PTR Champions

TENNIS E-News

Feb. 21, 2008 Vol. VII, No. 17
South Carolina Tennis 2006 Media Award Winner
Hilton Head Island SC

De Boer, Agee Partners in Wins

Cox Takes 2 Doubles Titles at PTR Championships; Brady, Child Singles Winners

HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- It was just fun watching. Who needs the Bryan brothers when live and right on our home courts you can have a doubles final like Job de Boer/Gavin Cox vs. Steve Brady/Scott Nichols? The rapid-fire volleys, sharp-angle half volleys and dazzling movement delighted the fans Wednesday afternoon at the $25,000 Professional Tennis Registry Championships at Van der Meer Shipyard Racquet Club.

Yeh, the local pros have aged well into the 45s, but they have sharpened skills they pass along daily to students of all ages. Applauding the 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 final that went to De Boer/Cox were lesson-takers and a bunch of pros who collectively represent a couple centuries of teaching experience. TV seldom shows doubles, but every local tournament displays it grandly. Doubles is fun playing AND watching.

Cox came away with two championships Wednesday, first teaming with Denise Agee of Bluffton in Mixed 45s, defeating former Islander Tom Cutone and partner 10-8 in the third-set super tiebreak. Cox and De Boer worked all angles and sufficient overhead pops to take the Men's 45s in a 10-7 match tiebreak.

Earlier, #4-seeded Brady of Bluffton won the Men's 50 singles championship -- again another match tiebreak -- 10-8 over #3 Luiz Carlos Cruz of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Toss in a first-set tiebreak for extra closeness in that final. Also in a morning 45s singles final, #2 Nichols lost to top-seed John Chatlak of Wheeling WV 6-0, 6-2.

HHI's Pat Child won the Men's 55 singles in an injury walkover. Child and Keith Whitlow were finalists in the 55s doubles, losing 6-4, 7-6 (4) to a top-seed team from Missouri. Whitlow dropped a morning singles final 6-3, 6-1 in Men's 60s.

Other area pros winning championships were Donna McKenna of Bluffton in the Women's 55s round robin, Dennis Van der Meer in the Men's 70 doubles and Christine Damas taking the two-player Women's Open bracket.

Here are Wednesday's results and earlier finals as posted on TennisLink with HHI area players in bold type:

Men's Open Singles -- (1) Zbynek Mlynarik (Chatsworth CA) d. (2) Robert Gates (Kankekee IL) 6-1; 6-4

Men's 30 Singles -- (1) Mattia Ceruti (Milano, Italy) d. Gus Fernandes (Wheaton IL) 7-6(1); 6-3

Men's 35 Singles -- (1) Julien Heine (Laguna Niguel CA) d. Martin Echandi (San Jose, Costa Rica) 6-4; 6-4

Men's 40 Singles --(1) Karl Hale (Toronto ON) d. (3) Patrick Paggeot (Myrtle Beach) 6-1; 6-1

Men's 45 Singles -- (1) John Chatlak (Wheeling WV) d. (2) Scott Nichols 6-0, 6-2

Men's 50 Singles -- (4) Steven Brady (Bluffton) d. (3) Luiz Carlos Cruz (Sao Paulo, Brazil) 7-6(2); 4-6; 10-8

Men's 55 Singles -- (2) Patrick Child d. John Antonas (Nassau, Bahamas) WO(inj)

Men's 60 Singles -- (2) Laurence Hammel (Wayland MA) d. (1) Keith Whitlow 6-3, 6-1

Men's 65 Singles -- (2) Fernando Velasco (Austin TX) d. (1) Thay Butchee (Nashville TN) 6-3; 7-6(7)

Men's 70 Singles -- (1) Bob Helton (Bristol VA) d. (2) Thomas Mancuso (Millsboro DE) WO (emerg)

Women's Open Singles -- Christine Damas d. Christine Dransfield (London, England) 6-0; 6-0

Women's 35 Singles -- Sandra Pester (Piding, Germany) d. Karen Gill (Glenford NY) 6-2; 6-1

Women's 45 Singles -- (1) Hiko Fritz-Krockow (Fairfax VA) d. Sharon Weston (S. Glastonbury CT) 6-2; 6-2

Women's 55 Singles -- Patricia Coffey (Jasper GA) d. May Hines (Freeville NY) 6-2; 6-4

Men's Open Doubles -- (1) Julien Heine (Leguna Niguel CA)/Zbynek Mlynarik (Chatsworth CA) d. (2) Donato Campagnoli/Mattia Ceruti (Milano, Italy) 6-0; 6-1

Men's 35 Doubles -- (1) Eric Burke (Atlanta)/Karl Hale (Toronto ON) d. John Bremner (Wheaton IL)/Bill Dopp (Monroe GA) 3-6; 6-2; 10-6

Men's 45 Doubles -- Gavin Cox/Job de Boer d. (4) Steve Brady/Scott Nichols 6-3; 3-6; 10-7

Men's 55 Doubles -- (1) Phil Carter (Forsyth MO)/Jim Klousia (Springfield MO) d. (2) Pat Child/Whitlow 6-4; 7-6(4)

Men's 65 Doubles -- (1) Peter Collins (Augusta GA)/Bob Helton (Bristol VA) d. (2) Ollen Dupree (Bowie MD)/Alfredo Garcia (Laredo TX) 6-0; 6-1

Men's 70 Doubles -- John Powless (Madison WI)/Dennis Van der Meer winner of round robin

Women's 35 Doubles -- Round Robin 3 -- Hiko Fritz-Krockow (Fairfax VA)/Donna McKenna (Bluffton) d. Ann Miller (Lake Oswego OR)/Sandra Pester (Piding, Germany) 6-3; 6-1; Fritz-Krockow/McKenna winner of round robin

Women's 45 Doubles -- Round Robin 3 -- Diane Deaton (Virginia Beach VA)/Laura Stone (Norfolk VA) d. Bobbie Kim (Suffern NY)/Frances Osei (Suffern NY) 6-0; 7-6(4); Deaton/Stone winner of round robin

Women's 55 Doubles -- (1) Valerie Herendeen (Douglasville GA)/Cheryle Luchene (Roswell GA) d. (2) Patricia Coffey (Jasper GA)/Linda McCollum (Atlanta) 6-2; 7-6(3)

Mixed 45 Doubles -- (2) Denise Agee/Gavin Cox d. Tom Cutone (Old Lyme CT)/Sharon Weston (S. Glastonbury CT) 2-6; 6-1; 10-8

Mixed 55 Doubles -- (1) Debra Broadus (North Potomac MD)/Gary Lyst Sr (Silver Spring MD) d. Valerie Herendeen (Douglasville GA)/Wayne Penniman (Conyers GA) 6-0; 6-1

TENNIS E-News FootNote

ooooO 3 Headlines of the Year Nominees for 2007:

( ) Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers

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(___) Miners Refuse to Work after Death

-- From the Internet, of course

-- Dennis Malick