January 30th, 2017
Tennis Briefs(3): Aussie Open Round-Up; UF Wins ‘Tennis on Campus;’ USTA Pro Circuit
University of Florida Club Wins USTA ‘Tennis on Campus’ Tallahassee Stop
The University of Florida club tennis team won its fourth USTA Florida ‘Tennis on Campus’ title of the year over the weekend, defeating Florida State University 28-14 in the Gold Bracket final of the FAMU/FSU Battle in the Capital on Jan. 28-29, 2017, in Tallahassee.
It was the FSU team’s first appearance in a final this season, and UF’s fourth win of the six tournaments held thus far in the 2016-17 season.
Gold Bracket Final Results:
Final: UF-“A” d. FSU-“A” 28-14
Women’s Doubles: Isabella Herrero/Barrie Eisenberg (UF) d. Kasia Kasperski/Willow Weintraub 6-3
Men’s Doubles: Alex Peckham/Clay Fender (UF) d. Doug Small/Justin Sacks 6-4
Women’s Singles: Paige Nicholason (UF) d. Kasperski 6-0
Men’s Singles: Sacks (FSU) d. Andrew Makerov 6-4
Mixed Doubles: Peckham/Herrero (UF) d. Small/Weintraub 6-1
[row] [column md=”6″]
The University of South Florida-“B” team won the Silver Bracket, in the final defeating the University of North Florida-“A” team 23-12.
[row] [column md=”6″]
The FSU-“D” team won the Bronze Bracket when the Florida Gulf Coast-“A” team was forced to default the final match due to injury.
[row] [column md=”6″]
Twenty-four teams from eight schools participated: UF, FSU, USF, UNF, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University, University of Central Florida and the University of Miami.
Next up on Florida’s Tennis on Campus schedule is the FAU Tournament in Boca Raton on Feb. 4-5.
2016-17 Florida Schedule and Results:
Sept. 17-18 — UM Ibis Open, Coral Gables (FINAL: UCF-A d. UM-A)
Sept. 24-25 — UF Gatorbowl, Gainesville (FINAL: UF-A d. UF-B)
Oct. 22-23 — USF Bull Run, Tampa (FINAL: UF-A d. UM-A)
Nov. 5-6 — Knightro Cup, Orlando (FINAL: UCF-A d. UM-A)
Nov. 19-20 — FGCU Dirty Bird Classic, Ft. Myers (FINAL: UF-A d. UCF-A)
Jan. 28-29 — FAMU/FSU Battle in the Capital, Tallahassee (FINAL: UF-A d. FSU-A)
Feb. 4-5 — FAU Tournament, Boca Raton
Feb. 17 — Delray Beach Open ‘Tennis On Campus’ Challenge, Delray Beach
Feb. 25-26 — USTA Florida Tennis on Campus Section Championships
About USTA Tennis On Campus
The USTA’s Tennis On Campus program is designed to provide college students with opportunities for team camaraderie, social networking, and rivaled competition through tennis without the rigors of a NCAA varsity program. Tennis on Campus offers fun co-ed team-based play (using the World TeamTennis scoring format), regional and national championship competition, and helps students maintain active and healthy lifestyles through their college years. Currently the program is offered on more than 500 college campuses. The USTA Tennis on Campus team format features men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles, with a minimum of two men and two women per team.
Florida’s Tennis on Campus series in 2016-17 is eight regular-season tournaments leading to the year-end championships, determining which teams will advance to represent the USTA Florida Section at the USTA Tennis on Campus National Championships. Any college club team can participate with a minimum four players, two male and two female.
For more information on the USTA Florida Tennis on Campus series or to start a team at your school go to www.ustaflorida.com/TOC, or contact Desirae McLaughlin at toc@ustaflorida.com.
Australian Open Round-Up: American Players Win 4 Titles in Melbourne
American players brought home the women’s singles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles, and girls’ doubles championships from Melbourne last weekend at the 2017 Australian Open.
It was a tournament that turned back the clock featuring an all-Williams-sisters women’s singles final, and Roger Federer defeating Rafael Nadal in the men’s final. The Williams sisters, Federer, Nadal, and additional American winners Bethanie Mattek-Sands (women’s) and Abigail Spears (mixed) are all winners or finalists age 30 or over.
“Words can’t describe how happy I am for this moment, especially here in Melbourne,” Serena told ESPN in an interview following the final. “[Venus and I] started here. This was my first Grand Slam, and to get to No. 23 here is really rather special. And against Venus, as well. My first big match was against her right on this stadium court, so it was weird, going into this match. There were just so many similarities. It’s just all full circle.”
American Carson Branstine was another winner for the U.S. in the girls’ doubles.
The Bryan brothers joined Venus Williams as runners-up, falling in the men’s doubles final.
Winners and finalists:
Women’s Singles: Serena Williams (USA) d. Venus Williams (USA) 6-4, 6-4
Men’s Singles: Roger Federer (SUI) d. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
Women’s Doubles: Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA)/Lucie Safarova (CZE) d. Andrea Hlavackova (CZE)/Peng Shuai (CHN) 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3
Men’s Doubles: John Peers (AUS)/Henri Kontinen (FIN) d. Bob/Mike Bryan (USA) 7-5, 7-5
Mixed Doubles: Abigail Spears (USA)/Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL) d. Sania Mirza (IND)/Ivan Dodig (CRO) 6-2, 6-4
Boys’ Singles: Zsombor Piros (HUN) d. Yshai Oliel (ISR) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Girls’ Singles: Marta Kostyuk (UKR) d. Rebeka Masarova (SUI) 7-5, 1-6, 6-4
Girls’ Doubles: Carson Branstine (USA)/Bianca Andreescu (CAN) d. Maja Chwalinska/Iga Swiatek (POL) 6-1, 7-6(4)
Boys’ Doubles: Yu Hsiou Hsu (TPE)/Lingxi Zhao (CHN) d. Duarte Vale (POR)/Finn Reynolds (NZL) 6-7(8), 6-4, 10-5
For more info or results go to www.AusOpen.com.
Kalinina Wins 2nd Florida USTA Pro Circuit Title of January at Saddlebrook
From left: Kalinina and Robin Anderson after capturing the Daytona doubles title
Qualifier Anhelina Kalinina of the Ukraine won her second title in three tournaments this January at Florida USTA Pro Circuit events, defeating unseeded fellow Ukrainian Elizaveta Ianchuk 6-4, 6-4 in the final of the Saddlebrook USTA Pro Circuit Women’s 25K in Wesley Chapel, Fla.
The 19-year-old in the semifinals upset No. 2-seeded American Sofia Kenin of Florida 4-6, 6-3, 4-0 (retired), while Ianchuk beat American Brianna Morgan 6-2, 6-4.
Kalinina earlier this month won the Daytona Beach $25,000 Women’s Open. Beginning the year at No. 743, she is projected to move into the Top 350 on the WTA rankings.
Kalinina, who was the 2014 US Open girls’ runner-up, improved to 5-5 in career ITF/USTA Pro Circuit finals. She is coached by former WTA No. 1 Dinara Safina at MatchPoint NYC, a tennis academy in a Russian-Jewish neighborhood in New York.
“I’m so proud of my player winning two tournaments out of three tournaments she played!” Safina said on social media. “Both of them she won out from the qualifying!”
In the doubles final No. 2 seeds Chanel Simmonds of South Africa and Mexico’s Renata Zarazua defeated the unseeded American team of Elizabeth Halbauer and Kenin 6-2, 7-6(5).
