Tennis Briefs(4): Tennis on Campus Debut; Win 2016 US Open Trip

UF Wins 2015-16 Season-Opening Gatorbowl Florida Club Tennis Tourney

The Gold Bracket UF-“A” champions

Last school year’s champion University of Florida club tennis team began the 2015-16 USTA Florida ‘Tennis on Campus’ season right where it left off, defeating the University of Miami 26-19 for the UF Gatorbowl title.

The event, part of the USTA Florida ‘Tennis on Campus’ tournament series, was held Sept. 19-20, 2015 on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville.

“Thank you all for coming out and making this tournament an absolute blast,” said UF Tennis Club President and tournament organizer Joey Rudy. “Shout out to UF-‘A’ winning gold, UF-‘E’ winning silver and every single other team for playing hard and being awesome. I truly hope you all enjoyed yourself out there.”

In the final UF won each set of men’s and women’s singles and doubles, and capped the championship by closing out the mixed doubles 6-4.

The Silver Bracket UF-“E” champions

In the Silver Bracket final the UF-“E” team defeated the Florida State University-“C” team, and in the Bronze Bracket final the Florida Gulf Coast University-“C” team topped the University of South Florida-“C” team.

Ten participating schools fielded 32 teams, with other schools in attendance the University of Central Florida, Florida Atlantic University, Stetson University, University of North Florida, and the University of Tampa.

The next event on the 2015-16 2015-16 USTA Florida ‘Tennis on Campus’ calendar will be the FAMU/FSU Battle in the Capital on Oct. 3-4 in Tallahassee.

2015-16 USTA Florida ‘Tennis on Campus’
Point Standings

1. University of Florida — 600 points
2. Florida State University — 260
3. University of Miami — 250
3. Florida Gulf Coast University — 185
4. University of Central Florida — 175
5. University of South Florida — 140
6. Florida Atlantic University — 75
7T. Stetson University — 50
7T. University of North Florida — 50
7T. University of Tampa — 50

2015-16 USTA Florida ‘Tennis on Campus’ Tournament Schedule

Sept. 19-20 — UF Gatorbowl, Gainesville (FINAL: UF d. UM)
Oct. 3-4 — FAMU/FSU Battle in the Capital, Tallahassee
Oct. 24-25 — USF Bull Run, Tampa
Nov. 7-8 — UT Spartan Challenge, Tampa
Nov. 21-22 — Knightro Cup, Orlando
Jan. 23-24 — UM Ibis Open, Coral Gables
Jan. 30-31 — FGCU Dirty Bird Classic, Ft. Myers
Feb. 13-14 — Delray Beach Campus Challenge
Feb. 27-28 — USTA Florida ‘Tennis on Campus’ Section Championships, Altamonte Springs

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, doubles and mixed doubles, with a minimum of two men and two women per team.

For more information on the USTA Florida Tennis on Campus series or to start a team at your school go to http://tennisoncampus.adulttennisflorida.com, or contact Desirae McLaughlin at tennisoncampusflorida@gmail.com.

Win the Ultimate 2016 US Open Tennis Trip

2015 US Open Experience grand prize winners Ed and Linda Hudson of Tallahassee

A $20 donation was all it took for Tallahassee’s Ed and Linda Hudson to experience a dream tennis trip to the US Open in New York earlier this month — and you can do the same at the 2016 US Open via the USTA Florida Foundation’s US Open Experience Fundraiser.

As the grand prize winners for the 2015 contest, the Hudsons received two US Open tickets to the USTA President’s Box, round trip domestic airfare for two to New York and $800 towards a two-night hotel accommodation, complimentary US Open Bus transportation to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, lunch in the President’s Dining Room, hospitality in the President’s Suite, and access to courtside seating in Louis Armstrong Stadium as well as the Grandstand and all other courts.

“From the time we arrived in New York, we were treated royally,” Linda Hudson said of her experience earlier this month.

“From courtside, we saw some of the world’s greatest tennis players, including Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams. The food and hospitality in the President’ Box was exceptional. We enjoyed hearing and seeing the on-court interactions between the players, chair umpires, line judges, and ball kids. The number of humorous moments was unexpected. All in all, it was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us, and we are grateful to the USTA Florida Foundation for the opportunity.”

The USTA Florida Foundation’s US Open Experience Fundraiser assists the foundation with its mission of “Changing Lives through Tennis.” The USTA Florida Foundation provides grants for youth tennis programs, adaptive and wheelchair tennis programs for those with special needs, community tennis programs in economically-challenged areas, and facility assistance for public tennis facilities.

“Thank you to the USTA Florida Foundation for all of the good work being done to encourage lifetime tennis for all people at all levels of play,” Linda Hudson added.

Donate now to the 2016 US Open Experience Fundraiser, which will offer the same grand prize for the 2016 US Open, in addition to a second prize of two 2016 US Open courtside box seat tickets in Arthur Ashe Stadium, and a third prize of two 2016 Miami Open box seat tickets for the men’s or women’s final.

Winners will be announced in November at the 66th USTA Florida Annual Meeting & Volunteer Celebration at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando (winners do not need to be present to win, and anyone can enter).

To enter for a chance to win by Nov. 20, 2015 go to https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/ustafloridafoundation and choose “US Open Experience” from the pull-down menu.

8 Florida Players Represent U.S. at ITF Super-Seniors Team Tennis

Eight Floridians will be among the Americans representing the U.S. this week at the 35th International Tennis Federation (ITF) Super-Seniors World Team Championships, held Sept. 21-26 in Umag, Croatia.

The tournament is the senior tennis equivalent of the Davis Cup and Fed Cup competitions, with top American tennis players representing their countries in the 65-, 70-, 75- and 80-and-older age groups. The ITF Super-Seniors World Team Championships is the most prestigious team event on the ITF Seniors circuit.

Florida players will contest the following Cups for the U.S.:
Britannia Cup-Men’s 65 & over (Owen Robertson, Lake Worth)
Bitsy Grant Cup-Men’s 75 & over (Joseph Bachmann (captain), Sarasota; Rudy Hernando, Fort Lauderdale)
Kitty Godfree Cup-Women’s 65 & over (Kerry Young, Maitland; Carol Clay, Fort Lauderdale)
Althea Gibson Cup-Women’s 70 & over (Betty Wachob (captain), Panama City)
Queens’ Cup-Women’s 75 & over (Donna Fales (captain), Coral Gables)
Doris Hart Cup-Women’s 80 & over (Rose Austin (captain), Naples)

The U.S. will enter the event as the defending champions for three Cups: in the men’s division the Gardnar Mulloy Cup, and in the women’s the Kitty Godfree Cup and Queens’ Cup.

Following the ITF Young Seniors World Team Championships, the World Individual Championships will be held from September, 27-October 4 in Umag, Croatia.

For daily blogging from the event click here.

For more info go to www.usta.com.news.

Deadline Approaching for Avila Tampa One-On-One Doubles Tournament

The deadline is nearing for the Tennis & Rockin’ Blues One-on-One Doubles event, which will be held on Saturday, Oct. 2-3, 2015, at the Avila Golf & Country Club in Tampa, Fla.

“We are hosting the NTRP tourneys the night before the Men’s Open prize money tournament,” says organizer Ed Krass. “What makes this type of tournament electric is the rockin’ music that always plays during our tournaments.”

One-On-One Doubles is the half-court singles game played on the doubles court. All points are played crosscourt with the alley included. Players in the Pro Division (not NTRP) must serve and volley on all serves, and players are awarded two points for outright winners on volleys and overheads.

NTRP divisions for the Friday, Oct. 2 event will be 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5, and women can play one NTRP level up. The play format is round robin to guarantee at least two hours of play. The winner of the 4.5 division will receive a wild card into the main event on Saturday. Tennis, food and a live concert by Steve Arey and the Rockin’ Blues Band are included with the tournament fee.

The Men’s Open prize money event will be on Saturday.

For more info go to http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=172234.