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Letter to the editor

Solid showing for locals at state event

By NANCY MORGAN, Tennis
Published January 17, 2008

Ten local teams competed in last weekend's 2007 BMW Combo Sectional Championships and two returned with state championships, two were runnersup and one reached the semifinal.

The three-day statewide competition was USTA Florida's largest league event with about 1,000 players on 94 teams. In all, there were 73 adult teams and 21 senior squads competing at three sites.

Claiming state titles were McMullen's 8.5 adult men's team and St. Petersburg Tennis Center's 7.5 senior women's squad. Treasure Bay's 6.5 senior men finished second, as did McMullen's senior 7.5 men. Countryside's 7.5 adult men's team played to the semifinal round.

Other local adult teams' placements included Eastlake 6.5 women second in flight competition; Countryside 7.5 women fifth in flight play; Royal Racquet 8.5 second in flight and Countryside 6.5 men fourth overall. Two-time defending champions Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club senior 6.5 women's team finished sixth overall.

Once the McMullen 8.5 adult men's team beat South Miami 2-1 in its fourth match of the weekend, captain Ron Massey felt pretty confident about the team's chances.

"South Miami was a pretty good team, and our win against them came down to Paul Reilly and Lance Cohen winning No. 2 in the third-set tiebreaker," Massey said. "Michael Erbe and Michael Rothberg had already won in No. 1 and we had a loss in No. 3. It was a monstrous tournament and it's always nice to win."

Rounding out the McMullen squad were Ron Wiser, Rob Tenney, Kevin Hayslett, Steve Talner, John Beda, Terry Payton, Zachary Payne and Reinaldo Valor.

SPTC rebounded from a first-match loss at the hands of Sarasota to beat Ocala 3-0, Gainesville and Polk County with 2-1 scores, followed by a 3-0 win over Lee/Charlotte.

"We knew what we needed to do in that last match and that was to win 3-0," SPTC 7.5 senior team captain Susan Hobbs said. "When we did that, we knew no one could catch us.

"It was a real team effort and the team did a good job. We played pretty much with the same players through the season and that helped keep us together. I believe in this league it's important for the 4.0-rated player to be more aggressive, because often the opponents try to keep hitting to the 3.5. The 4.0 player needs to be aggressive and try to put the ball away."

Playing for SPTC senior women along with Hobbs was Teena Marks, Sandy Martin, Judy Ralph, Linda Miller, Linda Meehan, Janice Stone, Ann Worthington, Gisela Leyva and Ruth Ann Ott.

Treasure Bay was deadlocked with Lee/Charlotte with both teams sporting 3-0 records. The last match was a contest between the two that would determine the state champion. With the No. 1 spot defended by Jim Kennerly and Roger Roger, and the loss in No. 3, the result in No. 2 would name the champion. A 10-8 third-set tiebreak won by Lee/Charlotte clinched their title.

NET SHOTS: Nike qualifying tournaments were held around the area last weekend with local players showcasing their talent.

Julia Jones defended her girls 14-and-under top seeding to win at Bardmoor and teamed with Niceville's Lauren May to claim the doubles title. At the Seminole Lake Tennis Center, No. 6 Alexander Saltiel reached the boys 12 final and won the doubles with Samuel Lampman of Orlando. At Royal Racquet Club, top seed Adam Ambrozy was a boys 10 finalist and Mason Beiler won the consolation. Angel Deng finished fourth in the girls 12 at the McMullen Tennis Complex and Anastasia Nefedova won the consolation.

In Tampa, No. 7 Danielle Collins placed third in the girls 18. In Lakeland, Kara Kucin paired with Port Orange's Korey Love to reach the girls 16 doubles final.

- No. 2 Aaron Carey won the boys 10 singles winner in the New Years Super Series at Seminole Lake Tennis Center and then teamed with Mason Beiler to collect the doubles title. Top seed Anastasia Nefedova won the girls 12 singles and paired with singles finalist Deng to claim the doubles. A third local doubles champion included Dan Stefan and Andrei Novikov in the boys 12.

-Nicholas Litsky survived a three-set battle to win the boys 12-and-under singles title in this month's Local Junior Championships at the St. Petersburg Tennis Center.

Playing to the final round were top seed Amy Lowther girls 14, No. 2 Mitchell Radford (boys 10), Parker Hayslett (12), Ricky Symanski (16) and top seed Anthony Barrancotto (18).

John Sakellarides claimed the boys 10 consolation.

- Winners in last weekend's Winter Junior Rookie at Countryside Country Club included Vikas Molleti in the boys 10, top seed Carly Speorl in the girls 10, Erin Grebenev 12, top seed Rebecca Wehling 14 and Martynas Lukosiunas boys 12.

THIS WEEKEND: The sixth annual Tournament of Champions, the Suncoast Tennis Foundation's signature fundraising event, begins Friday at Eastlake Woodlands Country Club. The three-day doubles competition kicks off with its draw party Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the club. For information, call STF executive director Judy Foster, 725-3681.

COMING UP: The Treasure Bay Rookie Doubles Tournament begins Saturday at Treasure Bay. Call 547-4575. ... The Clearwater Adult NTRP Kickoff begins Jan. 25 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 January 16, 2008, 23:46:53]