Tennis Briefs(3): USTA PD Webinar; Orange Bowl Preview

McEnroe, Higueras to Host USTA PD Webinar in December

Patrick McEnroe and Jose Higueras will host the TEAM USA Online Forum for coaches and parents across the country, with updates on TEAM USA and USTA Professional Development, on Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. EST.

The TEAM USA initiative is an effort to create a structure that includes personal coaches, USTA Sections, and USTA Player Development working closer together to create the next wave of world-class American players.

McEnroe and Higueras will discuss what has been implemented in 2014 and what is planned for 2015, as well as gather feedback from coaches and parents.

Register by Dec. 10 to ensure a reserved spot.

To register go to http://bit.ly/1uROpDH.

Florida Jr. Tennis Players Head Orange Bowl Field

Florida players Stefan Kozlov (16, Pembroke Pines), Sofia Kenin (16, Pembroke Pines), Michael Mmoh (16, Bradenton), Alex Rybakov (17, Coral Springs), and Reilly Opelka (17, Palm Coast) are some of the headliners scheduled to compete at the 68th Metropolia Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships, held Dec. 8-14, 2014 at the Frank Veltri Tennis Center in Plantation, Fla.

Regarded as the longest-running international junior tennis tournament in the world, the Orange Bowl features singles and doubles competition for boys and girls in 18-and-under and 16-and-under divisions. It will be played on clay — the surface on which it was played from 1947-1998 — for the fourth straight year. Boys’ and girls’ 18s qualifying begins on Sat., Dec. 6.

Also among the girls competing will be world No. 2-ranked junior CiCi Bellis (15, Atherton, Calif.); China’s Shilin Xu, the No. 1-ranked girl and 2014 Youth Olympic Games champion; and top American girls Raveena Kingsley (16, Parkton, Md.) and Usue Arconada (16, College Park, Md.).

At the top of the Boys’ 18s field is Russia’s Andrey Rublev, the 2014 French Open boys’ champion and current top-ranked junior, joined by 2014 Wimbledon junior semifinalist Taylor Fritz (17, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) and 2014 USTA National Clay Court champion Tommy Paul (17, Lumberton, N.J.), among others.

Founded by Eddie Herr in 1947, the Orange Bowl quickly became one of the premier international junior events in the world and an annual showcase for the global scope of the game. Players from more than 50 countries have competed in the tournament, and champions have emerged from 28 different nations. A number of Orange Bowl champions have used the occasion to announce plans to turn professional.

Past winners of the Orange Bowl 18-and-under singles titles on clay include: Chris Evert (1969, 1970), Bjorn Borg (1972), John McEnroe (1976), Ivan Lendl (1977), Gabriela Sabatini (1984), Mary Joe Fernandez (1985), Jim Courier (1987) and Anna Kournikova (1995).

Hardcourt winners of the event have included Roger Federer (1998), Elena Dementieva (1998), Andy Roddick (1999), Vera Zvonareva (2000, 2001), Marcos Baghdatis (2003), Nicole Vaidisova (2003) and Caroline Wozniacki (2005).

Lutz, Van Nostrand Win ITF Super-Senior Singles Titles

King Van Nostrand

Two Floridians were winners in Antalya, Turkey at the 34th ITF Super-Seniors World Individual Championships at the end of October, emerging from 636 competitors from 37 different countries in age groups 60-85 and over.

In the men’s 80s final, Vero Beach’s King Van Nostrand captured his 10th singles title, defeating fellow American George McCabe 6-0, 6-1.
The 10 ITF Super-Seniors titles by Van Nostrand is a U.S. record, and he was the only American male to win in any of the six age groups. He was competing in his 16th ITF championship, also an American record.

In the previous week he led the U.S. Gardnar Mulloy Cup squad to victory in the team event, defeating Argentina, Japan, Australia and Germany.

Doris Jane Lutz

Sarasota’s Doris Jane Lutz won her second consecutive title in the women’s 85s division, in the final topping Hungary’s Erzsebet Szentirmay 6-4, 6-4. The top-seeded Lutz did not lose a game before reaching the final.

Lutz also won the Mixed 85s title with Australian Doug Corbett.

The ITF Super-Seniors World Individual Championships is the highest-ranked event on the ITF Seniors Circuit for male and female players in the age categories of 60-85. The tournament offers singles, doubles and mixed doubles, as well as a consolation draw for singles first-round losers. Ranking points are available in the singles main draw and consolation.