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Newly fit with new flair for the game

By NANCY MORGAN
Published March 15, 2007

Greg Reardon has always been obsessed with tennis, but until recently, he had not trained to play competitively since graduating from college in 1986.

Since October, Belleair Country Club's 13-year tennis director has lost 30 pounds, resumed training and last weekend entered two singles divisions in the Royal Racquet Club Spring Fling in Clearwater.

"I never lost my love of tennis, just my fitness level for playing it," said Reardon, 46. "All my life, I have traveled all over the world to watch tennis and have been simply obsessed with a passion for the game. I am now extremely motivated about fitness and expect to forever be driven to be as fit as I can."

At Royal's tournament, Reardon competed in the men's 30-and-over and 40 singles divisions. He won two and lost two.

"Since I started competing again, I have reached No. 42 in the state in the 40 division and hope to get into the top 10," Reardon said. "I'll play about 12 tournaments this year and I think the top-10 ranking is a doable goal."

Reardon grew up in Massachusetts, was a ranked junior in the New England Lawn Tennis Association and played college tennis at St. Michael's in Vermont. He is most proud that through high school and college play, he collected an 82-2 record in singles.

"After I graduated from college, I worked with my dad in real estate about four years until my girlfriend, Judy Gardt, and I decided to move to Florida. She had quit her job with Eastern Airlines and we decided to make a change.

"We looked all over Florida and settled in Dunedin. I was playing a tournament at Bardmoor and learned of an opportunity there as tennis director. I took it and stayed there four years. When the opportunity to be tennis director at Belleair came about in 1994, I took it."

Reardon offers instruction and clinics for all ages and abilities at Belleair and has a staff of three to assist. He also owns junior tennis schools in the New England area and plans to open two more - in Atlanta and Los Angeles - this year. Information about those schools can be found at www.planettennisusa.com.

In January, Belleair Country Club unveiled its new, state-of-the-art fitness and aquatic center, along with a tennis pro shop.

"The club really stepped up when they completed the fitness and aquatic center," Reardon said. "We are busy all the time. The new facility definitely supplements our tennis program. We have, for the first time, a USTA team that will compete in the adult league this spring. That, along with our women's weekly league play and our instructional programs, keeps us busy."

NET SHOTS: Finishing in the winners' circle at the Spring Fling last weekend at Royal Racquet Club were area players Jeff Chambers in the men's 40, Jeff Davis 50 and Bob Feder 60. Playing to the finals were Karen Killen in the women's 40 and Jimmy Gatza men's 40.

- Danielle Collins girls 18-and-under, Julia Sikorski (14), Ricky Symanski (boys 14), Mert Dinc (12) and Ganesh Rajaram (10) defended their top seedings in this month's Junior Championships at Countryside Country Club. Also scoring singles titles were Jelena Tomasovic in girls 16, Hailey Nicklin 12, Abby Rogers 10, Yanan Ma boys 18 and Garik Yedigarian 16.

- Winners in this month's St. Petersburg Rookie Tournament were Vicky Singh in the girls 18 round robin, Yasmin Franco 12, Shachaamah Brown 10, Jay Mendoza boys 18, Charlie Spinks 16, Zlatozar Dimitrov 14 and Jeremy Koch 12.

- Ralph Howe and Michael Beautyman of North Carolina (men's 60-and-over doubles) and Peter Crewe and George McCabe (75) defended their top seedings in the Raymond James Super Senior Grand Prix, a USTA Category II national tournament at the St. Petersburg Country Club. Bob Meyerdierks was second in the men's 80 singles and Bill Christensen placed fourth in the 60.

- Registration for the Team Tennis Junior League's spring season is under way. The league begins Sunday and includes competitive match play, online registration, schedules and standings. The fall season included 250 youths at 18 facilities. Visit TeamTennisJuniorLeague.com or call 724-6400.

LEAGUE NEWS: The St. Petersburg/Clearwater area USTA Senior Doubles League winds down this month for the 21 women's teams and 24 men's participating in the 50-plus league. Area champions advance to sectionals in May. Completing their divisions are women's 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 teams. McMullen won the 3.0 with an 8-1 record among four teams, the Vinoy 3.5 with an unbeaten record among eight and St. Petersburg Tennis Center 4.0 with a 6-0 record among seven.

McMullen, with Julie Anderson the captain, includes St. Petersburg's Debra Harrington, Tampa's June Williams, Dunedin's Eileen Kitmiller and Clearwater's Anderson, Connie Headley, Jane Dizona, Angelica Gans, Maryta Jensen and Diane Hennequant. Local winners advance to sectionals in May.

COMING UP: Sarmiento's annual championships for juniors begin Saturday at the St. Petersburg Tennis Center. Call 823-2225. ...Royal St. Patrick's Day Rookie Classic is this weekend for boys and girls 16-and-under. Call 799-3200 today. ...East Lake Woodlands hosts its Senior Championships beginning March 23. Men's and women's singles and doubles plus mixed is offered. Call 785-2212. ...The Clearwater Spring Championships for juniors 18-and-under are March 24-26 at the McMullen Tennis Complex. Call 669-1919.

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

[Last modified March 14, 2007, 23:45:02]