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Tennis

Tampa Bay tournament anoints new champs

By NANCY MORGAN
Published January 5, 2006

Champions were crowned in the Tampa Bay K-Swiss Fall Championships. Among the first-time winners were Melody Raetz (4.0-minus), Suzanne Jones (3.5), David Connell (3.5-minus) and Dr. Jimmy Gatza (6.0-minus).

Also winning were local players Tunisia Abraham (2.5), Gaby Montero (4.0) and Janet Stuart (4.5) in women's competition and Mike Shapiro (5.0), Don Cobin (4.5) and Vern Wilson (4.0-minus) in men's.

"I was runnerup awhile back in the 3.5-minus, but this is my first win," Clearwater's Raetz said. "I've been playing in K-Swiss about three years and have been working on my game, which is mostly baseline, although doubles gets me in to the net more."

Raetz didn't start playing tennis until she met her husband, Grant, and now wishes she had learned earlier. With her win, Raetz advances to the 4.0 division for the spring season.

Jones, in only her second season in K-Swiss, captured the 3.5 title. Ranked third in the playoffs, Jones used her all-court aggressive play to reach the final match.

"I've played in singles flex leagues at Royal Racquet Club and McMullen and that's helped my play," Jones said. "I learned tennis in 2000 when I was living in Colorado, since skiing was not for me, and when I came to Palm Harbor in 2002 I kept playing.

"I stopped for a year, but now for the last two years I've been playing, and I plan to continue."

Connell was his division's top seed in the playoffs and credits a little more consistency and mixing up his shots for his 6-4, 7-5 final win over Largo's Mike Pease.

Gatza played for UNLV, but had not competed much since 1986 until about a year ago. He started playing in the 4.5 division and each season advanced a level.

"I had been busy for the last 20 years with school, my practice, writing a book and starting a company," said Gatza, a chiropractor. "I played a lot of golf and when I realized how out of shape I was getting, I decided to get back into tennis. I'm an aggressive baseline player, who tries to hit winners on every point, whether it's off my forehand or backhand.

Against Safety Harbor's John Kenny in the final, Gatza lost the first set in less than 20 minutes. Gatza then set his mind on not losing and, indeed, the 41-year-old won 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Pinellas players reaching the final round were Kay Willis (3.0), Christy Whitehurst (4.0), Joanna Valone (4.5), Jeff Lahm (3.0), Pease (3.5-minus), Jiri Faja (3.5), Trey Reiber (4.5-minus), Jeffrey Mahnke (5.0), Tim Jennings (5.5) and Kenny (6.0-minus).

Because of inclement weather during the playoff weekend, some matches have yet to be completed. Clearwater's Julie McGuire is scheduled to face Tampa's Linda Cantrell for the Tampa Bay 5.0 title and St. Petersburg's Michael Halisky is to play Tampa's Mat thew Litsky in the 6.0.

Tampa Bay champions in the women's 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 divisions and men's 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0 were to challenge Southwest winners for the K-Swiss Regional Championships.

Signups for the K-Swiss spring season continue through Jan. 25. Register online at www.ultimatetennis.com or call 347-2522.

LEAGUE NEWS: Teams leave next week for the USTA Florida adult and senior Combo Doubles League State Tournament in Daytona Beach.

Local teams that qualified are Shipwatch Tennis Club 7.5 and Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club 8.5 women's teams and Largo Tennis Center 6.5, Shipwatch 7.5 and Countryside Country Club 8.5 men's teams.

Senior competitors include Treasure Island 6.5 and Shipwatch 7.5 women's teams and Feather Sound Country Club 6.5 and East Lake Woodlands 7.5 men's.

Playing for Countryside will be captain Ron Massey, Jeff Persky, Jeffrey McQuinn, Willie Szeto, John Beda, Bob Morelli, Rich Bruer, Jimmy Dundee, Terry Payton and Paul Reilly.

East Lake's squad includes captain Gerry Waller, Charles Abell, Richard Avoy, Robert Martin, Peter Rood, Terry Midden, Jim Curran, Daniel DeLosh, Skip Rath, Douglas Dayton, David Coogan, Hans Look, Tom Dempster, Alberto Pagani and Phillip Shields.

JUNIORS: Come out to see some of the top state-ranked junior players Jan. 14-16 when local clubs host USTA Florida sectional tournaments.

The McMullen Tennis Complex (669-1919) is the site for boys 12-and-under singles, Seminole Lake Tennis Center (394-1733) the girls 12, Bardmoor Golf and Tennis Club (391-2205) the girls 14 and Royal Racquet Club (799-3200) boys and girls 10. Cheval Country Club (813-948-2282) hosts the boys 14, Lakeland (863-603-6285) the boys and girls 16 and Tampa (813-259-1663) the boys and girls 18.

TOURNEY OF CHAMPIONS: The Suncoast Tennis Foundation's fourth annual Tournament of Champions is Jan. 13-15 at East Lake Woodlands Country Club.

The invitational, single-elimination doubles event is open to winners, finalists, semifinalists and consolation winners from major charity tournaments held last year. Also invited are winners and finalists from the third annual STF Tournament of Champions.

For more information, call STF executive director Judy Foster, 725-3681.

COMING UP: The St. Petersburg Tennis Center Junior Championships begin Saturday. Call 823-2225 or 360-2643 to enter the state-sanctioned singles event. ... Westin Innisbrook Resort offers its monthly Junior Grand Prix Tournament Jan. 14. Call 942-5241. ... Countryside Country Club's Junior Rookie Tournament is Jan. 14-15. Call 796-1136.

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. Please include phone number.

[Last modified January 5, 2006, 01:18:19]