Alachua County (DB Racquet Club, Gainesville), Duval County (Jacksonville Golf & C.C), Hillsborough County (Hillsborough Community College, Tampa), and Miami-Dade South (Coral Pine Park, Pinecrest) lifted trophies over the weekend when the USTA Florida 55 & Over Sectionals Tennis Championships were held on May 18-20, 2019, at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach.
Alachua, Hillsborough and Miami-Dade South won their first sectional titles of the 2019 season. Duval won its second and took the lead in the standings for the 2019 USTA Florida League Championship Cup, awarded to the county with the most sectional titles during the year (see current standings below).
Hillsborough County successfully defended its sectionals title in the women’s 4.5 from 2018, advancing to nationals for a second straight year in the division.
Duval County nearly won two titles but was edged in the women’s 4.5 round robin by Hillsborough by one match.
The four championship teams next advance to represent the USTA Florida Section at the USTA 55 & Over League National Championships on Oct. 25-27 for the 3.5, and on Nov. 1-3 for the 4.5, both in Surprise, Ariz.
Teams consisting of three doubles lines competed in a non-elimination round-robin format. The winner of each flight/division was determined by team matches won. The winner of each flight then advanced into a single-elimination semifinal followed by the final. NTRP levels of play were 3.5 and 4.5. For more information on NTRP levels go to www.usta.com.
Division winners and finalists:
55 & Over Women’s 3.5 Division
Final: Alachua County (DB Racquet Club, Gainesville) d. Escambia County (Roger Scott Tennis Center, Pensacola) 2-1
Championship Match Results:
No. 1 Doubles: Selma Dudley/Darlene Warner (Escambia) d. Susie Finfrock/Christa Arnold 6-3, 6-2
No. 2 Doubles: Beth Mills/Tahereh Toghiyani (Alachua) d. Kristyn Miller/Jacqueline Wallace 6-2, 7-5
No. 3 Doubles: Marcia MacWiliams/Pamela Wright (Alachua) d. Vicki Carson/Terry Armstrong 6-2, 5-7, 1-0
Alachua Season Roster: Susie Finfrock (captain), Susie Smith, Marcia MacWiliams, Lori Harrison, Pamela Wright, Jane Catalanotto, Christine Tucker, Anita Frankenberger, Lisette Staal, Tahereh Toghiyani, Christa Arnold, Rhonda Mashburn, Cathy Hitchcock, Beth Mills, Kjerstin Terry
55 & Over Men’s 3.5 Division
Final: Miami-Dade South (Coral Pine Park, Pinecrest) d. Sarasota County (Meadows Racquet Club, Sarasota) 3-0
Championship Match Results:
No. 1 Doubles: Michael Pradhan/Madatali Panjwani (Miami) d. Andre Lessard/Roger Pierce 6-2, 6-3
No. 2 Doubles: Mike Tichacek/John Sullivan (Miami) d. Bill Reiter/Jeffrey Zullo 6-1, 6-0
No. 3 Doubles: Raul Moskovitz/Carlos Serrano (Miami) d. John Lopez/Robert Deutsch 6-4, 6-2
Miami Season Roster: Michael Schlesinger (captain), Robert Clarington, Michael Pradhan, Carlos Serrano, Neil Bazain, Miguel Ramirez, Raul Moskovitz, James Derosset, Mike Tichacek, Ripton Laing, Norflett Harris, Cokes Watson, Carmelo Rubio, Gonzalo Vargas, John Sullivan, Madatali Panjwani
55 & Over Women’s 4.5 Division
Final: Hillsborough County (Hillsborough Community College, Tampa) finished ahead of Duval County (Glen Kernan, Jacksonville) in round robin play 5-0 to 4-1
Hillsborough Season Roster: Chris Bartos (captain), Sharon Benson, Mary Ann Porter, JoAnn Barbetta, Katie Healy, Faith Sincich, Denise Agnew, Jane Robinson, Donna Parimore
55 & Over Men’s 4.5 Division
Final: Duval County (Jacksonville Golf & C.C) finished ahead of Broward County (Parkland Tennis Center) in round robin play 3-1 tied, Duval wins the head-to-head tiebreak
Duval Season Roster: Bill Gist (captain), Curt Cavins, Louis Ballantyne, Thomas Prouty, Jamie McDaniel, William Koch, Tim Orr, John Andrews, Martin Luytjes, Kenneth Wood, Kevin Copeland, Kenn Terry, James Porterfield
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2019 USTA FLORIDA LEAGUE
CHAMPIONSHIP CUP STANDINGS
The USTA Florida League Championship Cup is awarded to the county with the most league sectionals titles during the 2019 season (standings through May 21, recent winners in bold):
1. Duval County (2 titles) — 65&Over-W7.0, 55&Over-M4.5
2T. Alachua County (1) — 55&Over-W3.5
2T. Broward County (1) — 65&Over-M8.0
2T. Collier County (1) — 65&Over-W6.0
2T. Escambia County (1) — 55&Over-W3.0
2T. Hillsborough County (1) — 55&Over-W4.5
2T. Marion County (1) — 65&Over-M7.0
2T. Miami-Dade South (1) — 55&Over-M3.5
2T. Palm Beach County (1) — 55&Over-M4.0
2T. Pinellas County (1) — 65&Over-W8.0
2T. Sarasota County (1) — 55&Over-W4.0
Note: County determined by location of team’s home club. Season-ending ties to be broken by teams’ 1st-4th place results at USTA League Nationals.
Next Sectionals: June 1-3 — Mixed 40 & Over 6.0/8.0, USTA National Campus, Orlando
Established in 1980, USTA League has grown from 13,000 participants in a few parts of the country in its first year to more than 904,000 players across the nation today, making it the world’s largest recreational tennis league. The league groups players by using six National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) levels, ranging from 2.5 (entry) to 5.0 (advanced). USTA League is open to any USTA member 18 years of age or older.
For more information on USTA Florida Leagues go to www.ustaflorida.com/leagues.
