Pinellas Among USTA Florida League 40 & Over Tennis Winners, Takes Top Leaderboard Spot

Forty-eight local USTA League champion teams entered, and four exited with USTA Florida League Sectional titles and berths to the USTA League National Championships later this year.

Marion County (Ft. King Tennis Center, Ocala), Leon County (Forestmeadows Park & Athletic Center, Tallahassee), Pinellas County (St. Pete Tennis Center), and South Miami-Dade County (Alper Jewish Community Center, Miami) were winners over the weekend at the 2015 USTA Florida Adult 40 & Over 3.0/4.0 League Sectional Championships, held July 10-12 at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs and at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach.

Marion and South Miami-Dade counties came up just short of collecting two sectional titles each, falling in the finals of the Men’s 3.0 for Marion and the Women’s 3.0 for South Miami-Dade. Collier and Broward counties also came up just short of adding to their USTA Florida Sectional title tallies over the weekend, edged 3-2 in finals.

The Florida 3.0 men’s and women’s champions will advance to the 2015 USTA League Adult 40 & Over 3.0 National Championships on Oct. 16-18 in Tucson, Ariz.

The Florida 4.0 men’s and women’s champions will advance to the 2015 USTA League Adult 40 & Over 4.0 National Championships on Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in Indian Wells, Calif.

Championship Finals:

40 & Over 3.0 Women

Final: Marion County (Ft. King Tennis Center, Ocala) d. South Miami-Dade County (Shula’s Athletic Club, Miami Lakes) 4-1
Championship Match Results:
No. 1 Singles: Jennifer Boyd (Marion) d. Purisima Paulino 5-7, 6-1, 1-0 (super-tiebreak)
No. 2 Singles: Andrea Gil (SMD) d. Dina Sapienza 6-1, 6-4
No. 1 Doubles: Natalie Petsche/Lauren Joyce (Marion) d. Michelle Diaz/Paula Isola 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 Doubles: Carol Mecca/Renuka Swaminathan (Marion) d. Marta Torres/Judith Gallo-White 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 Doubles: Michele Saxon/Lori Croley (Marion) d. Ana Maria Espinal/Maria Dominguez 6-3, 6-0
Marion County Season Roster: Lauren Joyce (captain), Joan Matlock, Catherine Fitzpatrick, Elizabeth Leaird, Jennifer Boyd, Lorna Slowikowski, Natalie Petsche, Carol Mecca, Mary Nadenik, Cheryl Mulhern, Michele Saxon, Renuka Swaminathan, Lori Croley, Michelle Knox, Marge Malone, Dina Sapienza

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40 & Over 3.0 Men

Final: Leon County (Forestmeadows Park & Athletic Center, Tallahassee) finished ahead of Marion County (Ft. King Tennis Center, Ocala) 3-0 to 2-1 in round robin play
RR Match Result-Leon vs. Marion:
No. 1 Singles: Andrew Lawyer (Leon) d. Douglas Massinger 0-6, 7-6, 1-0 (super-tiebreak)
No. 2 Singles: Hal Avery (Leon) d. James Saxon 0-6, 7-6, retired
No. 1 Doubles: Jeffrey Banka/Russell Marsh (Leon) d. John Berg/John Zito 6-4, 6-2
No. 2 Doubles: Robert Salat/Phil Rath (Marion) d. Dan Johnson/Thomas Bahorski 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (super-tiebreak)
No. 3 Doubles: Dean Richards/William Massey (Leon) d. Jerry McLauchlin/Paul Petsche 6-2, 7-5
Leon County Season Roster: Andrew Lawyer (captain), William Massey, Dan Johnson, Hal Avery, Jeffrey Banka, Dean Richards, Victor Cordiano, Russell Marsh, Elmer Ignacio, Thomas Bahorski, Jay Jaskolski

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40 & Over 4.0 Women

Final: Pinellas County (St. Pete Tennis Center) d. Collier County (Sanchez-Casal Academy, Naples) 3-2
Championship Match Results:
No. 1 Singles: Gabriela Montero (Pinellas) d. Lisa Weiler 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 Singles: Teresa Thompson (Pinellas) d. Barbara Maas 6-2, 6-3
No. 1 Doubles: Frances Strazzulla/Tammy Trace (Pinellas) d. Trish Erickson/Tamara Small 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 Doubles: Nannette Staropoli/Terry Dirr (Collier) d. Kay Caldwell/Kim Fernald 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (super-tiebreak)
No. 3 Doubles: Kelly Foote/Karen Drayton (Collier) d. Nancy Bahls/Clara Reynolds 6-1, 6-2
Pinellas County Season Roster: Janet Matthews (captain), Virginie Khare, Ann White, Ellen Johnson, Kay Caldwell, Clara Reynolds, Teresa Thompson, Tammy Trace, Jaclyn Turner, Kim Fernald, Norma Rizzo, Gabriela Montero, Nancy Bahls, Frances Strazzulla

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40 & Over 4.0 Men

Final: South Miami-Dade County (Alper Jewish Community Center, Miami) d. Broward County (City of Oakland Park) 3-2
Championship Match Results:
No. 1 Singles: Lisardo Garcia (SMD) d. Jamilee Armbruster 7-6, 7-6
No. 2 Singles: Javier Dugarte (SMD) d. Ronald Sica 4-6, 6-1, 1-0 (super-tiebreak)
No. 1 Doubles: Michael Curry/Christian Reyes (Broward) d. Christopher Kurtz/Glen Thomas 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 Doubles: Troy Tom/Tony AhChow (SMD) d. Jason Dalbo/Robert McCartha 6-4, 6-4
No. 3 Doubles: Dennis Docil/Mike Tichacek (Broward) d. Frank Fernandez/Nick Newbury 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (super-tiebreak)
SMD Season Roster: Glen Thomas (captain), Christian Walker, Robert Andersen, Gary Paulin, Nick Newbury, Heverth Rios, Troy Tom, Javier Dugarte, Juan Alvarez, Christopher Kurtz, Frank Fernandez, Gustavo Tijerino, Antony Smith, Tony AhChow, Lisardo Garcia, Neil Chinyou

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The NTRP (National Tennis Rating Program) scale progresses from 2.5 (beginner) to 5.0 (advanced) for USTA Florida League championship events. For more information on NTRP levels go to www.usta.com/Adult-Tennis/USTA-League/Information/About_NTRP.

2015 USTA FLORIDA ADULT LEAGUE
SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE LEADERS

Pinellas County with their win the in 40 & Over Women’s 4.0 division took sole possession of the top spot on the leaderboard for USTA Florida League Sectionals titles thus far in 2015 (through July 13):

1. Pinellas County (4 titles) — 65 & Over M8.0, W8.0, Mixed 40 & Over 6.0, 40 & Over W4.0
2. Duval County (3) — 65 & Over W6.0, 55 & Over W4.0, 55 & Over M3.5
3. Indian River/Martin/St. Lucie counties (2) — 65 & Over W7.0, 55 & Over W3.5
4T. Broward County (1) — 55 & Over W4.5
4T. Collier County (1) — 55 & Over W3.0
4T. Escambia County (1) — Mixed 40 & Over 8.0
4T. Hillsborough County (1) — 55 & Over M4.0
4T. Lee/Charlotte counties (1) — 65 & Over M7.0
4T. Leon County (1) — 40 & Over M3.0
4T. Marion County (1) — 40 & Over W3.0
4T. Orange/Seminole counties (1) — Mixed 40 & Over 7.0
4T. Sarasota County (1) — 55 & Over M4.5
4T. South Miami-Dade (1) — 40 & Over M4.0
4T. Volusia/Flagler counties (1) — Mixed 40 & Over 6.0

The next USTA Florida League Section Championship will be the 2015 Adult 40 & Over 3.5 League Sectional Championships on July 17-19 at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach.

For more info visit www.USTAFlorida.com/leagues.