WWLRD?

TENNIS E-NEWS

Friday, April 17, 2009 Vol. VIII, No. 39
2006 Winner of South Carolina Media Award
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Advancing at Family Circle Cup

WWLRD? It’s Not Just Smash-Mouth Tennis When Lisa Raymond Is Holding Court

DANIEL ISLAND, CHARLESTON SC (TENNIS E-News) – When Gavin Cox tipped us on how to learn by watching matches at Family Circle Cup, we picked the subject: What Would Lisa Raymond Do? The veteran doubles specialist and Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic are the top seeds and into the semifinals.

WWLRD? In the second set of the quarterfinals today, Raymond hit the ball (not counting serves) 36 times -- 31 of those went crosscourt to the deep player, a 32^nd was a lob deep to the ad corner. Only four balls off Raymond’s racket were touched at net – of note because 6’3” Olga Govortsova was roving there most of the time while Chin-wei Chann was chasing in backcourt. Two framed returns of serve by Raymond were put away by the opponents at net.

Serves throughout for Raymond were well-placed 85 mph spinners. She doublefaulted to start one game at mid-second set, then hit three unreturnable serves and a fourth that blooped back and Peschke volleyed away for the game winner.

Yeh. Probably a hint or two of winning doubles strategy there.

WWEDD? Top seed Elena Dementieva stroked her way to serving for the first – and, as it would turn out, only – complete set. She and Dominika Cibulkova went back and forth attacking lines to get to the point of Dementieva up 5-4. During a series of long rallies in the set game, the #1 seed hit every ball into the deep backcourt nowhere near a line … except for one framed hit. She won the game at love. Cibulkova retired with a leg injury at 1-0 in the second set.

L-I-S-I-C-K-I. We spelled it yesterday so Venus would remember. We spell it again so you can remember. The 19-year-old German’s followup against Elena Vesnina was a show of 110 mph serves, including one at 123, one at 117 to start the second set, a 119 to start the fourth game of that set and a slow 109 mph ace down the middle to finish the love set. 6-4, 6-0. Remember L-I-S-I-C-K-I.

We’ll catch you next on the Hilton Head Island side of the bridge…after the golfers get teed off and leave.

2^nd Annual Charity Pro-Pro Scheduled for Next Month at South Beach Racquet Club

Hilton Head Island SC (TENNIS E-NEWS) – The 2nd annual Katie Sigmon's Hope Pro-Pro Tennis Exhibition and Dinner on Saturday, May 30, conducted by South Beach Racquet Club. The pros will play four matches from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the racquet club, with the benefit dinner to follow.

Pros committed thus far include Lee Holyoak, Mike Caboy, Pat Mason. Michael Sutcliffe, Matt Wuller, Mike O'Regan and Sarah (Riske) McGlamery.

The event again will benefit Katie Sigmon, niece of South Beach owners Don and Rachel Sigmon. Katie suffered a hypoxic brain injury several few years ago. Last year's event raised several thousand dollars toward her care.

For more information and to enter, call South Beach Racquet Club at 671-2215.

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Two years ago TENNIS E-News ran a well-received series of excerpts from "The Code, The Players' Guide for Unofficiated Matches". You have asked for a repeat? You got it.

Obvious faults: player shall not put into play or hit over the net an obvious fault. To do so constitutes rudeness and may even be a form of gamesmanship. On the other hand, if a player does not call a serve a fault and gives the opponent the benefit of a close call, the server is not entitled to replay the point.

*Note: TENNIS E-News is not making up these items. All are taken word-for-word from USTA's "The Code" that can be found in the "Friend at Court" handbook or as a stand-alone leaflet -- available by going to http://www.usta.com and selec ting "USTA Shop" and then "Books" on that page.

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Upcoming Tournaments/Activity:

Apr. 24-26: “BillyBob” Doubles Championships / South Beach Racquet Club / Combined age divisions in men’s, women's, mixed doubles / 80 & older, 100 & older, 120 & older, 140 & older, and 150 & older levels / For information, call Michael O'Keefe at 671-2215.

May 1-3: 3rd annual Banana Open Junior Challenge / Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center / Novice & Tournament boys & girls age-division singles / separate adult/junior run round robin May 1 / Benefit Children Research Institute / Call PD at 785-1152.

May 2-4: Bullfrog USTA Southern Section Designated Boys and Girls 12s and 14s / Van Der Meer Tennis Center / Sanctioned / 250 of top 12s & 14s in Southeast. / TennisLink ID #704115808 / For entry/other information, contact Justyn Schelver at 785-8388 ext. 119.

May 15-17: 4^th annual Bluffton Today Open Tennis Tournament / Bluffton High School & satellite sites / Rated Adult doubles on clay; Age division Junior singles & doubles on hard, plus Adult/Child doubles / Information, call Brett Robertson at 816-2033.

TENNIS E-News FootNote

ooooO

( ) Ice cream flavors to celebrate the stimulus package:

( ) Tax-cutterscotch, Employ-mint Bene-bits, Chunky Money, Rocky Roads, Our Grandkids Cookies & Dough,

(___) Fudge’n da books & Break’n da Mint.

-- Cartoonist M. Wuerker and Politico

-- Dennis Malick