Preview: USTA Florida 40 & Over 3.5/4.5+ League Sectionals Tennis This Weekend

Escambia, Hillsborough and Pinellas teams will attempt to defend their championships from last year at the 2016 USTA Florida 40 & Over 3.5/4.5+ League Sectional Championships, held July 15-17 at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach and Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs.

Escambia County is the defending Women’s 3.5 champion, Hillsborough County was last year’s Women’s 4.5 champion, and Pinellas County last year won both the Men’s 3.5 and 4.5+ divisions. Pinellas County hangs on to a narrow lead on the 2016 USTA Florida League sectional titles leaderboard (see below).

This year’s USTA Florida 40 & Over 3.5/4.5+ 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.

The 40 & Over 3.5 league champions will advance to represent the USTA Florida Section at the USTA League 40 & Over 3.5 National Championships on Oct. 21-23, 2016 at the Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

The 40 & Over 4.5+ league champions will advance to represent the USTA Florida Section at the USTA League 40 & Over 4.5+ National Championships on Oct. 21-23, 2016 at the La Quinta Resort in La Quinta, Calif.

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 4.5+ level allows up to two 5.0-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 5.0 (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.

Teams competing this weekend:

40 & Over — Men’s 3.5 Division

Alachua County (Westside Park, Gainesville), captain: Ray Brady
Brevard County (Kiwi Tennis Club, Indian Harbour Beach), captain: Ron Dulay
Collier County (Quail West Country Club, Naples), captain: Ron Seese
Duval County (Boone Park, Jacksonville), captain: Stephen Bennett
Leon County (Forestmeadows Park, Tallahassee), captain: Andrew Lawyer
Hillsborough County (Brandon Sports & Aquatic), captain: Joe Panfilio
Marion County (Ft. King Tennis Center, Ocala), captain: Alan MacMurray
Orange/Seminole counties (Ft. Gatlin Tennis Center, Orlando), captain: Joe Baile
Pinellas County, captain: Todd Doane
Volusia County, captain: Larry Burt

40 & Over — Women’s 3.5

Alachua County (DB Tennis Club, Gainesville), captain: Susie Finfrock
Brevard County (Eau Gallie Yacht Club, Indian Harbour Beach), captain: Kimberly Tsamoutales
Broward County (Weston Tennis Center), captain: Betty Dell
Clay County (Eagle Landing Country Club, Orange Park), captain: Sue Newman
Collier County (City of Marco Island Racquet Center), captain: Andrea Washak
Escambia County (Roger Scott Tennis Center, Pensacola), captain: Kimberly Andrews
Hillsborough County, captain: Betty McIntosh
Indian River County (The Boulevard Tennis Club, Vero Beach), captain: Penelope Chambers
Lee/Charlotte counties (The Landings Tennis Club, Ft. Myers), captain: Cindy Gentleman
Leon County (Forestmeadows Tennis Center, Tallahassee), captain: Denean Sykes
Marion County (Ft. King Tennis Center, Ocala), captain: Karin Dean
Miami-Dade South (Dante Fascell Park, South Miami), captain: Rosy Bild
Orange/Seminole counties (Waterford Lakes, Orlando), captain: Diane Giordano
Pinellas County (Belleair Country Club), captain: Irene Hughes
Polk County, captain: Denise Saltman
Sarasota County (Payne Park, Sarasota), captain: Michelle McGrath
Volusia County (Florida Tennis Center, Daytona Beach), captain: Heather Gardner

40 & Over — Men’s 4.5+

Alachua County (Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville), captain: Ashok Kumar
Broward County (Jimmy Evert Tennis Center, Ft. Lauderdale), captain: Tom Cundy
Collier County (World Tennis Club, Naples), captain: Gerd Franke
Duval County (San Jose Country Club, Jacksonville), captain: Will Morgan
Hillsborough County (Cheval Athletic Club, Lutz), captain: Sean Vickery
Lee/Charlotte counties (Miromar Lakes), captain: Tom Fisher
Miami-Dade South (Tropical Park, Miami), captain: Herbert Portillo
Orange/Seminole counties (Orlando Tennis Center), captain: Shawn Keiling
Pinellas County, captain: Steven Ehrenpreis
Sarasota County (Longwood Run Tennis Center, Sarasota), captain: Alan Amero

40 & Over — Women’s 4.5+

Alachua County (DB Racquet Club, Gainesville), captain: Ekanong Van Roy
Brevard County (Fee Avenue Tennis Complex, Melbourne), captain: Elaine Vicari
Broward County (Frank Veltri Tennis Center, Plantation), captain: Veronica Wank
Duval County, captain: Cheryl Keller
Escambia County (The Club, Gulf Breeze), captain: Lori Gonzalez
Hillsborough County (Cheval Golf and Athletic Club, Lutz), captain: Denise Agnew
Miami-Dade South (Doral Park Country Club, Doral), captain: Maria Claudia Araujo
Orange/Seminole counties (Azalea Lane Tennis Center, Winter Park), captain: Kerry Sproles
Palm Beach-North (Indian Springs Country Club, Boynton Beach), captain: Debra Fieni
Pinellas County (Countryside Country Club, Clearwater), captain: Avery Zercoe
Sarasota County (Bath & Racquet Fitness Club, Sarasota), captain: Barbara Lancer

2016 USTA FLORIDA ADULT LEAGUE
SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE LEADERS

Pinellas County hangs on to the top spot on the leaderboard, with Collier, Marion and Volusia/Flagler counties one title behind. Here are the league sectional title leaders this year (through July 11, most recent winners in bold):

1. Pinellas County (4 titles) — 55&Over W4.0, 55&Over M4.0, 40&Over X8.0, 40&Over X9.0

2T. Collier County (3) — 65&Over W6.0, 55&Over M3.5, 55&Over W4.5
2T. Marion County (3) — 55&Over M3.0, 40&Over X6.0, 40&Over M3.0
2T. Volusia/Flagler counties (3) — 55&Over W3.5, 40&Over X7.0, 18&Over W-Open

5T. Lee/Charlotte counties (2) — 65&Over M7.0, 18&Over M-Open
5T. Miami-Dade County (2) — 40&Over W4.0, 40&Over M4.0

7T. Alachua County (1) — 65&Over M6.0
7T. Broward County (1) — 55&Over M4.5
7T. Clay County (1) — 55&Over W3.0
7T. Indian River/St. Lucie/Martin counties (1) — 65&Over W7.0
7T. Nassau County (1) — 65&Over W8.0
7T. Polk County (1) — 65&Over M8.0
7T. St. Johns County (1) — 40&Over W3.0

For more information including flight groupings and match schedules go to https://www.ustaflorida.com/events/category/adultevents/ustafloridaleaguetennis/ustafloridaleaguesectionchamps/list.