Florida Players Win 2 Team Titles at ITF Seniors Tennis World Championships

Florida tennis players were members of both U.S. teams that brought home cups last weekend from the 2018 International Tennis Federation (ITF) Seniors World Team Championships in Ulm, Germany.

The American contingent won titles in the Vonn Cramm Cup (Men’s 60) in which Naples’ Mark Vines competed, and the Maria Esther Bueno Cup (Women’s 50) which had Palm Beach Gardens’ Jenny Klitch as a member.

In the Von Cramm Cup final the U.S. edged Australia 2-1, with Vines and partner Wesley Cash (Chattanooga, Tenn.) winning the key doubles 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.

“It’s been tough, we’ve been on five world championship teams together, and this is the first time we were able to win,” said Vines of he and his doubles partner Cash. “Not having done it before and being so close — I’ve tasted that so many times, and that taste is not good. I’ve been training hard, the crowd was great, the atmosphere was awesome, and it having to come down to this match and being on the winning side feels good.”

The U.S women beat Germany 2-0 to win the Maria Esther Bueno Cup after finishing runner-up in 2017-16.

The event featured more than 120 athletes from 34 countries, and is the senior tennis equivalent of the Davis Cup and Fed Cup competitions, with top American tennis players representing their country in the 50-, 55- and 60-and-over age groups.

Mary Dailey (Delray Beach) was on the U.S. Maureen Connolly Cup women’s 55 & over team that finished third, and Stuart Saiki (Orlando) was on the U.S. Austria Cup men’s 55 & over team that finished in fourth place.

For more info and a list of the full U.S. team rosters go to www.usta.com/en/home/stay-current/national/team-usa-wins-two-titles-at-2018-itf-seniors-world-team-champion.html.