Orlando’s Saiki on Winning U.S. ITF Seniors World Tennis Team

The U.S. men’s 55 & over and women’s 60 & over teams

Orlando’s Stuart Saiki was a member of the U.S. Austria Cup (men’s 55 & over) team that captured the championship last week at the ITF Seniors World Team Championships in Miami, where American teams won two titles.

In 55 & over team final the U.S. defeated Italy 3-0. Also on the squad were captain Michael Tammen (Portland, Ore.), Kenneth White (Elma, N.Y.), and William Moss (Malibu, Calif.).

The U.S. Alice Marble Cup (women’s 60 & over) defeated Great Britain 2-1 in their final to retain the Cup for the fourth time. The team was comprised of Diane Barker (Daniel Island, S.C.), Susan Wright (Grand Junction, Colo.), Patricia Purcell (St. Louis) and Leslie Airola-Murveit (Portola Valley, Calif.)

Other U.S. teams were the Maria Esther Bueno Cup women’s 50 & over finishing second for the second year in a row, the Von Cramm Cup men’s 60 & over team finishing in third place, the Maureen Connolly Cup women’s 55 & over in fifth place, and the Fred Perry Cup men’s 50 & over team finishing in 8th place.

The tournament 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. The event was held at North Shore, Miami Beach; Crandon Park Tennis and Crandon Golf Course, Key Biscayne; and the Flamingo Park Tennis Center, Miami Beach.
 
Following the ITF Seniors World Team Championships, the World Individual Championships will be held Nov. 4-11 in Miami.

For more info go to www.usta.com.