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Letter to the editor

Sun, sand, serve - all in one game

By NANCY MORGAN
Published July 19, 2007

Imagine playing tennis where the ball is not allowed to bounce and only one serve is permitted per point. Welcome to beach tennis, a combination of beach volleyball and tennis.

Tennis teaching pro Mike Edison, who lives in the St. Petersburg area and teaches tennis at Countryside Country Club, hopes to make a career playing this 2-in-1 sport.

"At one time, my dream was to be a professional tennis player, but it was too tough on the tour," said Edison, 24. "I think beach tennis is really going to take off in the next couple of years and I hope I can make a living playing the sport."

The three-year-old sport is played on a regulation beach volleyball court with a 6-foot, 2-inch net. With a regular tennis racket, the ball is served diagonally across the net - with just one chance to get it in - and then only volleys are allowed. Scoring is no-ad in the eight-game pro set match with a seven-point tiebreaker at eight games all. For now, doubles is the only format played.

"I didn't know anything about beach tennis until I met Mike at Countryside," said Steve Culver, 17-year pro at the Clearwater club. "...I kind of like it and have been coaching him since about the time he came here this spring. I believe playing beach tennis has actually improved my own tennis game."

Edison grew up around Washington, D.C. and achieved a top 60 junior ranking in the USTA Mid-Atlantic section. Following college play through 2006, which included competing in some pro contests, Edison was offered an opportunity to compete in a beach tennis tournament where he finished second.

"After that tournament, I never again had any desire to play competitve tennis," Edison said.

Keys to success in beach tennis include good mobility on the sand, the stamina to stay out in the sun, the ability to hit precise volleys and execute touch.

This week, Edison has been training hard with Culver for an upcoming Beach Tennis USA tournament in California. Edison's doubles partner Brett Johnson of Daytona Beach joined them to train before traveling to the West Coast Championships in Long Beach. The pair are ranked No. 3 among all competitors.

The California event will air on the Tennis Channel. To learn more, go to www.beachtennisusa.net.

LEAGUE TEAMS MOVING ON: Six of nine local adult league champions claimed USTA Florida Central Region League titles last weekend and will compete for state championships next month.

Claiming wins among the women were Countryside Country Club's 2.5 and 3.5 teams. Among the men were Countryside 3.0, Largo 3.5, Seminole Lake Tennis Center 4.0 and McMullen 4.5.

Countryside 2.5 women rebounded from their first match loss and won the next two to claim the region title. Playing singles were Kathy Vanhorenbeck and Lucy Sasscer. Doubles players included Mari Haas, Caron Hobson, Julie Carlson, Judy Corsmeier, Nancy Spiegel and Kirsten Lang. Kelly Preston rounds out the squad of nine.

Countryside's 3.5 team beat Orlando and Polk teams 5-0 and Tampa 3-2. Playing singles were Kim Rega, Dina Glover and Lea Avery. Doubles players included Kassie Ruby, Jenny Bell, Avery, Minnie Roth, Jil Colen, Joyce Hall, Barbara Brown-Emery, Gigi Mashburn, Tracey Sullivan, Donna Bleakley and Mary Beth Whiteleather.

A third Countryside team, a 3.0 men's squad of 15, claimed regional honors on the singles play of Stephen Frey, Jerry Walker and Kurt Frahn, along with doubles players David Buell, Ed Ostiguy, Jim Gardner, Matt Ruby, Kyle Duncan, Jim Serrabella, Art Esterbrook, Larry Livingston, Walker, Pat Nehls and Frank Blainey.

After Orlando beat Tampa a second time, Largo's 3.5 team and Orlando shared 3-1 records. To determine the region champ, the tiebreak format was utilized with Largo edging Orlando by losing the fewest sets overall, 20 to 22.

Playing singles were Larry Guiffre, Bill Brintrup, Bob Malta, Larry Voss, Chris Allen and David McNally. In doubles were Halliday, McNally, Allen, Donald Gaston, Rafael Martinez, Voss, Brintrup and Guiffre.

McMullen played to a 4-0 record with three 5-0 wins and one at 4-1.Leading McMullen in singles were Terry O'Grady, Matt Holsopple, Juan Segovia and Tim O'Brien. Combining for doubles were Michael Erbe, Marvin Wilhite, Steve Reilly, Ron Wiser, Mark Taylor, Michael Carroll, Paul Reilly, Scott Spoerl, O'Brien and Segovia. The state tournament is Aug. 10-12 in Daytona Beach.

Other local results include Royal Racquet 4.5 women finishing second behind undefeated Altamonte Springs and both St. Petersburg Tennis Center 4.0 women and East Lake Woodlands 3.0 women placing third.

NET SHOTS: Last weekend, Countryside Country Club hosted more than 100 competitors in its Summer Adult Designated NTRP. Among the singles winners were Kirsten Willis in the women's 3.5 and Brett Apter the men's 4.0.

In doubles, Hobbs teamed with Turtle Marshall to capture the women's 4.0 and Willis paired with Kelly Wilhite to win the women's 3.5.

- Area winners in this month's Summer Super Series at Royal Racquet Club were Julia Teytelbaum in 16-and-under girls, Danielle Collins 18 round robin and Brandon Anandan boys 18. Doubles winners were Emily Dvorak and Teytelbaum in the girls 16 and Anandan and Bjorn Fratangelo boys 18.

[Last modified July 19, 2007, 07:46:30]