Local Super Seniors men win berth in state tourney

By NANCY MORGAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 19, 2000

Fred DeJohn knew the Super Seniors Men's 3.5 Doubles League playoff would be tough, but little did he know that he and partner Charles Dorrell would be in the deciding match.

Facing Timber Pines Tennis Club from Spring Hill -- the undefeated team from the north division of the league -- DeJohn and the rest of the St. Petersburg Tennis Center team prepared for the challenge and the right to advance to the state tournament next month.

Last year, Timber Pines kept the center's team from advancing. This year, the squad planned a different outcome.

"We knew it would be tough," said DeJohn of the championship match. "I tried to match up two players in No. 1 that could lob the Timber Pines team to throw them off, but they beat us anyway."

Bob Allen and Andy Chau, both 75, lost to Timber Pines' Phil Schroeder and Richard Coutu 6-1, 6-2.

St. Petersburg Tennis Center's No. 3 team of Woody Woodbury and Nick Karamessinis answered Timber Pines' one-point lead with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over Richard Lowery and Stanley Dumovich.

"Nick and I play well together, especially with Nick using his slicing backhand and well-angled overheads," said Woodbury, 61. "I'm a lefty and play the deuce court so we have both forehands down the middle, where many balls are placed in doubles."

Woodbury and Karamessinis lost just one regular-season match in the 3.5 division.

DeJohn and Dorrell matched up well with Timber Pines' Paul Bouchard and Roger Ross in the No. 2 slot and rallied from a first-set loss to win in a tiebreaker for the second and deciding point.

"I don't know how the pros do it with all the pressure," said DeJohn. "Knowing we had the deciding match on our racquets was really nerve-wracking."

DeJohn's quickness combined with Dorrell's aggressive forehand and effective slice serve were too much for the Timber Pines duo. The final point was earned when, after a scramble to the baseline to retrieve a lob, a Timber Pines overhead landed in the net.

Two years ago, the St. Petersburg Tennis Center competed in the super seniors at state and last year was in the younger seniors tournament. Pinellas clubs are hosting the state competition May 18-22.

Rounding out the SPTC team are Michel Antoine and Brian Limberg. Doug Eadie and Bob Rosenkranz have left for the summer and Jim McDonald is injured.

SUPER SENIOR WOMEN: Bardmoor Golf and Tennis Club leads the four-team Super Seniors Women's 3.5 Doubles League with two weeks remaining. Timber Pines Tennis Club is second, followed by East Lake Woodlands and Innisbrook. The winner advances to next month's sectional competition.

MIXED DOUBLES AT STATE: The Racquet Club's 7.5 mixed doubles district champion competed in the USTA state championships in Palm Coast last weekend. Rain delays forced eight-game pro set matches for Diana and Marshall Craig, Rosemary and Steve Uebel, Susan and Bill Young and Bette and Tony Damouny against teams from Naples, Valrico and Palm Coast.

Naples advanced to the final four with the best record in the flight of four teams, as did Valrico with the best second-place record among three flights.

PADL CHAMPIONS: Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club's No. 1 women's team improved from second last year to first this year in the 24-team Pinellas Area Doubles League. Treasure Island I earned 102 points, defending champion Racquet Club I finished second with 91 points, Countryside II had 85, the Renaissance Vinoy 81 and Royal Racquet Club II 79.

Playing for Treasure Island I were Sandy Ellison and Heather Nicoll in No. 1, Lynn Klein-Frieder and Pat Kelly in No. 2, Darlene Winterrowd and Cecelia Tucker at No. 3, Linda Tyler and Janice Stone in No. 4 and captian Margie Scheidt and Jane Lee Cobb at No. 5.

JUNIORS: Winning singles titles in last weekend's Fun 'n Sun Tournament in Clearwater were Lindsey Dvorak in the 10s, Bettina Pirker in the 18s, Keegan Smith in the 10s, Daigo Sakuri in the 16s and Goran Dragicevic in the 18s.

Area finalists included Ashley Hungerford (12s) and Kelly Nelson (18s). Katherine Waldthauser was a consolation winner and Holly Lynch (12s), Katie Fenzl (16s) and Brandon Anandan (12s) reached the consolation final round of the state-sanctioned competition.

This weekend, the St. Petersburg Tennis Center has the SPTC Easter Classic for juniors in singles. Play begins Friday and concludes Sunday. Call tournament director Al Sarmiento (360-2643) or the center (893-7301) for details.

COMING UP: Tournament 2000, a women's round-robin doubles competition, is April 26 at the Seminole Lakes Tennis Center. Contact either Ripley Amell or Leon Richards at 394-1733. ... The Tradewinds Resort and Conference Center on St. Pete Beach is offering a USA Tennis Free for All from 9 to 11 a.m. April 29 for players 14 and older. Call teaching professional Steve Wey at 367-6461, ext. 294. ... There's still time to enter the 18th annual Pro-Am Tennis Tournament May 6-7 at the Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club. Contact Shirley Stein at 384-2525.

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