Broward County captured three titles while teams from Duval, Escambia, and Sarasota County also raised trophies at the 2019 Tri-Level Sectional Championships, held Jan. 25-27, 2020 at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla.
For the second straight year, the Broward County men defended the title for the 3.5/4.0/4.5 division, when the squad from Dillion Tennis Center in Oakland Park swept Duval County (Ponte Vedra Club, Vedra Beach) 3-0 in the Championship Match. Broward County also kept hold of the 3.0/3.5/4.0 division for another year, when the team from Midtown Athletic Club in Weston prevailed over Marion County (Country Club of Ocala, Ocala).
Also taking home titles were the women from Duval County (San Jose Country Club, Jacksonville), Escambia County (Roger Scott Tennis Center, Pensacola), and Sarasota County (Landings Racquet Club, Sarasota). Orange/Seminole County made a strong showing as the runner-up in three separate divisions, women’s 4.0/4.5/5.0, women’s 3.5/4.0/4.5, and the women’s 3.0/3.5/4.0.
Tri-Level League is a doubles format designed to provide a unique team league opportunity by combining players of differing NTRP levels on teams in local competition, advancing to state/regional championships, and to the national championships for the 3.5/4.0/4.5 divisions.
“The Tri-Level program has had steady growth over the past few years, with 49 teams competing this season,” said USTA Florida Adult Tennis Event Coordinator Jodi Manning. “It’s a great opportunity for players who want to take part in a socially-competitive league because it combines the company of friends with the ultimate team experience.”
The winners of the 3.5/4.0/4.5 divisions, the Broward County women (Midtown Athletic Club, Weston) and men (Dillon Tennis Center, Oakland Park) advance to the national Tri-Level Championships, held March 19-22, 2020 during the final weekend of the BNP Paribas Open ATP/WTA event in Indian Wells, Calif.
For more info go to bnpparibasopen.com.
Championship results:
Women’s 4.0/4.5/5.0 Division
Final: Sarasota County (Landings Racquet Club, Sarasota) finished ahead of Orange/Seminole County (Lake Cane Tennis Center, Orlando) 4-0 to 2-2 in round-robin play
Sarasota County Season Roster: Barbara Lancer (captain), Amy Lyons, Yudi Carpenter, Kate Thayer-Rhodes, Kelly Dancer, Kathy Rosenberg, Sarah Winters, Christina Solomon, Tanya Keith, Jennifer Fiers, Ann Lammers, Jennifer Peters, Rosa Rojas Weis, Jennifer Bright, Jacqueline Faulk
Women’s 3.5/4.0/4.5 Division
Final: Broward County (Midtown Athletic Club, Weston) d. Orange/Seminole County (USTA National Campus, Orlando) 3-0
Championship Match Results:
4.5 Doubles: Rosamaria Rodriguez/Laura Di Lauro (Broward) d. Elissa Rizzi/Laura Savage 7-6, 7-5
4.0 Doubles: Lorena Villar Seminario de Guzman-Barron/Cindy Conine (Broward) d. Kyrsten Crociata/Madelyn Escudero 6-4, 6-3
3.5 Doubles: Sarah Nickoson/Maria Suarez (Broward) d. Jennifer Wysocki/Alvida Groom 6-4, 7-5
Broward County Season Roster: Maria Vegas de Pardo (captain), Taciana Kalili, Natalia Moll, Liz Sobel, Sarah Nickoson, Liliana Albrecht, Patricia Williams, Clarena Furtado, Maria Suarez, Ivy Touchstone, Rosana Pereira, Cindy Conine, Rosamaria Rodriguez, Barbara Barrios, Laura Di Luaro, Monica Candamo, Lorena Villar Seminario de Guzman-Barron
Men’s 3.5/4.0/4.5 Division
Final: Broward County (Dillon Tennis Center, Oakland Park) d. Duval County (Ponte Vedra Club, Vedra Beach) 3-0
Championship Match Results:
4.5 Doubles: Marc Winkler/Agustin Crochi Torres (Broward) d. Ethan Van Voorhis/Joey Kinderman 6-4, 6-7, 1-0
4.0 Doubles: Anthony Phillips/Jorge Gonzalez (Broward) d. John Huynh/Andres Gutierrez 6-3, 6-4
3.5 Doubles: Michael Stites/Marcus Pfenninger (Broward) d. Jason Collins/Richard Rivas 6-2, 6-2
Broward County Season Roster: Kevin Sims (captain), Timothy House, Marcus Pfenninger, Michael Stites, Anthony Phillips, Patricio Casali, Andrew Brown, Marc Winkler, Agustin Crochi Torres, Jorge Gonzalez, Humphrey Allen, Rene Elvir
Women’s 3.0/3.5/4.0 Division
Final: Escambia County (Roger Scott Tennis Center, Pensacola) d. Orange/Seminole County (USTA National Campus, Orlando) 2-1
Championship Match Results:
4.0 Doubles: Jamie Alamia/Genell Ferrell (Orange-Seminole) d. Shellie McCall/Tami Manning 6-3, 6-4
3.5 Doubles: Darlene Warner/Jeanie Ephron (Escambia) d. Lisa Miller/Alisa Wolfe 7-6, 6-2
3.0 Doubles: Anna Del Gallo/Sue Nast (Escambia) d. Kathleen Sipio/Cheryl Tolentino-Bernabe 7-5, 6-1
Escambia County Season Roster: Gino Bevino (captain), Tonya DeGallo, Virginia Graybiel, Karen Penn, Darlene Warner, Heather Ondra, Jacqueline Wallace, Shellie McCall, Sue Nast, Anna Del Gallo, Jennifer Ghiorso, Hunter Strobel, Jeanie Ephron, Wendy Hart, Retsy Wilson, Debbie Cook, Tami Manning
Men’s 3.0/3.5/4.0 Division
Final: Broward County (Midtown Athletic Club, Weston) d. Marion County (County Club of Ocala, Ocala) 3-0
Championship Match Results:
4.0 Doubles: Nick Boros/Alejandro Arraiz (Broward) d. H. Wayne Steed/Kevin Hewitson 6-0, 6-1
3.5 Doubles: Juan Pablo Rincon/Pietro Lopriore (Broward) d. Scott Anthony/Joe Lagano 2-6, 6-0, 1-0
3.0 Doubles: Carlos Alesson/Reinaldo Marquez (Broward) d. Jeff Zysek/Fernando Mercado-Cruz 6-3, 6-2
Broward County Season Roster: Jorge Prado (captain), Saeid Sadoughi, Juan Pablo Rincon, Alejandro Arraiz, Nick Boros, Carlose Alesson, Jeffrey Sturman, Pietro Lopriore, Reinaldo Marquez, Carlos Haupf
Women’s 2.5/3.0/3.5 Division
Final: Duval County (San Jose Country Club, Jacksonville) finished ahead of Alachua County (Westside Park, Gainesville) 3-0 to 2-1 in round-robin play
Duval County Season Roster: Anna Valent (captain), Anita Morrill, Julie Boone, Whitney Riley, Lacy Gregory, Emily Katsikas, Allison Wise, Erica Kirk, Heather Riley, Emily Dostie, Meg Sheffield, Dixie McDaniel de Andrade, Ambur Finley, Kate Jones, Catherine Schaefer, Kathleen Lebet, Vickie Nelson, Michelle Kalil, Betsey Windslow, Ann Candler Strohmenger, Margaret Samuels
For more info on Tri-Level or other USTA Florida Leagues, or to sign-up for a league, go to www.ustaflorida.com/leagues.
