Broward County swept both championships over the weekend at the 2018 USTA Florida Mixed 18 & Over 7.0/9.0 League Sectionals, edging both opponents 2-1 in the finals and re-asserting itself into the race for the USTA Florida League Championship Cup.
The championships were contested on Oct. 6-8 at the USTA National Campus in Orlando. Broward’s fifth Florida League Sectionals title of the season moves it into a second-place tie with Pinellas County, and only one title behind Duval and Hillsborough counties in first place with six titles (see standings below). The USTA Florida League Championship Cup is annually awarded to the county with the most league sectionals titles during the league sectionals championships season.
Both Broward championship teams were captained by Kevin Sims and are from the Dillon Tennis Center in Oakland Park, just north of Ft. Lauderdale. Multiple players were on both team rosters, giving the captain additional options as he juggled line-ups.
“It was a stressful weekend in a good way for me, taking two mixed doubles teams to sectionals,” Sims said. “But the end results were rewarding. I didn’t bring many players, I had to switch players in and out on both teams, so I know by the end of the tournament they were exhausted.
“All my players had an amazing time at sectionals. For many it was their first time at sectionals and for some their first time involved with USTA League. Some of my newer players were nervous and thought they were out of their league before they began to play. I had to build up their confidence and let them know the opponents were no better than they were. The weekend championship sweep was totally unexpected.”
Broward in the 9.0 final defeated Hillsborough County (Harbour Island Athletic Club, Tampa) 2-1, snapping a two-year winning streak in the division by Pinellas County. In the 7.0 final Broward fought past Seminole County (Red Bug Lake Park, Casselberry) 2-1, winning the division for the second time in the last three years.
The event drew the top Mixed 18 & Over USTA League teams from throughout Florida, representing various clubs, parks, recreational departments and organizations that finished at the top of their local leagues. Teams consisted of three doubles lines competing in a non-elimination round-robin format, with flight winners advancing into a single-elimination semifinal followed by the final.
The two Broward teams will next represent the USTA Florida Section at the USTA League Mixed 18 & Over National Championships on Nov. 9-11, 2018 at the Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.
Final Results:
Mixed 18 & Over 9.0 Division
Final: Broward County (Dillon Tennis Center, Oakland Park) d. Hillsborough County (Harbour Island Athletic Club, Tampa) 2-1
Championship Match Results:
No. 1 Doubles: Sheri Adler/Timothy House (Broward) d. Lisa Haidermota/Richard Sobieray 6-3, 6-2
No. 2 Doubles: Fabiana Taverna-Saballos/Geoff Gale (Hillsborough) d. Ronald Coletto/Claire Morineau 6-2, 6-4
No. 3 Doubles: Agustin Torres/Erin Pasternack (Broward) d. Lisa Balsera/Chip Broecker 6-3, 6-1
Broward Season Roster: Kevin Sims (captain), Caprice Thomas, Kelly Painter, Juan Molina, Erin Pasternack, Ronald Coletto, Gabriel Arraiz, Bryant Mohns, Timothy House, Lorena Villar Seminario de Guzman-Barron, Claire Morineau, Richelle Tankersley, Calvin Sullivan, Sebastien Malfanti, Agustin Torres, Sahar Moghaddam, Sheri Adler
Mixed 18 & Over 7.0 Division
Final: Broward County (Dillon Tennis Center, Oakland Park) d. Seminole County (Red Bug Lake Park, Casselberry) 2-1
Championship Match Results:
No. 1 Doubles: Kelly Painter/Lissette Loddo (Broward) d. Madelyn Escudero/Jason Shiver 2-6, 6-2, 1-0
No. 2 Doubles: Pedro Hernandez/Irene Stephenson (Seminole) d. Julian Gil/Carolina Varela 4-6, 6-4, 1-0
No. 3 Doubles: Michael Stites/Marieli Tirado (Broward) d. William Demetriades/Adania Betancourt 6-1, 6-2
Broward Season Roster: Kevin Sims (captain), Heather Cooper, Karen Williams, Kelly Painter, Michael Stites, Sahar Moghaddam, Rene Elvir, Marcus Pfenninger, Ronald Coletto, Julian Gil, Lissette Loddo, Andrew Brown, Patricia Sarmiento, Carla Neopensi, Carolina Varela, Marieli Tirado, Edward Gaela
NTRP levels of Mixed 18 & Over team play were 7.0 and 9.0. For more information on NTRP levels go to www.usta.com/en/home/play/play-as-a-member/national/about-ntrp-ratings.html.
2018 USTA FLORIDA LEAGUE
CHAMPIONSHIP CUP STANDINGS
Broward swept both titles at the Mixed 18 & Over 7.0/9.0 league sectionals, vaulting them into a tie for second place. The USTA Florida League Championship Cup is awarded to the county with the most league sectionals titles during the 2018 season (standings through Oct. 9, recent winners in bold):
1T. Duval County (6 titles) — 65&Over-W6.0, 55&Over-W3.0, 18&Over-W2.5/W.4.5/M4.5/W5.0+
1T. Hillsborough County (6) — 55&Over-M3.5/4.0/4.5,W4.5, X40&Over-7.0, 18&Over-M5.0+
3T. Broward County (5) — 40&Over-M3.5/W3.5, 18&Over-M4.0, X18&Over-7.0/9.0
3T. Pinellas County (5) — 65&Over-W7.0/8.0, 55&Over-W3.5/4.0, 40&Over-W4.5+
5. Collier County (4) — 65&Over-M7.0/8.0, 40&Over-W4.0, 18&Over-W4.0
6. Miami-Dade County (3) — X40&Over-9.0, 40&Over-M4.0, 18&Over-W3.0
7T. Leon County (2) — 40&Over-M3.0, 18&Over-M3.0
7T. Orange County (2) — 40&Over-M4.5+, 18&Over-M3.5
9T. Escambia County (1) — X40&Over-6.0
9T. Martin County (1) — X40&Over-8.0
9T. Osceola County (1) — 40&Over-W3.0
9T. Seminole County (1) — 18&Over-W3.5
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: Oct. 13, Mixed 18 & Over 6.0/8.0/10.0, 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.
