Preview: USTA League National Championship Berths on Line at Florida 18 & Over Sectionals

A combined five men’s and women’s team national championship berths will be up for grabs this weekend when the 2016 USTA Florida 18 & Over 2.5/3.5/4.5 Sectional Championships are held on Aug. 19-21 at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach, and at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs.

Clay and Pinellas counties have been the powerhouse sectional winners this year thus far, tied with four teams each advancing to USTA League Nationals. But five teams are close behind them with three titles each, all vying to boast a season finish as the USTA Florida League Sectionals County Champion for 2016 (see standings below).

Returning 2.5/3.5/4.5 division champion teams this weekend from last season are Duval County in the Women’s 2.5, Leon County in the Men’s 3.5, Orange/Seminole counties in the Women’s 3.5, Miami-Dade County in the Men’s 4.5, and Broward County in the Women’s 4.5.

This year’s USTA Florida 18 & Over 2.5/3.5/4.5 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. Teams this weekend will compete in a non-elimination round-robin format, and the winner of each flight will then advance into a single-elimination semifinal followed by the final.

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 2.5 winners will represent the USTA Florida Section at the USTA League 18 & Over 2.5 National Championships on Sept. 23-25 at the Copeland-Cox Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.

The 18 & Over 3.5 winners will represent the USTA Florida Section at the USTA League 18 & Over 3.5 National Championships on Oct. 7-9 at the Copeland-Cox Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.

The 18 & Over 4.5 winners will represent the USTA Florida Section at the USTA League 18 & Over 4.5 National Championships on Oct. 28-30 at the Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Teams competing this weekend:

18 & Over Women’s 4.5

Alachua County (DB Racquet Club, Gainesville), captain: Lenhs Louis
Broward County (Frank Veltri Tennis Center, Plantation), captain: Veronica Wank
Duval County (Glen Kernan Country Club, Jacksonville), captain: Helen Ciesla
Hillsborough County (Cheval Golf and Athletic Club, Lutz), captain: Denise Agnew
Marion County (Fort King Tennis Center, Ocala), captain: Elaine Zirakian
Orange/Seminole counties (Azalea Lane Tennis Center, Winter Park), captain: Kerry Sproles
Palm Beach County-South (Travelers), captain: Sherri Balke
Pinellas County (ELW/CCC), captain: Avery Zercoe
Sarasota County (Bath and Racquet Fitness Club, Sarasota), captain: Barbara Lancer

18 & Over Men’s 4.5

Alachua County (Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville), captain: Dr. Ashok Kumar
Brevard County (Fee Avenue Tennis Complex, Melbourne), captain: Jon Small
Broward County (Dillon Tennis Center, Oakland Park), captain: Kevin Sims
Collier County (World Tennis Club, Naples), captain: Craig Turner
Escambia County (Roger Scott Tennis Center, Pensacola), captain: Blake Foster
Hillsborough County (H.C.C. Tennis Complex, Tampa), captain: Rick Batto
Miami-Dade County-North (North Miami Beach Tennis Center), captain: William Lopez
Miami-Dade County-South (Salvadore Park, Coral Gables), captain: Vilmar Ghizelini
Okaloosa/Walton counties (Shalimar Pointe Tennis Club, Shalimar), captain: Kevin Dunworth
Sarasota County (Longwood Athletic Club, Sarasota), captain: Alan Amero
St. Johns County (Marsh Landing Country Club, Ponte Vedra Beach), captain: Chad Perce

18 & Over Women’s 3.5

Alachua County (DB Racquet Club, Gainesville), captain: Marcia Deuerling
Brevard County (Eau Gallie Yacht Club, Indian Harbour Beach), captain: Kimberly Tsamoutales
Broward County (Weston Tennis Center), captain: Betty Dell
Collier County (City of Marco Island Parks & Rec.), captain: Fia Carter
Duval County (Boone Park, Jacksonville), captain: Susan Kubricht
Escambia County (Roger Scott Tennis Center, Pensacola), captain: Kimberly Andrews
Hillsborough County (Waterchase, Tampa), captain: Christy Young
Indian River County (Tesoro Tennis, Port St. Lucie), captain: Tanya Green
Lee/Charlotte counties (The Landings, Ft. Myers), captain: Cynthia Gentleman
Leon County (Forestmeadows Park, Tallahassee), captain: Denean Sykes
Marion County (Fort King Tennis Center, Ocala), captain: Wendy MacMurray
Miami-Dade County-South (Crandon Park, Key Biscayne), captain: Linda Chang
Orange/Seminole counties (Sanlando Park, Altamonte Springs), captain: Tina Gamb
Palm Beach County-North (Wellington), captain: Caryn Feldman
Pinellas County (St. Pete Tennis Center), captain: Victoria Quintana
Polk County (Florida Southern College, Lakeland), captain: Tiffany Osler
Sarasota County (G.T. Bray Park, Bradenton), captain: Tamara Corby
Volusia County (Deland Tennis Club), captain: Ria Voss

18 & Over Men’s 3.5

Alachua County (Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville), captain: Jorg Bungert
Broward County (Midtown Athletic Club, Weston), captain: Fernando Moreno
Collier County (Heritage Bay, Naples), captain: Don McWaters
Duval County (Williams YMCA, Jacksonville), captain: David Cowden
Escambia County (Roger Scott Tennis Center, Pensacola), captain: Joakim Jnystrom
Hillsborough County (Cheval Golf and Athletic Club, Lutz), captain: Matt Tihanovich
Indian River County (Buttonwood Tennis Club, Stuart), captain: Jim Schmitz
Lee/Charlotte counties (Fort Myers Racquet Club), captain: Kelly Jordan
Leon County (Forestmeadows Park, Tallahassee), captain: Andrew Lawyer
Marion County (Fort King Tennis Center, Ocala), captain: Alan MacMurray
Miami-Dade County-South (Doral), captain: Santiago Anda
Polk County (Winter Haven Tennis Complex), captain: David Saltman

18 & Over Women’s 2.5

Duval County (Jacksonville Golf and Country Club), captain: Jodie Nutter
Escambia County (Roger Scott Tennis Center, Pensacola), captain: Cassandra Lievrouw
Hillsborough County (Westchase Swim and Tennis, Tampa), captain: Nicole Tamulski
Leon County (Winthrop Park, Tallahassee), captain: Leslee Horner
Marion County (Fort King Tennis Center, Ocala), captain: Cristal Brown
Miami-Dade County-South (Alper Jewish Community Center, Miami), captain: Denise Torres-Banciella
Polk County (Beerman Family Tennis Center, Lakeland), captain: Michelle Steeves
Volusia County (Oceanside Country Club, Ormond Beach), captain: Erin Masters

For more sectionals info go to www.ustaflorida.com/leaguesectionals

2016 USTA FLORIDA ADULT LEAGUE
SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE LEADERS

Clay County leaps into a first place tie with Pinellas County hangs on the leaderboard, with a logjam in second place with five counties trailing by one title. Here are the league sectional title leaders this year (through Aug. 15, most recent winners in bold):

1T. Clay County (4 titles) — 55&Over W3.0, 40&Over W3.5, 18&Over W3.0, 18&Over W3.0
1T. Pinellas County (4) — 55&Over W4.0, 55&Over M4.0, 40&Over X8.0, 40&Over X9.0

3T. Collier County (3) — 65&Over W6.0, 55&Over M3.5, 55&Over W4.5
3T. Marion County (3) — 55&Over M3.0, 40&Over X6.0, 40&Over M3.0
3T. Miami-Dade County (3) — 40&Over W4.0, 40&Over M4.0, 18&Over M4.0
3T. Orange/Seminole counties (3) — 40&Over W4.5+, 40&Over M3.5, 18&Over M5.0
3T. Volusia/Flagler counties (3) — 55&Over W3.5, 40&Over X7.0, 18&Over W-Open

8. Lee/Charlotte counties (2) — 65&Over M7.0, 18&Over M-Open

9T. Alachua County (1) — 65&Over M6.0
9T. Broward County (1) — 55&Over M4.5
9T. Indian River/St. Lucie/Martin counties (1) — 65&Over W7.0
9T. Leon County (1) — 18&Over M3.0
9T. Nassau County (1) — 65&Over W8.0
9T. Palm Beach County (1) — 18&Over W5.0
9T. Polk County (1) — 65&Over M8.0
9T. Sarasota County (1) — 40&Over M4.5+
9T. St. Johns County (1) — 40&Over W3.0

For more info on USTA Florida Leagues go to www.ustaflorida.com/leagues.