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Tennis

A plethora of aces from the past year

By NANCY MORGAN
Published January 3, 2007

Here are some of the tennis highlights of 2006:

ADULT LEAGUES: Players from the county were active in USTA league play, from adult to senior doubles, combo and super senior, as well as in weekly doubles leagues, such as Satellite, Racqueteers and PADL.

The women's super 70 doubles team based at Innisbrook placed third in the state on the play of Marie Hanff, Shirl Ahrens, Bonny Boosales, Kathryn Fitzpatrick, Jocie Doucette, Anne Hammond, Joan Holland and the late Sue Luidens, team captain. Anh Thu Burks captained a women's 5.0 team to second in the nation.

CTAS: Zephyrhills Tennis Association hosted about 50 players in its annual tournament at Zephyr Park. Among the winners were Joanne and Ed Vandenhoek in mixed doubles, Tom Frain and Art Schultz men's doubles, Warren Gray and Chuck Rodgers men's senior doubles, Jean Nichols and Lani Prillman women's doubles.

Nichols won the silver medal in the women's 65-69 division of the Florida Senior Games. Former ZTA president Roy Nyren paired with Bill Huff to win gold in the 55-59 doubles.

- Christina Hill, county rep for the state tennis association, hosted Pasco's first town hall meeting to discuss tennis opportunities through the formation of a community tennis association.

- Betmar Tennis Club hosted a Welcome Back to Tennis for about 100 residents. The community also celebrated the opening of its two new tennis courts.

RANKINGS: Ria Graham clinched the state's No. 1 ranking in singles and doubles in the women's 65-and-over division. Alex Domijan, 14, achieved No. 7 in the boys 14-and-under and No. 17 in the 16. Paul Polarczyk was No. 10 in boys 14.

YOUTHS: Ralleyball programs were added in the county at Quail Ridge Country Club by its tennis director Brent Wellman and at Zephyr Park by Robin Maltenfort, physical education teacher at Centennial Elementary. Christina Hill, USPTA-certified teaching professional, continued to offer Ralleyball at various public facilities.

TITLES: Among juniors winning state-sanctioned singles titles were Jeanette McDonald girls 18, Rianna Valdes 14, Caitlin Russo 16, Katherine Geshel 10, Kayla Rizzolo 14, Shaena Keefe 18, Rachel Conter 16, Tijana Subotic 14, Polarczyk boys 18, Hwang 14, Yves Jacobs 16, Alex Peckham 16, Samuel Chafin 10, Sabian Latore 14, Dilip Kamath 18, Oscar Eppley 14, Kamil Khalil 12, Chris Nyholm 14 and Tucker, Tanner, Tyler and Tanner Brown.

Adults winning singles titles were Graham, Carli Minacci and Bob Schneider. Graham won the 4.5 K-Swiss title and Dawn Sickles the 4.0-minus.

NATIONAL: Among the juniors competing at national tournaments were Kosuke and Yumi Hasegawa, Domijan, Alexis Dorr, Joel Samaha, Kelly Sullivan, Claire Mitchell Andrews, Evgenly Belov, Ben Hwang, Adam Eriksson, Tucker and Tanner Brown, Johny Hamui, Max Eppley, Alek Crnogorac and Kayla, Carlee and Donato Rizzolo.

CHARITY: The 14th annual Good Samaritan Tournament raised $100,000 for the free clinic in New Port Richey. Winners included Martha Gray and Janie Bifulco 3.0, Denise Simon and Kathleen Annichiarico (3.5), Betsy Wunderlich and Marie Hanff (4.0), John Williams and Wendall Walker (4.0), Andrew Gellady and Marty Satinoff (3.0), Malcolm Slive and Ira Kaufman (3.5), Ben Kronk and Trevor Hubbard (open), Ellen and David Hubbard (3.5 mixed), Deborah Ramenda and Gary Needleman (4.0 mixed) and Karen Goldberg and Kronk (open mixed).

2007: There is a St. Petersburg/Clearwater Adult League captains' meeting at 6 p.m. Jan. 30 at Feather Sound Country Club.

- This month, 20 senior men's and 21 women's begin competition in the Senior Doubles League. Eleven adult mixed teams and 11 senior mixed start this month.

News for this column may be faxed to Nancy Morgan, (727) 445-4119; e-mailed to namorgan@tampabay.rr.com or sent to 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. Please include phone number.

[Last modified January 3, 2007, 06:52:21]