Six Counties Dominate at Combo 50 & Over 6.5/7.5/8.5 Sectional Championship

Battling through the wicked Florida weather, teams from across the state battled to stay afloat at the USTA Florida Adult Combo 50 and Over Sectional Championship. Despite some weather delays, the courts witnessed intense rallies and unwavering sportsmanship as everyone battled for the sectional trophy. 

The Combo division puts a twist to how tennis is played. Each doubles pair must be within 0.5 of their NTRP ratings, and make sure, when added, it doesn’t exceed the level in which they have chosen to compete in. For example, in the 8.5 division, you can see a 4.0 player team up with a 4.5 player. This creates a unique experience and can lead to exciting matches. 

The atmosphere was charged with passion and excitement. Across the six divisions that were in play, four teams rose to the top, as Miami-Dade, Duval, and two Orange County team swept their way through the bracket. In round robin action, Alachua and Broward were able to post undefeated runs and claim their first sectional title of the new year. 

Check out how all the thrilling draws played out this weekend and which players won their matches at the first sectional event of 2024. 

Combo 50 & Over 6.5 Men 

Championship: Alachua County (Westside) finished first place in the round robin with a record of 4-0. Orange County (Sanlando Park) finished second with a record of 3-1. 

Alachua County Season Roster: Song Lai (Captain), Don Baik, Thomas Yonge, Kewei Xu, Lee Zhou, Sanghun Shin, Timothy Ferguson, Chihong Yun, Jixiu Shan, Dale Williams, Nathan Wycoff, Jim Severance, Changburm Cho, Joseph Cox Iv 

Combo 50 & Over 6.5 Women 

Championship: Orange County (USTA National Campus) defeated Hillsborough County (Grand Hampton) 3-0 

No. 1 Doubles: Leticia Monge/Kelli Forgione (Orange) d. Fan Wang/Barbara Brosch 6-2, 6-3 

No. 2 Doubles: Monette Mudie/Paula Lohrke (Orange) d. Wenhong Li/Danna Sturman 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 

No. 3 Doubles: Yardise Jones/Renata Pytel (Orange) d. Victoria Peralta/Ileana Figueroa 6-4, 7-6 

Orange County Season Roster: Leticia Monge (Captain), Kelli Forgione, Paula Lohrke, Jaqueline Pelliccia, Yardise Jones, Sanja Radmanovic, Renata Pytel, Sarah Luter, Gail Burr, Judi Erickson, Monette Mudie 

Combo 50 & Over 7.5 Men 

Championship: Duval County (The Plantation at Ponte Vedra) defeated Hillsborough County 3-0

No. 1 Doubles: Gary Herzfeld/Michael Mayer (Duval) Jakob Andersen/James Schneider 6-3, 7-5 

No. 2 Doubles: Richard Townsend/Josh Ezring (Duval) d. Christopher Thompson/Doug Clery 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 

No. 3 Doubles: Grant Gainer/Scott Haines (Duval) d. Gvozden Dokic/Jose Alomar 7-6, 6-7, 1-0 

Duval County Season Roster: Douglas Robison (Captain), Michael Bosshart, Gary Herzfeld, Scott Haines, Eric Gray, Michael Mayer, Sean Mann, Fred Pensotti, Carlos Muniz, David Hodge, Richard Townsend, Josh Ezring, Kyle Summerall, Grant Gainer, Gilbert Gibbs 

Combo 50 & Over 7.5 Women 

Championship: Orange County (Lake Cane Tennis Center) defeated Alachua County (DB Racquet Club) 3-0 

No. 1 Doubles: Kelly Foote/Grance Stewart (Orange) d. Michelle Ivanowski/Lynn Godwin 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 

No. 2 Doubles: Lisa Miller/Jennifer Widga-Kirby (Orange) d. Susan Chase/Tammy Miller 6-3, 6-4 

No. 3 Doubles: Elisa Buffington/Amy Merrill (Orange) d. Frances Revere/Marlene Townsend 6-4, 7-5 

Orange County Season Roster: Angela Tuckerman, Amy Merrill, Julie Zimmerman, Mary Ann Koula, Elisa Buffington, Penny Watzka, Lisa Miller, Natalia Bonavia, Carolynn Gilbert, Grace Stewart, Jamie Roedig, Misa Kawata, Kristine Tran, Kelly Foote, Carole Hingtgen, Jennifer Widga-Kirby, Hazel Cooke 

Combo 50 & Over 8.5 Men 

Championship: Miami-Dade County (Alper JCC) defeated Broward County (Parkland Tennis Center) 3-0 

No. 1 Doubles: Christian Walker/Alejandro Lataczewski (Miami) d. Ronen Bickel/Luis Novella 6-1, 0-6, 1-0 

No. 2 Doubles: Gerardo Perdigon/Jose Zea (Miami) d. Charles Johnson/Victor Albo 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 

No. 3 Doubles: Jesus Larranaga/Luciano Cuneo (Miami) d. Atif Raoof/Paul Newman 0-6, 4-3 RET. 

Miami-Dade County Season Roster: Armando Cabane (Captain), Nelson Treto (Captain), Dimitri Viel, Nelson Treto, Gerardo Perdigon, Jesus Larranaga, Christian Walker, Jorge Alberto Rodriguez, Ken Cheng, Jose Zea, G Emerson Fales, Alejandro Lataczewski, Luciano Cuneo, Marcos Lopez, Osmany Alfonso 

Combo 50 & Over 8.5 Women 

Championship: Broward County (Veltri Tennis Center) finished first place in the round robin with a record of 4-0. Miami-Dade County (Dante Fascell Park) finished second with a record of 3-1 

Broward County Season Roster: Veronica Wank (Captain), Schara Lewis Tompkins, Jill Rickey, Sally Guerra, Paulina Riveros, Gloria Coursey, Patricia Velez, Lorena Villar, Maria Suarez, Sheri Adler, Natalia Moll, Renee Alexis, Karen Williams