Community

Event to showcase promising talent

By Nancy Morgan, Times Sports Correspondent
Published February 14, 2008

The next two weeks provide a tennis trifecta for fans.

Tennis enthusiasts will be treated to watching aspiring professional women's players, have the opportunity to participate in a variety of oncourt events and help benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Suncoast.

The Sheriff Jim Coats Fourth Annual Clearwater Women's Open, one of 95 USTA Pro Circuit tournaments staged nationwide, begins its singles qualifying contest at Clearwater's McMullen Tennis Complex on Sunday, followed by doubles Monday. Main draw competition is Feb. 19-24.

"I am so excited about the caliber of talent competing in this year's tournament," said Theresa Victory, event tournament director. "We have a lot of local girls with an extreme amount of potential. In addition, there are also a lot of high-ranking international athletes, some ranked as high as the 100s, scheduled to play in the tournament.

"Throughout the week we have a variety of activities for tennis enthusiasts, fans and juniors. I am looking forward to the pro circuit's visit to Clearwater and hope the community supports these young girls as they begin their professional careers."

Action kicks off Saturday with a Play with the Pros activity for youths ages 5 to 13. Players with limited or no playing experience are encouraged to go to McMullen from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and participate in the USTA-sanctioned QuickStart format, where players begin playing almost immediately using low-compression balls and a reduced court.

"We're very excited about partnering with the Pro Circuit event here at McMullen," said Eric Chall, head tennis pro at the Clearwater facility. "Theresa asked me to come up with a different idea to get everyone involved, and using QuickStart we can get the kids competing in the first day. We'll break up into teams and compete; the winning team gets a chance to hit with some of the pros before Monday evening's Pro-Am."

Last week, a wild-card tournament was held for 55 players with the winner advancing to the main draw and the runnerup to the qualifying tournament. In the final, University of Florida 2006 grad Alexis Gordon, 24, defeated 18-year-old Anastasia Kharchenko of Ukraine. Also competing in the wild-card contest were local juniors Danielle Collins and Becky Bodine. Collins won two matches and Bodine one.

"We have an amazing group of women and a diversified schedule of activities for the juniors, the males in the Pro-Am and a wheelchair tennis exhibition," Victory said. "Without the support of the community we wouldn't be able to put on a world-class tennis event like this. And being able to support the Boys and Girls Clubs through that support is really special."

For more information on the schedule of activities, go to www.clearwateropen.com or call 669-1919.

LEAGUE NEWS: An Adult League captains meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Feb. 26 at Feather Sound Country Club. League action should begin by mid-March.

NET SHOTS: Local singles winners in this month's Adult Winter NTRP Tournament at Eastlake Woodlands included Karen Killen in the women's 4.0, Melody Raetz 3.5, Zana Lukosiuniene 3.0, Juan Yannuzzi men's 5.0, Gerry Barna 4.0, Mason Hubsher 3.5 and J.R. Brennen 3.0.

Playing to the final round were Kirsten Willis in the women's 3.5, Kathryn Robbins 3.0, Nathan Walker men's 5.0, Brian McGonagill 4.0 and Bruce Insana 3.5.

-Alexandra Kitchen defended her top seeding to win the girls 14-and-under singles title in this month's River Hills Local Junior Championships. Reaching the final rounds were No. 2 Alexis Franco in the girls 10 and Beau Langford in boys 10.

Yasmin Franco won the girls 14 consolation, as did Vikas Molleti the boys 10.

-Kento Tagashira reached the boys 18 final in last weekend's Love to Play at Largo junior event and Syun Noguchi won the consolation. Amy Lowther won the girls 16 round robin.

- Local juniors headed to this weekend's USTA National Open tournaments include Danielle Collins, Kara Kucin and Lindsay Dvorak in the girls 18 at the Tampa Tennis Complex; Julia Jones, Agatha Ambrozy and Amy Lowther the 14 at Bardmoor Golf and Tennis Club; Alexander Saltiel boys 14 at Cheval Tennis Club; Ganesh Rajaram 12 in Columbus, Ga.

ONE-ON-ONE DOUBLES: The public is invited to observe NCAA-approved one-on-one doubles action when the University of Tampa hosts Bates College from Maine beginning at 4 p.m. Feb. 21. A free one-on-one doubles clinic will follow. For more information, contact Ed Krass, 813 684-9560 or e-mail oneononedoubles@yahoo.com Visit the Web site, www.oneononedoubles.com.

COMING UP: The St. Petersburg Tennis Center hosts its West Coast Super Senior Grand Prix beginning Monday in men's 55-and-older through 90. Call 823-2225. ... Admiral Farragut Academy teams with the Baseline Wheelchair Tennis Foundation to host a professional wheelchair exhibition beginning at noon Feb. 22. For more details, contact the foundation at www.baselinewheelchairtennis.org. ... Seminole Lake Tennis Center hosts a Local Winter Classic beginning Feb. 23. Call 394-1733.

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 February 13, 2008, 21:46:05]