Banana Challenge Daze

TENNIS E-News

Oct. 07, 2007 Vol. VI, No. 105
South Carolina Tennis 2006 Media Award Winner
Hilton Head Island SC

Kiggans/Tvrdik, Carmines/Miller, Bierschenk Win Doubles

Hernandez Wins 2 Singles; Morales, Crosby Champs in Banana Open Challenge

HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- The Banana Open Challenge, pitting local Banana winners and wildcards from the Southeast, has slipped through three days of heated play at Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center, with Said Hernandez of Bluffton winning two singles championships and HHI's Henry Morales and Greg Crosby of Beaufort each taking one title.

Five other local players won doubles championships: Lisa Kiggans and Mike Tvrdik of HHI in Mixed Doubles 4.0, Bluffton's Mindy Carmines and Doreen Miller in Women's Doubles 2.5 and Donna Bierschenk of Bluffton teamed with a Georgia partner in Women's 4.0 doubles.

When Tournament Director Jackie Reynecke got the 162 total players pared down to the finals, three other area doubles teams and one in singles showed as finalists: Bob Apfel and Tom Larkin in Men's 3.0; Scott Bernsten and Tom Werner in Men's 3.5 Doubles; Amy Abernathy and Rick Turner in 3.0 Mixed Doubles and Gena Kobleur in 2.5 Singles. Gwen Ludvigsen, teamed with a Georgia partner, was finalist in Women's 2.5 Doubles.

Here are today's results as posted by deadline time:

Results of the Friday and Saturday matches were not posted to TENNIS E-News until this morning. For those complete results, see below.

Men's 3.0 Singles -- Final -- Canyon Bowie, Columbus GA def. Tom Jarvis, Macon GA 6-4; 6-2

Men's 3.0 Doubles -- Final -- Canyon Bowie, Columbus GA - Matthew Jeffers, Cataula GA def. Bob Apfel, HHI - Tom Larkin, HHI 6-0; 7-6(6)

Men's 3.5 Singles -- Final -- Henry Morales, HHI def. Christopher Brycki, Charlotte NC 6-2; 6-3

Men's 3.5 Doubles -- Final -- Antoine Moran, Germantown MD - Afthab Zainudeen, Gaithersburg MD def. Scott Bernsten, HHI - Tom Werner, HHI 6-3; 6-1

Men's 4.0 Singles -- Final -- Greg Crosby, Beaufort def. Leonard Tetteh, Virginia Beach VA 6-4; 3-6; 6-3

Men's 4.0 Doubles -- Final -- Rob Brand, Columbus GA - Bryan Christopher, Columbus GA def. Joe Guy, Charlotte NC - Matt Wise, Charlotte NC 6-2; 7-6(3)

Men's 4.5 Singles -- Final -- Said Hernandez, Bluffton d. Barry Boone, Dublin GA 6-2; 1-6; 6-2

Men's 4.5 Doubles -- Round Robin 3 -- Wes Breinich, HHI - Matthew Straut, Beaufort def. Joe Buhler, Rincon GA - Tuan Nguyen, Rincon GA Def (ns); Roger Pearce, Columbus GA - Steve Thiel, Midland GA def. Mark Ruzeski, Columbus GA - Rick Stoller, Columbus GA 6-7(5); 6-2; 6-4; Pearce - Thiel winner of round robin

Men's 5.0 Singles -- Final -- Said Hernandez, Bluffton def. Steve Thiel, Midland GA 7-6(2); Ret (inj)

Mixed 3.0 Doubles -- Final -- Diane Stein, Virginia Beach VA - John Stein, Virginia Beach VA def. Amy Abernathy, HHI - Rick Turner, Bluffton 6-2; 6-1

Mixed 3.5 Doubles -- Final -- Dina Biekel, Kensington MD - Antoine Moran, Germantown MD d. Shannon Bookter, Hendersonville NC - Rodney Sparks, Hendersonville, NC 3-6; 6-4; 6-3

Mixed 4.0 Doubles -- Final -- Lisa Kiggans, HHI - Mike Tvrdik, HHI def. Charles Tellis, Fairfax VA - Angie Wang, Alexandria VA 6-0; 7-6(3)

Mixed 4.5 Doubles -- Round Robin 3 -- Hiroshi Ito, Virginia Beach VA - Miho Ito, Virginia Beach VA def. Sally Harvey, Sheldon SC - Matthew Straut, Beaufort SC 6-4; 6-4

Women's 2.5 Singles -- Round Robin 3 -- Teresa Matthews, Jacksonville FL def. Gena Kobleur, HHI 6-3; 6-2; Matthews winner of round robin

Women's 2.5 Doubles -- Round Robin 2 -- Mindy Carmines, Bluffton - Doreen Miller, Bluffton def. Sharon Cyran, Evans GA - Gwen Ludvigsen, HHI 6-2; 6-3; Carmines - Miller winner of round robin

Women's 3.0 Singles -- Final -- Deborah Greenside, Silver Spring MD def. Sarah Wolf, Rockville MD 6-1; 6-2

Women's 3.0 Doubles -- Final -- Dina Biekel, Kensington MD - Sarah Wolf, Rockville MD def. Elizabeth Lynch, Norfolk VA - Elizabeth McCoy, Norfolk VA 6-2; 6-2

Women's 3.5 Singles -- Final -- Janelle Hanson, Macon GA def. Johanna Newman, Mooresville NC 6-0; 6-1

Women's 3.5 Doubles -- Semifinals -- Diana Gasparro, Matthews NC - Marie Yaconetti, Charlotte NC def. Janelle Hanson, Macon GA - Amy Hayes, Kathleen GA 6-2; 4-6; 6-4; Dianne Jolly, Virginia Beach VA - Elizabeth Schulz, Virginia Beach VA def. Amy Abernathy, HHI - Johanna Newman, Mooresville NC 6-2; 6-1; Finals -- TBA

Women's 4.0 Singles -- Final -- Keli Greenwood, Lawrenceville GA def. Carina Simpson, Norfolk VA 6-3; 6-2

Women's 4.0 Doubles -- Final -- Donna Bierschenk, Bluffton - Keli Greenwood, Lawrenceville GA def. Chung Bell, Silver Spring MD - Vicky Parra, Germantown MD 6-3; 6-2

Jilly, Child, Meade, Butler, Littell, Fitzpatrick Finalists

Levering, Wiederhorn, Hunt Take Championships in Alan Fleming Senior Open at Seabrook

SEABROOK ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- Bob Wiederhorn of Bluffton and Frank Meade of HHIsland had a quick and lopsided first set in the Men's 75s singles finals, then turned up the heat with two tiebreak sets at the Alan Fleming Senior Open Clay Court State Championships today. Wiederhorn came out on top of the 1-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(5) battle. Meanwhile, HHI's Judy Levering was upsetting the top seed to win the Women's 65 singles title and winning in doubles.

With 248 players from throughout the Southeast competing, three other HHI players lost in the finals and another placed second in a round robin. The USTA-sanctioned tournament carries bonus weight in year-end age-division rankings.

Levering captured her singles championship by defeating #1 Betsy McColl of Columbia 1-6, 7-5, 6-4. Levering and Ann Hunt won the Women's 60 doubles, beating Nanci Fitzpatrick of HHI and Carrie Randall of Mount Pleasant 6-3, 6-4 in the final. Wiederhorn and Meade each advanced to their finals match by winning three-set semifinals. Meade, with Billy Kingery of Roanoke VA, placed second in the 75s doubles round robin.

#1 Tom Jilly of HHI lost in the Men's 45s final to unseeded Andy Wilkison of Pinehurst NC 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. #2 Pat Child dropped a 7-3 first-set tiebreak, then retired with an injury to #1 Jim Hinson of Columbia. HHI's Lee Butler, in the Men's 80s final, won the first set 6-3 but retired because of illness at 3-3 in the second to Yutaka Kobayashi of Wellesley MA. HHIslander Chris Littell placed second in the Women's 55 singles.

In doubles, Hunt and Bluffton's Cindy Vander Berg were Women's 50s finalists; HHI's Athena Whitlow and Randall were Women's 55s finalists; Child and Keith Whitlow were semifinalists as were Jim Manship and Paul Vander Berg of Bluffton in Men's 65s.

Chaplin Team Tennis Seeking Players for 5^th Team

HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- Chaplin Public Tennis Center (eb) is adding a fifth team for the fall Team Tennis season and needs some more players, especially 3.5 women.

The Long Cove Nap-sters have been added along with the Bluffton Barracudas, reports Tim Ryan of The Chaplin Chatter. Spanish Wells has a team but no name yet. So far, Chaplin has Gwen's Gators, Jack's Jokers, Ray's Racketeers and Tim's Terminators. A captain is being sought for the fifth team. A seven-match season ending Jan. 5 is anticipated, with possibly a district championship Jan 12 and 13. Coordinator Ray Hardy has set the league fee $34 per player, with an additional TennisLink charge of $3.05. That includes balls and court fees.

For additional information about joining a team, email chaplinroundrobin@yahoo.com.

To the Point of the Burgeoning USTA Leagues

And the Decision of Whether To Split the TAHHI Leagues and, If So, How …

A TENNIS E-News opinion. Heh.. Heh.

Our exceptionally successful USTA League program is generating more and more discussion (arguments?) over whether to split the leagues. Pretty much agreed that a split has to come before long, but how. This Side The Bridge & That Side The Bridge? By zipcodes? Try this one:

Go into the USTA files and take all members listed as "Hilton Head Island" and put them in one league division; those listed as "Hilton Head" go into a second that also would include non-HHIslanders such as Bluffton, Beaufort, Callawassie, Dataw, Fripp, etc.

"Freedom of the Press is available to all those who own a press."

BANANA OPEN CHALLENGE -- The results of Friday and Saturday matches:

Men's 2.5 Singles -- Daniel Alvite, Columbus, GA d. John Safay, HHI 6-0; 6-2; Alvite d.Safay 6-3; 6-3; Alvite winner of round robin.

Men's 3.0 Singles -- Quarterfinals -- Daniel Alvite, Columbus GA d. Palak Jain, Warner Robins GA 6-2;6-3; Canyon Bowie, Columbus GA d. Kai Bailey, Augusta GA 6-4;6-0; Nicholas Seigler, Grovetown GA d. Bruce Taylor, HHI Def (ns); Tom Jarvis, Macon GA d. Dan Griff, Virginia Beach VA 6-2;6-0; Semifinals -- Bowie d. Alvite 7-5;6-1; Jarvis d. Seigler 6-2;6-0

Men's 3.0 Doubles -- Quarterfinals -- Bob Apfel, HHI - Tom Larkin, HHI d. Palak Jain, Warner Robins GA - Tom Jarvis, Macon GA 6-1;6-4; Semifinals -- Apfel - Larkin d. William Sanders, Macon GA - Bruce Taylor, HHI 6-2;6-2; Canyon Bowie, Columbus GA - Matthew Jeffers, Cataula GA d. David Enko, Evans GA - Nicholas Seigler, Grovetown GA 6-3;6-4

Men's 3.5 Singles -- Round of 16 -- Henry Morales, HHI d. Afthab Zainudeen, Gaithersburg MD 7-6(4);6-4; Quarterfinals -- Floyd Pettaway, Virginia Beach VA d. Rodney Sparks, Hendersonville NC 6-2;6-4; Morales d. Jeff Meide, Phenix City AL 7-6(8);2-6;7-6(3); Chip Messer, Macon GA d. John Plumlee, Virginia Beach VA Def (ns); Christopher Brycki, Charlotte NC d. Kai Bailey, Augusta GA 6-0;6-1;

Men's 3.5 Singles -- Semifinals -- Morales d. Pettaway 6-7(2);6-3;6-4; Brycki d. Messer 7-6(6);6-1

Men's 3.5 Doubles -- Quarterfinals -- Anthony Link, HHI - Brandon Link, HHI d. Floyd Pettaway, Virginia Beach VA - Jonathan Stroud, Virginia Beach VA 6-2;6-3; Scott Bernsten, HHI - Tom Werner, HHI d. Jim Boyles, Charlotte NC - David Majdanski, Matthews NC 6-2;6-4; Semifinals -- Antoine Moran, Germantown MD - Afthab Zainudeen, Gaithersburg MD d. Link - Link 7-5;6-3; Bernsten - Werner d. Larry Correll, HHI - George Walter, Kennesaw GA 3-6;6-4;6-3

Men's 4.0 Singles -- Round of 16 -- Ronnie Elam, Augusta GA d. Henry Morales, HHI 7-5;7-5; Leonard Tetteh, Virginia Beach VA d. Tom Edwards, Beaufort SC 6-0;6-1; Jeff Meide, Phenix City AL d. Derek Lashley, Macon GA 2-6;6-2;7-5; Quarterfinals -- Tetteh d. David Camma, HHI 6-2;6-3; Meide d. Tuan Nguyen, Rincon GA 4-6;6-3 Ret (quit); Greg Crosby, Beaufort, SC d. Craig Carter, Asheville, NC 6-2;6-2; Semifinals -- Tetteh d. Elam 6-7(4);6-4;6-2; Crosby d. Meide 6-3;6-2

Men's 4.0 Doubles -- Quarterfinals -- Joe Guy, Charlotte NC - Matt Wise, Charlotte NC d. Derek Lashley, Macon GA - Julian Lashley, Bonaire GA 6-3;6-1; Paul Casenova, Germantown MD - Roger Hernandez, Germantown MD d. David Camma, HHI - Robert Seferian, HHI 6-0;6-1; Rob Brand, Columbus GA - Bryan Christopher, Columbus GA d. Craig Carter, Asheville NC - Charles Tellis, Fairfax VA 6-4;7-6(5); Semifinals -- Guy - Wise d. Anthony Link, HHI - Brandon Link, HHI 6-2;6-3; Brand - Christopher d. Casenova - Hernandez 6-2;6-7(7);6-3

Men's 4.5 Singles -- Round of 16 -- Joe MacDermant, HHI d. TImothy Smith, Savannah GA 6-1;6-0; Quarterfinals -- Barry Boone, Dublin GA d. Todd Holway, Bluffton SC 6-0;6-1; MacDermant d. Kyrl Erickson, Virginia Beach, VA 6-3;6-4; Tapi Hayrinen, HHI d. Brett Smith, LaGrange GA Def (ns); Said Hernandez, Bluffton SC d. Leonard Tetteh, Virginia Beach VA Ret (quit); Semifinals -- Boone d. MacDermant Ret (quit); Hernandez d. Hayrinen 6-2;6-2

Men's 4.5 Doubles -- Round Robin 1 -- Mark Ruzeski, Columbus GA - Rick Stoller, Columbus GA d. Wes Breinich, HHI - Matthew Straut, Beaufort SC 6-1;6-2; Roger Pearce, Columbus GA - Steve Thiel, Midland GA d. Joe Buhler, Rincon GA - Tuan Nguyen, Rincon GA 6-2;6-0; Round Robin 2 -- Pearce - Thiel d. Breinich - Straut 6-2;6-0; Ruzeski - Stoller d. Buhler - Nguyen 6-0;6-1

Men's 5.0 Singles -- Quarterfinals -- Steve Thiel, Midland GA d. Tapi Hayrinen, HHI 6-3;6-1; Said Hernandez, Bluffton SC d. TImothy Smith, Savannah,GA 6-0;7-5; Semifinals -- Thiel d. Todd Holway, Bluffton SC 6-1;6-3; Hernandez d. Joe MacDermant, HHI 6-0;2-1 Ret (quit)

Mixed 3.0 Doubles -- Quarterfinals -- Amy Abernathy, HHI - Rick Turner, Bluffton SC d. Gwen Ludvigsen, HHI - Bruce Taylor, HHI 4-6;6-3;6-3; Kay Sanders, Macon GA - William Sanders, Macon GA d. Heather Rath, HHI - John Safay, HHI 7-6(4);6-2; Sara Mason, Fort Valley GA - Glenn Miller, Warner Robins GA d. Bruce Jones, HHI - Dyan Jones, HHI 6-4;6-1; Diane Stein, Virginia Beach VA - John Stein, Virginia Beach VA d. Dan Griff, Virginia Beach VA - Kim Pici, Virginia Beach VA 7-5;6-2; Semifinals -- Abernathy - Turner d. Sanders - Sanders 6-2;6-1; Stein - Stein d. Sara Mason, Fort Valley GA - Glenn Miller, Warner Robins GA 6-1;6-2

Mixed 3.5 Doubles -- Round of 16 -- Dina Biekel, Kensington MD - Antoine Moran, Germantown MD d. Debra Brown, Warner Robins GA - Chip Messer, Macon, GA 6-1;6-4; Quarterfinals -- Linda Arr, HHI - Bob Lacey, HHl d. Fran DuPerry, Centerville GA - Glenn Miller, Warner Robins GA 6-0;6-2; Biekel - Moran d. Aaron Selman, HHI - Randi Selman, HHI 6-1;6-0; Julian Lashley, Bonaire GA - Mahtena Waters, Jacksonville FL d. Dianne Jolly, Virginia Beach VA - Jonathan Stroud, Virginia Beach VA 6-4;6-4; Shannon Bookter, Hendersonville NC - Rodney Sparks, Hendersonville NC d. Angela Martin, Frederick MD - Atsushi Miyaoka, Olney MD 6-2;6-1; Semifinals -- Biekel - Moran d. Arr - Lacey 7-6(2);6-3; Bookter - Sparks d. Lashley - Waters 6-3;4-6;6-4

Mixed 4.0 Doubles -- Round of 16 -- Lisa Kiggans, HHI - Mike Tvrdik, HHI d. Joe Guy, Charlotte NC - Kiirsten Shields, Charlotte NC 4-6;7-6(3);6-1; Bryan Christopher, Columbus GA - Judy Pearce, Columbus GA d. Greg Crosby, Beaufort SC - Lana Crosby, Beaufort SC 6-4;6-3; Tonya Simpson, Charlotte NC - Matt Wise, Charlotte NC d. Ronnie Elam, Augusta GA - Yaska Moseley, Martinez GA 6-4;6-4; Quarterfinals -- Kiggans - Tvrdik d. John Joseph, HHI - Jackie Reynecke, HHI 6-4;6-2; Christopher - Pearce d. Tom Edwards, Beaufort SC - Sue Sturm, HHI 4-6;6-3;6-0; Charles Tellis, Fairfax VA - Angie Wang, Alexandria VA d. Tonya Simpson, Charlotte NC - Matt Wise, Charlotte NC 6-4;7-5; Jill Kolok, Kennesaw GA - George Walter, Kennesaw GA d. Chris Cottrell, Alexandria VA - Kelly Kedge, Alexandria, VA 4-6;6-1;7-6(4); Semifinals -- Kiggans - Tvrdik d. Christopher - Pearce Def (ns); Tellis - Wang d. Kolok - Walter 6-4;6-0

Mixed 4.5 Doubles -- Round Robin 1 -- Jill Kolok, Kennesaw GA - Rick Stoller, Columbus GA d. Sally Harvey, Sheldon SC - Matthew Straut, Beaufort SC 6-1;6-2; Jackie Reynecke, HHI - Mark Ruzeski, Columbus GA d. Hiroshi Ito, Virginia Beach VA - Miho Ito, Virginia Beach VA 6-3;5-7;6-3; Round Robin 2 -- Harvey - Straut d. Reynecke - Ruzeski 7-6(5);6-4; Kolok - Stoller d. Ito - Ito 7-5;6-3

Women's 2.5 Singles -- Round Robin 1 -- Gena Kobleur, HHI d. Teresa Matthews, Jacksonville FL 7-5;6-4; Round Robin 2 -- Matthews d. Kobleur 7-6(2);7-6(0)

Women's 2.5 Doubles -- Round Robin 1 -- Mindy Carmines, Bluffton SC - Doreen Miller, Bluffton SC d. Sharon Cyran, Evans GA - Gwen Ludvigsen, HHI 6-3;7-5

Women's 3.0 Singles -- Round of 16 -- Sarah Wolf, Rockville MD d. Cindy Knight, Savannah GA 6-1;6-1; Elizabeth Lynch, Norfolk VA d. Constance Buckley, Savannah GA 6-7(4);6-1;6-4; Amy Hayes, Kathleen GA d. Gena Kobleur, HHI 6-1;6-0; Quarterfinals -- Wolf d. Gary Sabbatino, HHI 6-1;6-3; Elizabeth Lynch, Norfolk VA d. Kris Hartley, Rockville MD 6-3;6-3; Elizabeth McCoy, Norfolk VA d. Amy Hayes, Kathleen GA 6-3;6-3; Deborah Greenside, Silver Spring MD d. Heather Rath, HHI Def (ns); Semifinals -- Wolfd. Lynch 6-1;6-7(2);6-2; Greenside d. McCoy 6-0;6-2

Women's 3.0 Doubles -- Round of 16 -- Carol Clark, Asheville NC - Betsy Klein, Asheville NC d. Alene DeLoach, HHI - Trelle Stephens, HHI 5-7;6-2;6-1; Sara Mason, Fort Valley GA - Kay Sanders, Macon GA d. Mindy Carmines, Bluffton SC - Doreen Miller, Bluffton SC 7-6(3);6-3; Angela Simpson, Norfolk VA - Jennifer Worden, Norfolk VA d. Paltna Arora, Columbus GA - Alison Hightower, Columbus GA 6-2;6-3; Debbie Davis, Jacksonville FL - Susan Kubricht, Jacksonville FL d. Kim Pici, Virginia Beach VA - Margaret Searcy, Virginia Beach VA 6-3;6-0; Quarterfinals -- Elizabeth Lynch, Norfolk VA - Elizabeth McCoy, Norfolk VA d. Clark - Betsy Klein 7-5;2-6;6-3; Teresa Matthews, Jacksonville FL - Kathy Whitaker, Jacksonville FL d. Mason - Sanders 6-0;7-6(4); Dina Biekel, Kensington MD - Sarah Wolf, Rockville MD d. Simpson - Worden 6-3;6-1; Davis - Kubricht d. Constance Buckley, Savannah GA - Cindy Knight, Savannah GA 6-3;6-1; Semifinals -- Lynch - McCoy d. Matthews - Kathy Whitaker, Jacksonville, FL 6-3;6-0; Biekel - Wolf d. Davis - Kubricht 6-2;6-1

Women's 3.5 Singles -- Quarterfinals -- Megan Tracey, Bluffton SC d. Mahtena Waters, Jacksonville FL 6-4;5-7;6-2; Janelle Hanson, Macon GA d. Deborah Greenside, Silver Spring MD 1-6;7-6(2);6-2; Beth Wilt, Falls Church VA d. Sheri Sparks, Hendersonville NC 6-0;6-2; Semifinals -- Johanna Newman, Mooresville NC d. Tracey 6-4;4-6;6-2; Hanson d. Wilt 6-4;6-2

Women's 3.5 Doubles -- Quarterfinals -- Diana Gasparro, Matthews NC - Marie Yaconetti, Charlotte NC d. Caroline Edenfield, Forsyth GA - Judy Mangum, Ft. Valley GA 6-4;6-2; Janelle Hanson, Macon GA - Amy Hayes, Kathleen GA d. Angela Foley, Virginia Beach VA - Kim Johnson, Norfolk VA 4-6;6-2;6-4; Dianne Jolly, Virginia Beach VA - Elizabeth Schulz, Virginia Beach VA d. Margaret Hutchins, Black Mountain NC - Michaellyn Pasztor, Black Mountain NC 5-7;6-1;6-3; Amy Abernathy, HHI - Johanna Newman, Mooresville NC d. Debra Brown, Warner Robins GA - Fran DuPerry, Centerville GA 7-5;6-4

Women's 4.0 Singles -- Round of 16 -- Keli Greenwood, Lawrenceville GA d. Denise Nisbett, Norfolk VA 6-2;6-4; Quarterfinals --

Michaellyn Pasztor, Black Mountain NC d. Judy Matoon, HHI 6-1;6-3; Greenwood d. Chung Bell, Silver Spring MD 6-3;6-1; Vicky Parra, Germantown MD d. Donna Bierschenk, Bluffton SC 6-2;6-0; Carina Simpson, Norfolk VA d. Becky Davis, HHI 6-4;5-7;6-4; Semifinals --

Greenwood d. Pasztor 6-2;6-4; Simpson d. Parra 6-4;3-6;7-5

Women's 4.0 Doubles -- Round of 16 -- Donna Bierschenk, Bluffton SC - Keli Greenwood, Lawrenceville GA d. Karen Brown, Asheville NC - Susan Fitzmaurice, Asheville NC 6-0;6-3; Denise Nisbett, Norfolk VA - Carina Simpson, Norfolk VA d. Becky Davis, HHI - Randi Selman, HHI 6-1;6-0; Joyce Crowley, Charlotte NC - Robin Sams, Charlotte NC d. Angela Foley, Virginia Beach VA - Kim Johnson, Norfolk VA 6-4;6-1; Chung Bell, Silver Spring MD - Vicky Parra, Germantown MD d. Margaret Hutchins, Black Mountain NC - Hart Wainwright 6-4;6-4; Quarterfinals -- Bierschenk - Greenwood d. Yaska Moseley, Martinez GA - Anne Wilson, Evans GA 6-1;6-2; Nisbett, - Simpson d. Kiirsten Shields, Charlotte NC - Tonya Simpson, Charlotte NC 6-1;6-2; Joyce Crowley, Charlotte NC - Robin Sams, Charlotte NC d. Ruth Correll, HHI - Sally Harvey, Sheldon SC 6-1;6-1; Bell - Parra d. Caroline Edenfield, Forsyth GA - Judy Mangum, Ft. Valley GA 6-1;6-0; Semifinals -- Bierschenk - Greenwood d. Nisbett - Simpson 6-2;6-2; Bell - Parra d. Crowley - Sams 6-2;6-2

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( ) Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.

( ) – Erma Bombeck

(___)

-- Dennis Malick

80s and 8s

Rainy-Day Reading: Bumped-Up Benchmarks Will Have To Wait a Year for Appeal -- see below

TENNIS E-News

Oct. 04, 2007 Vol. VI, No. 104
South Carolina Tennis 2006 Media Award Winner
Hilton Head Island SC

It's Mens' 75s, but …

Battle of the Octagonists*: 341 Years … and It Went to a Third-Set Match Tiebreak

HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- It’s called the Men’s 75s, but last week’s Wexford Juvenilities vs. Country Club of Hilton Head match turned into something from another decade. With the match deadlocked at one court each, victory turned on the outcome on #3 Doubles court -- Wexford’s Frits Dumpel and Herb Derman, both age 86, against 87-year-old L.A. Sands and youngster Rick Perrini, 82.

First set 6-1 to Juvenilities.

Second set 7-6 tiebreak to Dumpel/Derman.

Third set match tiebreak went to Wexford 10-8.

“Winner irrelevant,” commented local senior men's coordinator and 75s league founder Don Grider. “This is what it is all about, folks.”

Grider emailed match details to, among others, an upstate senior coordinator, who quipped back: “You should’ve made them play out the third set!”

(Nittynote: Of course, TennisLink would have it that the match score was 6-1, 6-7, 1-0 because of its dumb-ass 1-0 usage instead of the actual match score.)

(**kay, so we made up a word for 80s guys tennisbattling.)

8-, 10- & 12-&-Under Age Categories

36/60 Junior Tennis Tournament Will Use Short-Court Format for Novice Players

BLUFFTON SC (TENNIS E-News) -- Bluffton High School tennis courts will be site Oct. 27 and 28 of a novice boys and girls 36/60 tennis tournament with modified courts for play and using tennis training balls to enhance the hitting experience.

Entry fee for the all-singles event is $20 entry fee with three matches guaranteed. All entrants will get a tournament T-shirt and awards will go to winners.

Three playing divisions will be conducted: 8 & under (36-ft. court using Speed balls and short net); 10 & under (60-ft. court using Transition balls); 12 & under (60-ft. court using Transition balls). Participants need to be able to serve from the appropriate distance and score, event director Brett Robertson said. Abbreviated matches may be held, depending on draw sizes.

An entry form is an attachment to this issue. For more information, contact Lowcountry Sports Network's Robertson at 816-2033 or Gavin Cox at 816-1665.

Marked in 2008 Championships

UPCOMING: Bumped-Up Benchmark Players Will Have To Wait One Year Before Appealing

HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- While the 2007 USTA League seasons are trundling toward completion, some new rating, appeals and related regulations are appearing on the 2008 horizon -- a couple that would be major changes in makeup of HHI league teams.

Actions that were taken at USTA National meetings at USOpen time are filtering down through section and district (state) officials, to be laid out soon to local organizations.

One move termed a "major" change will affect "benchmark" players who are bumped up in end-of-year ratings. What's a "benchmark"? That's any player who advances "beyond local round robin play to local playoff, state, sectionals or nationals," USTA Southern Director of Adult Tennis Marilyn Sherman explains.

District/area, section and national championship benchmark players who are bumped up will not be able to appeal their upgrades for a year after the "promotion", meaning that a 3.5 upgraded to 4.0 will have to stay at 4.0 a year before appealing. "USTA initially reported that this ruling would affect players in '07 championships and be applied to the start of the '08 league year," Sherman said, "but have since clarified their intent to implement for those players competing in ' 08 championships."

Read that: All benchmark players will not be upgraded. However, those who are will have to wait a year to appeal that upgrading. And this will not take affect until 2008 playoffs begin in Spring Senior and Adult leagues.

In other related matters, Sherman reported:

> Southern majority (9 states including SC) continues to prefer offering the straight Super Senior levels (3.0, 3.5, etc.) even though some other sections use the combine levels (combo 6.0, 7.0, etc., meaning a 3.5/2.5 Ohio doubles team could face a 3.0 HHI team).

> Showing actual match tiebreak scores on TennisLink instead of "1-0" for league matches is a low priority, even though actual scores are used in USTA-sanctioned tournaments. "If the league developers and tournament developers had been on same 'page', you would likely have seen the actual score (recorded) in league matches," Sherman said.

> The USTA is exploring several recommendations to change the way ratings are displayed. Some advocate showing more detail -- even to the point that everyone sees his/her rating change each day (I am a 3.43 today and a 3.48 tomorrow.). Many pros and cons are stated on each side…stay tuned!

"We are going to put together a 'short and simple' fact sheet regarding NTRP myths and truths and will distribute it within the next month," Sherman said. About the benchmarks, she said most people incorrectly believe it means you are at the top of the level, when it only means you advanced beyond local round robin play to local playoff, state, sectionals or nationals.

Updating Dana … beyond tournament directing

KANSAS CITY MO (TENNIS E-News exclusive via Shelby Secret) -- For several years, HHIsland tournament players were accustomed to Dana Andis directing them to courts in Palmetto Dunes tournaments. Dana has some new directing now. Having stepped aside from region rep for HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports, she has become sales manager of a 30-year-old sporting goods outfit in KC about to open a new store with a 16,000 sq. ft. warehouse that will encompass a hitting alley the size of a singles court. 5,000 sq. ft. will be retail and the rest will be warehouse space. Says Dana: "WATCH OUT, Tennis Warehouse, here comes Tennis Set! We will be online with e-commerce soon (www.tennisset.com ) but will go national starting in January."

From a TENNIS E-News reader: "Just curious to see if you ever report on interclub tennis?" HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- Every once in a while, TENNIS E-News will mention women's interclub and the fact that women's interclub does not want anything written about it and has frequently stated so. Guess it is time to mention that again. We want to give women's interclub as much promotion as men's. It has been explained that women's interclub is "just for fun" and is "not competitive". Guess what? Same for men's interclub, but why is there some reason we shouldn't be talking about something this is fun?????

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( ) I told my doc that I broke my leg in two places. He told me to stop going to those places.

( ) -- Henny Youngman

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-- Dennis Malick