Marion County (Ft. King Tennis Center, Ocala) stopped Volusia/Flagler counties from winning a second straight title, and Pinellas County (St. Pete Tennis Center) took home a Florida state title at the 2016 USTA Florida Mixed 40 & Over 6.0/8.0 League Sectional Championships, held May 13-15 at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach.
The Ocala mixed team edged defending champion Volusia/Flagler counties 2-1 for the title, while Pinellas was also a 2-1 winner in their final over Miami-Dade South (Coral Pine Park, Pinecrest).
The Ocala and St. Pete teams advance to represent the USTA Florida Section at the 2016 USTA League Mixed 40 & Over 6.0 & 8.0 National Championships on Nov. 4-6 in Surprise, Ariz.
Final results:
Mixed 40 & Over 6.0 Division
Final: Marion County (Ft. King Tennis Center, Ocala) d. Volusia/Flagler counties (Hammock Beach Resort, Palm Coast) 2-1
Championship Results:
No. 1 Doubles: Luis Rosario/Carmen Rosario (Marion) d. Jerry Sauers/Debs Morlan-Sauers 6-4, 6-1
No. 2 Doubles: Natalya Gordon/Edward Pratt (V/F) d. Michael Holloway/Sally Bromund 1-6, 7-6, 1-0 (super-tiebreak)
No. 3 Doubles: Scott Anthony/Cristal Brown (Marion) d. Stacey Effner/Luis Carrascosa 6-0, 6-4
Ocala Season Roster: James Saxon (captain), Michael Holloway, Cristal Brown, Scott Anthony, Carmen Rosario, Vuday Nandur, Michele Saxon, Luis Rosario, Natalie Petsche, Sally Bromund, Bethann VanDenHandel, Paul Petsche, Danny York, Amanda Daugherty, Stephanie Crawford, Jerry McLauchlin, Jeff Finke, Jennifer Alberty, John Zito
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Mixed 40 & Over 8.0 Division
Final: Pinellas County (St. Pete Tennis Center) d. Miami-Dade South (Coral Pine Park, Pinecrest) 2-1
Championship Results:
No. 1 Doubles: David Biren/Mary Paul (Pinellas) d. Tracey Kealy/Troy Tom 6-2, 6-3
No. 2 Doubles: Guillermo Gonzalez/Sandra Bazain (M-D) d. Thinh Duong/Kathryn Douglas 6-4, 6-7, 1-0 (super-tiebreak)
No. 3 Doubles: Albert Alhadeff/Lynn O’Brien (Pinellas) d. Elizabeth Gonzalez/Christian Walker 6-4, 6-0
St. Pete Season Roster: John Green (captain), Mary Paul, Albert Alhadeff, Kathryn Douglas, Mary Miller, David King, Brian Kenney, Joseph Starnes, Gerald Alvarado, Linda Wolf, Kay Caldwell, Kerryn Ellson, David Biren, Lynn O’Brien, Thinh Duong
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The event drew the top 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. The winner of each flight/division was determined by team matches won. The winner of each flight advanced into a single-elimination semifinal followed by the final.
NTRP levels of play will be a combined 6.0 and 8.0. For more information on NTRP levels go to www.usta.com/Adult-Tennis/USTA-League/Information/About_NTRP.
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.
USTA League was established to provide adult recreational tennis players throughout the country with the opportunity to compete against players of similar ability levels. Players participate on teams in a league format, which is administered by the USTA through its 17 Sections. 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.
2016 USTA FLORIDA ADULT LEAGUE
SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE LEADERS
Last year’s sectional titles champion Pinellas County ties Collier for the top spot after claiming a title at the 40 & Over Mixed sectionals. Here are the league sectional title leaders through four league sectionals events this year (through May 16, most recent winners in bold):
1T. Collier County (3 titles) — 65&Over W6.0, 55&Over M3.5, 55&Over W4.5
1T. Pinellas County (3) — 65&Over W6.0, 55&Over W4.0, 40&Over X8.0
3. Marion County (2) — 55&Over M3.0, 40&Over X6.0
4T. Alachua County (1) — 65&Over M6.0
4T. Broward County (1) — 55&Over M4.5
4T. Clay County (1) — 55&Over W3.0
4T. Indian River County (1) — 65&Over W7.0
4T. Lee/Charlotte counties (1) — 65&Over M7.0
4T. Nassau County (1) — 65&Over W8.0
4T. Polk County (1) — 65&Over M8.0
4T. Volusia County (1) — 55&Over W3.5
Next USTA Florida League Sectionals: May 20-22, 2016 Mixed 40 & Over 7.0/9.0
For more tournament information go to www.ustaflorida.com/event/2016-mixed-40-60-80-sectional-championships.
