Tennis Briefs(4): 65 & Over Preview, 30-Love at FSU, More

Preview: Duval, Lee/Charlotte Favorites at USTA Florida 65 & Over League Tennis Sectionals

The Duval County women will attempt a fifth consecutive title, and the Lee/Charlotte counties men a third in a row when divisional play kicks off this Friday at the 2016 USTA Florida Adult 65 & Over Sectional League Championships, held April 8-10 at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach.

Local league champions in women’s 6.0-8.0 and men’s 7.0-8.0 NTRP divisions will play three doubles lines per team, competing in a non-elimination round-robin format. The winner of each flight/division will be determined by team matches won. The winner of each flight will then advance into a single-elimination semifinal followed by the final.

The NTRP (National Tennis Rating Program) scale for doubles progresses from 6.0 to 8.0 combined levels of play for the USTA Florida Adult 65 & Over League Championships. For more information on NTRP levels go to www.usta.com/Adult-Tennis/USTA-League/Information/About_NTRP.

The Duval County 6.0 women have won their division the last four years, while the Lee/Charlotte counties 7.0 men have won their division the last two years. Other returning champions are Indian River in the Women’s 7.0 Division, and Pinellas County in both the Women’s 8.0 and Men’s 8.0.

Counties and teams competing this weekend:

65 & Over Men’s 8.0 Division

Alachua County (300 Club, Gainesville), captain: Steve Marks
Collier County (The Strand, Naples), captain: George Morton
Hillsborough County (Buckhorn Springs, Valrico), captain: Jay Bortner
Leon County (Forestmeadows Park and Athletic Center, Tallahassee), captain: George Kovacs
Nassau County (Kraft Tennis Club, Fernandina Beach), captain: Jerry Gardner
Okaloosa/Walton counties (TOPS’L Beach & Racquet Resort, Miramar Beach), captain: David Edmundson
Pinellas County (Shipwatch Tennis Club, Largo), captain: Stephen Mullis
Polk County (Lake Wales Country Club), captain: James Whitaker

65 & Over Men’s 7.0 Division

Alachua County (Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville), captain: Edward Grabowski
Collier County (Pelican Marsh, Naples), captain: Donald Davies
Duval County (Williams YMCA, Jacksonville), captain: Jim Coultrip
Hillsborough County (Temple Terrace Tennis Center, Temple Terrance), captain: Joseph Obusek
Lee/Charlotte counties (Park Meadow Tennis Club, Ft. Myers), captain: Edmund Marcelo
Marion County (The Villages-Glenview, The Villages), captain: Michael James
Pinellas County (Shipwatch Tennis Club, Largo), captain: Thomas Rinehart

65 & Over Women’s 8.0 Division

Collier County (Pelican Landing, Bonita Springs), captain: Rose Black
Nassau County (Amelia National, Fernandina Beach), captain: Leslie Polsen
Pinellas County (City of Clearwater), captain: Anne Pulley
Sarasota County (Bath and Racquet Fitness Club, Sarasota), captain: Emma Catalini

65 & Over Women’s 7.0 Division

Marion County (Citrus Hills Tennis Club, Citrus Hills), captain: Karen Lehmann
Pinellas County (East Lake Woodlands Country Club, Oldsmar), captain: Leslie Vann
Indian River County (North River Shores Tennis Club, Stuart), captain: Lynn Childs
Alachua County (Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville), captain: Elizabeth Smith
Hillsborough County (Buckhorn Springs, Valrico), captain: Marilynn Madson
Sarasota County (Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton), captain: Glenda Anthony
Collier County (World Tennis Center, Naples), captain: Dorothy Diehl

65 & Over Women’s 6.0 Division

Collier County (Pelican Marsh, Naples), captain: Linda Mushock
Duval County (Southside Tennis, Jacksonville), captain: Bonnie Laster
Leon County (Forestmeadows Park and Athletic Center, Tallahassee), captain: Jenny Jolinski

For more info or to see team match schedules go to www.ustaflorida.com/event/2016-adult-65-adult-sectional-league-championship.

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

Volunteer or Cheer On Special Olympics Tennis Athletes at FSU ’30-Love’ Event

Students from several organizations across the Florida State University campus will gather on April 15, 2016 at 1 p.m. at the Scott Speicher Tennis Center to provide a special event for Special Olympics athletes from the Tallahassee community.

USTA Florida will host another in a series of “30-Love” events, featuring students giving back to tennis and the community through volunteering. Student groups participating will be Sigma Alpha Epsilon of Florida State University, the Florida State University varsity women’s tennis team, and members of the FSU ‘Tennis on Campus’ club tennis team, all serving alongside Special Olympics of Leon County.

“30-Love at Florida State University will bring together students from organizations across campus for an afternoon of tennis and unity for Special Olympics athletes,” says USTA Florida Event and Sponsorship Coordinator Alex Gold. “We are looking for enthusiastic spectators who will come and watch, cheer on the athletes, and help create a fun, welcoming environment.”

Volunteers and athletes will receive a complimentary t-shirt from USTA Florida and access to the FSU women’s tennis match later that day.

The FSU mascot will also make an appearance, and men’s tennis coach Dwayne Hultquist says he looks forward to fans supporting the varsity team afterwards.

“Last year’s 30-Love event was great,” Hultquist says. “We had a great turnout for our match after the event. It was a great way to combine working with other organizations in the community.”

Free event parking will be available.

To register to volunteer for the event or for more info visit https://30lovefsu.eventbrite.com, or e-mail Alex Gold at Gold@USTAFlorida.com.

Bradenton’s Brengle Bags Osprey USTA Pro Circuit Title

Bradenton resident Madison Brengle celebrated her birthday on Sunday by winning the Wilde Lexus Women’s Open, a $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit event, in Osprey, Fla., defeating No. 4 seed Lara Arruabarrena of Spain 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the final.

The top-seeded Brengle, who rose to No. 54 on the WTA rankings with the win, came back from a set and a break down on the green clay courts at The Oaks Club.

“Last year I came close,” said Brengle, competing at the tournament for a fifth time and raising her first trophy, speaking to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. “This year I was able to get one more. I’m very happy to get this win on my birthday.”

Both players were next headed to Charleston, S.C., and the WTA tour-level Volvo Car Open.

“I’ll go home and pack up my car,” Brengle said. “It’s a long drive. But at least I’ll be in a good mood.”

Brengle improved to 8-7 in career USTA Pro Circuit finals.

In the all-American doubles final, teen Taylor Townsend and Asia Muhammad as the No. 2 seeds defeated unseeded Louisa Chirico and Coral Gables’ Katerina Stewart 6-1, 6-7(5), 10-4.

Tennis Legend Rod Laver in Orlando to Support Charity

Photo: Dutch National Archives

Two-time Grand Slam winner Rod Laver is lending his support to a book-signing fundraiser on April 14 in Orlando from 6-8 p.m. at the Orlando City Hall Rotunda in Orlando, Fla.

Laver will be signing his new autobiography “Rod Laver, A Memoir,” at the event in support of “Cops and Kids,” the Dueling Dragons of Orlando Dragon Boat Racing Team, which is a partnership between inner-city teens and Orlando Police Department officers who have joined together to become a one-of-a-kind competitive racing team.

The book signing will be followed by an event that features an interview with Laver about his tennis career by Growing Bolder’s Marc Middleton. Scheduled to be officially released later this year in New York, Laver’s autobiography details his years on the tennis tour which included an unequalled five Davis Cup wins, 200 career titles and two Grand Slams (winning all four majors) in 1962 and 1969, a record he still holds today.

Laver says he was inspired by the “Cops and Kids” story and mission to use sport to build trust and long-term mentoring relationships at a critical time in the lives of both cops and kids in some of Orlando’s toughest neighborhoods.

For additional info contact Andrea Eliscu at mmiandrea@me.com.