Tampa Tennis Blog: Mathias Collects 1st Gold Ball; Pretty in Pink; More

Mathias Wins USTA Gold

Don Mathias of St. Petersburg collected his first USTA Gold Ball after winning the men’s 75-and-over doubles championship in the USTA National Men’s 75 Clay Court Championships in Virginia Beach.

Mathias, a member of the Renaissance Vinoy, teamed with William Poist of Ocean Ridge to capture the title.

“I have been playing competitively on the senior circuit for about 15 years with most of my success coming in the last seven years,’ said Mathias. “I have earned two silver and two bronze, with one bronze for singles and all the others in doubles.

“My partner Bill is a very talented player with absolutely magical hands and a calming demeanor. Our win in the semifinals was especially rewarding as we outlasted in three tough sets the No.1 team in the country that we had never beaten before. Obviously, the win in the finals was special also as it was my first gold ball and my partner’s second.”

Pretty in Pink Scores

The Tampa Bay-area charity tennis season officially began with last month’s 2015 Pretty in Pink Charity Tennis Event at Countryside Country Club in Clearwater.

Co-chairs Catherine Kelly and Lisa Mahler teamed with club tennis director Jack Bailey and his staff to provide a weekend of celebration and competition to benefit the Mammography Voucher program of the Morton Plant Mease/Susan Cheek Needler Breast Cancer Center. In all, a $15,000 net profit was earned!

Gallauer Wins USPTA Masters

Left to right: USPTA President Tom McGraw, Hans Gallauer, and USPTA Vice-President Dan Moster

Hans Gallauer, tennis director at the Renaissance Vinoy in St. Petersburg, put his teaching skills to action in New Orleans and collected the USPTA World Conference and Master’s Championship in the 55s singles division.

Earlier in Fort Myers, he won the USPTA Clay Court Championship in both the 55s singles and doubles (with Gewan Maharaj of Tampa).

Gallauer teamed with Jeff Winkler of St. Petersburg to win two Category II 55s doubles titles, one at the Midwest Clay Court Championships in Indianapolis and the other at the 11th Annual Raymond James Super Senior 2015 Grand Prix in St. Petersburg. Gallauer also won the 55s singles at the Midwest contest.