Preview: Miami, Orlando 2-Time Defending Champs at USTA Florida League 3.0/4.0/5.0+ Sectionals

Two teams will attempt to become three-time consecutive champions at the 2016 USTA Florida 18 & Over 3.0/4.0/5.0+ League Sectional Championships, to be held Aug. 12-14, at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach and Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs.

Orlando/Seminole counties is the two-time defending champ in the Women’s 3.0 division, and Miami-Dade County-South is the two-time defending champ in the Men’s 4.0 division.

Other defending champs in the field are Broward County in both the Men’s 5.0+ and Women’s 4.0, and Hillsborough County in the Women’s 5.0+.

This year’s USTA Florida 18 & Over 3.0/4.0/5.0+ League Sectional Championships has drawn the top teams from throughout Florida, representing various clubs, parks, recreational departments and organizations that finished at the top of their local leagues.

Teams this weekend will compete in a non-elimination round-robin format. The winner of each flight/division will be determined by team matches won. The winner of each flight will then advance into a single-elimination semifinal followed by the final.

The 5.0+ level allows up to two 5.5-rated players on a roster, where the players must compete in the No. 1 singles or No. 1 doubles positions. The NTRP (National Tennis Rating Program) scale progresses from 2.5 (beginner) to 5.5 (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.

The 18 & Over 3.0 winners will represent the USTA Florida Section on Oct. 7-9 at the Surprise T&R Complex in Surprise, Ariz.

The 18 & Over 4.0 winners will represent the USTA Florida Section on Sept. 23-25 at the Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

The 18 & Over 5.0+ winners will represent the USTA Florida Section on Sept. 23-25 at the Copeland-Cox Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.

Teams competing this weekend:

18 & Over Women’s 5.0+

Broward County (City of Oakland Park), captain: Hermine Green
Duval County (Florida Yacht Club, Jacksonville), captain: Susan Kirby
Hillsborough County (Harbour Island Athletic Club, Tampa), captain: Miranda Gutierrez
Orange/Seminole counties (Interlachen Country Club, Winter Park), captain: Maura Weiner
Palm Beach County-South (South County Regional Park, Boca Raton), captain: Alka strippoli

18 & Over Men’s 5.0+

Alachua County (Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville), captain: Dave Porter
Broward County (Weston Hills Country Club, Weston), captain: Gabriel Arraiz
Duval County (Glen Kernan Country Club, Jacksonville), captain: Brian Landeweer
Hillsborough County (Westchase Swim & Tennis Center, Tampa), captain: Richard Beardsley
Orange/Seminole counties (MG Tennis, Orlando), captain: Joseph Sopko

18 & Over Women’s 4.0

Alachua County (DB Racquet Club, Gainesville), captain: Jennifer Kiousis
Brevard County (Desoto Tennis, Satellite Beach), captain: Jill Dusthimer
Broward County (Dillon Tennis Center, Oakland Park), captain: Theresa Caruso
Clay County (Club Continental, Orange Park), captain: Kathleen Pinho
Collier County (Heritage Bay Golf & Country Club, Naples), captain: Carole Flegel
Escambia County (The Club II, Gulf Breeze), captain: Jocelyn Leveque
Hillsborough County (River Hills Country Club, Valrico), captain: Theresa Anderson
Indian River County (Buttonwood Tennis Club, Stuart), captain: Cynthia Harkins
Lee/Charlotte counties (Punta Gorda YMCA), captain: Kathy Seward
Leon County (Forestmeadows Park, Tallahassee), captain: Denean Sykes
Marion County (Fort King Tennis Center, Ocala), captain: Christy Drawdy
Miami-Dade County-South (Next Level Tennis at Ktown, Coral Gables), captain: Marilyn Cheung
Orange/Seminole counties (Sanlando Park, Altamonte Springs), captain: Laura Kimbriel
Palm Beach County-South (Quail Ridge Country Club, Boynton Beach), captain: JoAnn Esau
Pinellas County (McMullen Tennis Center, Clearwater), captain: Lisa Oonk
Sarasota County (Bath and Racquet Club, Sarasota), captain: Cindy Snyder
Volusia County (Trails Racquet Club, Ormond Beach), captain: Christina Livingston

18 & Over Men’s 4.0

Alachua County (Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville), captain: Ashok Kumar
Broward County (Midtown Athletic Club, Weston), captain: Gustavo Risquez
Clay County (Eagle Harbor Country Club, Fleming Island), captain: Gregory Sapp
Collier County (Pelican Bay Community Park, Naples), captain: Steve Ferrell
Escambia County (Roger Scott Tennis Center, Pensacola), captain: Steven Campbell
Hillsborough County (Brandon Swim & Tennis), captain: Marvin Shienbaum
Indian River County (Hidden Palms Tennis & Swim Club, Vero Beach), captain: Frank Schlitt
Lee/Charlotte counties (no club affiliation), captain: Ken Savage
Leon County (Forestmeadows Park, Tallahassee), captain: Sachin Murthy
Marion County (Country Club of Ocala), captain: John Sperling
Miami-Dade County-North (Williams Island Club, Aventura), captain: Dean Dworkin
Miami-Dade County-South (Doral Park Country Club, Doral), captain: Eli Panell
Palm Beach County-South (Boca Lago Country Club, Boca Raton), captain: Philip Sokolov
Pinellas County (McMullen Tennis Complex, Clearwater), captain: Thomas Keller
Polk County (Beerman Family Tennis Center, Lakeland), captain: Joel Ramos
Sarasota County (Bath & Racquet Fitness Club, Sarasota), captain: James Williamson

18 & Over Women’s 3.0

Alachua County (DB Tennis, Gainesville), captain: Kikumi Gugel
Brevard County (Eau Gallie Yacht Club, Indian Harbour Beach), captain: Jennifer Thessen
Broward County (Midtown Athletic Club, Weston), captain: Liliana Gonzalez
Clay County (Eagle Harbor Country Club, Fleming Island), captain: Meredith Hoffmann
Collier County (Heritage Bay, Naples), captain: Kate Keillor
Escambia County (Pensacola Athletic Club), captain: Karen Penn
Hillsborough County (Tampa Palms), captain: Joanne Law
Indian River County (Magnolia Lakes, Port St. Lucie), captain: Barbara Burns
Lee/Charlotte counties (Cape Coral Racquet Club), captain: Karen Lookabaugh
Leon County (Forestmeadows Park, Tallahassee), captain: Tanya SigRist
Marion County (Fort King Tennis Center, Ocala), captain: Cheryl Mulhern
Miami-Dade County-South (Alper JCC, Miami), captain: Jane Forman
Orange/Seminole counties (Maitland Community Park), captain: Patty Blake
Polk County (Florida Southern College, Lakeland), captain: Sheryl Norman
Volusia County (Deland Tennis Club), captain: Rhonda Mullis

18 & Over Men’s 3.0

Alachua County (Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville), captain: Ed Thompson
Escambia County (Roger Scott Tennis Center, Pensacola), captain: Donald Green
Leon County (Tom Brown Park, Tallahassee), captain: Jeff Banka
Marion County (Fort King Tennis Center, Ocala), captain: James Saxon
Polk County (Florida Southern College, Lakeland), captain: Michael Strickland
St. Johns County (Sawgrass Country Club, Ponte Vedra Beach), captain: Luis Pontigo

For more info go to www.ustaflorida.com/events/category/adultevents/ustafloridaleaguetennis/ustafloridaleaguesectionchamps/list.