classic for juniors is Aug. 6-8 at River Hills Country Club. Call Sewsankar Maharaj, (813) 653-3776, by Aug. 3,

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. Please include phone number.

[Last modified July 28, 2005, 01:10:15]