Community

Tournament is idea come to life

By NANCY MORGAN, Times Sports Correspondent
Published October 11, 2007

For a couple of years, Lisa Durkin and Mari Workman had kicked around ideas for a tennis tournament to help local breast cancer patients.

Around April, the duo decided to organize their ideas, solicit volunteers and launch the Pretty in Pink Women's Doubles Tournament on Nov. 12 at Eastlake Woodlands Country Club.

The one-day event includes women's doubles competition in 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and open playing divisions. Two matches are guaranteed using two sets with no-ad scoring and a 10-point tiebreaker for the third set if needed.

"The first year is always the hardest to get started, and every day we're cataloging ideas to improve next time," Durkin said. "This tournament has the potential to make a lot of money, and we want to help at a personal level."

A $75 entry fee includes play, a box lunch and a celebration party Nov. 2. A silent auction will be held throughout the day.

Durkin and Workman are accepting additional auction items and sponsorships. Deadline to enter is Oct. 31. Contact Durkin, lisamariedurkin@hotmail.com or Workman, mariworkman@yahoo.com

NET SHOTS: Local rookie winners at Countryside Country Club last weekend included Carly Spoerl in the girls 10-and-under, Rebecca Wehling 14, Mitchell Radford boys 10, Logan Weyand 12, Nicholas Litsky 14 and Carl Gavine 16.

- Among the singles winners in this month's Super Series Seminole BASH were Dan Stefan in the boys 12 and Mason Beiler the 10. Skyler Fanning and Jasen Norris won the 10 doubles.

Reaching the final round were Kimberly Herrock in the girls 12, Becky Bodine 18, Jake Gabay boys 10, Evan Holvoet 12 and Miles Holvoet 14.

- USTA Florida Junior Team Tennis squads won the 10th Annual Georgia-Florida Team Tennis Challenge in Jacksonville. Florida won 2,002 games, compared with Georgia's 1,472. Representing the area were the McMullen Monsters in the 12-and-under division and St. Petersburg Tennis Center Courier's Kids 18.

Playing for the Monsters were Ava Sowell, Andrea Silva, Frances Pardillo, Gregory Perenich, Jasen Norris, Parker Hayslett and Jake Gabay. Erick Chall was the coach.

- Top seeds Garrett Betsarakis in the boys 16-and-under and Nicolous Halverson the 10 and No. 4 Becky Bodine in the girls 18 posted wins in last month's Ledger Junior Super Series in Lakeland.

- More than 150 doubles teams divided among women's, men's and mixed divisions in the 14th Annual Charity Tennis Tournament helped raise $20,000 to benefit the Humane Society of Pinellas.

Collecting wins in the women's division were Karen Randazzo and Jane Robinson in the 4.5 round robin, Theresa Lawrence and Janet Stuart 4.0, Barbara Brown-Emery and Mary Guthrie 3.5 and Pat Beck and Robyn Wittleder 3.0.

Men's wins were earned by Matt Holsopple and Adrian Pagani in the open, Ron Wisor and Terry O'Grady 4.5, Jeff Kopelman and Larry Nickerson 3.5 and David Buell and Jim Serrabella 3.0 round robin.

Pagani teamed with Donna Roberts to win the mixed open action, joined by Pipe Douangbougha and Hiroko Nishikawa in 4.5, Andrea and Bob Bolender 4.0, Kelly Wilhite and Justin Larue 3.5 and Pat and Steven Beck 3.0.

LEAGUE NEWS: A captains meeting is planned for Nov. 7 at Feather Sound Country Club for St. Petersburg/Clearwater senior, super senior and 70s leagues.

The social begins at 6 p.m. followed by a 6:30 meeting with local league coordinators. Jacqui Brunton, USTA Florida's director of leagues, plans to attend.

- In last weekend's USTA Florida Senior Mixed Doubles Championships, Treasure Bay clinched the 7.0 state championship after winning its flight 4-0 and defeating Jacksonville 2-1 in the final.

Treasure Bay advances to the National Eastern Mixed Doubles Championships on Nov. 15-18 in Orlando.

In the 8.0 senior division, Tampa's Harbour Island squad, including Oldsmar's Emily Signoracci, was 3-0 in flight competition and beat Bradenton 2-1 for the state title.

NATIONAL-BOUND: Countryside Country Club's 3.0 adult men's team of 13 leaves this week for the USTA National League Championships in Las Vegas. Florida champion Countryside faces USTA section New England and Missouri valley Friday, followed by Southwest Saturday in its flight competition.

Playing for Countryside are primary singles players Kurt Frahn, Stephen Frey and Ed Ostiguy and backup Jerry Walker. Prepared to partner in doubles are captain Frank Blainey, Matt Ruby, Art Esterbrook, Jim Gardner, Jim Serrabella, Bert Tucker, Rich Boderek, David Buell and Patrick Nehls.

- Florida senior women's 4.5 champion St. Pete Tennis Center competes Oct. 19-21 in Indian Wells, Calif., in the USTA national League Championships.

COMING UP: The SPTC Adults and Senior Vets begins Friday at the St. Petersburg Tennis Center. Call 823-2225. ... St. Petersburg Country Club hosts its Rookie Championships beginning Saturday. Call 867-9105. ... The Pete Wolfberg Memorial Classic begins Oct. 20 at Royal Racquet Club. Call 799-3200.

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 October 10, 2007, 20:32:07]