West Tennis Beats East, Raises Men’s 2018 Florida Cup

The East was a beast on their home turf in 2017, but the annual Florida Cup men’s tennis competition this month saw the West take back the Cup in the 15th year of the event, held April 7-8, 2018 at the University Park Country Club in Sarasota, Fla.

The West won the point tally 34-16, and now leads the series 11-4. The annual event sees a men’s team from the East Coast of South Florida take on a team from the West Coast in singles and doubles in the 35s-80s age divisions.

“The West team won nine of 10 age groups, won nine of 10 doubles matches, and swept the 80’s division led by captain Gordon Hammes,” said Florida Cup Tournament Director Mark Taylor. “Individual winners that went 3-0 on the weekend included Mark Thompson in the 40s, Hartmut Liebel in the 55s, and Fred Drilling in the 75s.” 

The East scored its only doubles victory when the 50s team of Jordan Klingsberg and Lorne Goldberg won their group 5-0.

This year’s Florida Cup hosted a record-tying 64 players, including 22 first-time players. Next year the event will travel back to the East Coast when the East team will try and defend their home turf once again.

2018 Florida Cup Results:

35s Division (West won 4-1)

Nate Griffin (W) def. Ryan Khan (E) 6-0; 6-1
Andrew Laflin (W) def. David Ruiz (E) 6-2; 6-0
Joel Helm / Brandon Muth (W) def. Khan / Ruiz (E) 6-4; 6-2
Andrew Laflin (W) def. Ryan Khan (E) 6-1; 6-0
David Ruiz (E) def. Nate Griffin (W) 3-6; 6-3; 6-4

40s Division (West won 4-1)

Mark Thompson (W) def. Kevin Chow (E) 6-2; 6-3
Jamie Feagan (W) def. Daniel Stover (E) 6-4; 7-6(5)
Feagan / Thompson (W) def. Stover / Chow (E) 6-0; 6-4
Mark Thompson (W) def. Daniel Stover (E) 6-1; 6-1
East wins 1 singles match via default

45s Division (West wins 3-2)

Julien Link (W) def. Mark Grnja (E) 6-2; 6-4
Scott Allen (E) def. Chris Muller (W) 6-0; 6-0
Rhett Rollyson / Chris Henderson (W) def. Allen / Grnja (E) 6-1; 6-2
Scott Allen (E) def. Julien Link (W) 1-0 ret.
Chris Muller (W) def. Mark Grnja (E) 6-4; 6-1

50s Division (East won 5-0)

Lorne Goldberg (E) def. Roger Cypriano (W) 6-2; 6-1
Jordan Klingsberg (E) def. Cliff Coleman (W) 6-2; 6-4
Goldberg / Klingsberg (E) def. Jack Steyn / Coleman (W) 3-6; 6-3; 6-3
Jordan Klingsberg (E) def. Roger Cypriano (W) 6-2; 6-0
Lorne Goldberg (E) def. Cliff Coleman (W) 6-1; 6-0

55s Division (West won 4-1)

Erik-Jan Walson (E) def. Eric Luxembourg (W) 6-4; 6-3
Hartmut Liebel (W) def. Eric Hoecker (E) 6-3; 6-4
Luxembourg / Liebel (W) def. Ervin Mendel / Robert Schry (E) 6-3; 6-1
Eric Luxembourg (W) def. Eric Hoecker (E) 5-7; 6-4; 6-1
Hartmut Liebel (W) def. Erik-Jan Walson (E) 6-2; 6-3

60s Division (West won 4-1)

Van Gladfelter (W) def. Robert Bass (E) 6-3; 6-1
Steve Brady (W) def. Audley Cornwall (E) 6-2; 6-0
Dan McClure / Warren Girle (W) def. Tom Kelly / Paul Lane (E) 6-2; 6-3
Steve Brady (W) def. Robert Bass (E) 6-1; 6-3
Audley Cornwall (E) def. Robert Steinmetz (W) 4-6; 3-4 ret.

65s Division (West won 3-2)

Will Rogers (W) def. Steve Foldes (E) 6-0; 6-2
Rick Workman (E) def. Robert Green (W) 6-2; 6-0
Marc Mazo / Jared Florian (W) def. Blair Neller / Robert Traylor (E) 6-1; 6-0
Steve Foldes (E) def. Robert Green (W) 6-0; 6-4
Will Rogers (W) def. Rick Workman (E) 6-4; 6-3

70s Division (West won 4-1)

Kenneth Fugate (W) def. James Fichera (E) 6-4; 6-0
Clifford Vines (W) def. Owen Robertson (E) 6-0; 2-6; 6-1
Larry Albritton / Mark Anderson (W) def. David Carroll / Robertson (E) 6-4; 6-3
James Fichera (E) def. Clifford Vines (W) 6-2; 6-2
West wins 1 singles match via default

75s Division (West won 3-2)

Fred Drilling (W) def. Allan Carter (E) 6-4; 6-1
Alan Spurling (E) def. Joe Bachmann (W) 6-1; 7-5
Hank Irvine / Drilling (W) def. Steve Lunsford / Spurling (E) 7-5; 6-0
Fred Drilling (W) def. Steve Lunsford (E) 2-6; 6-3; 6-1
Allan Carter (E) def. Hank Irvine (W) 6-3; 6-3

80s Division (West won 5-0)

Gordon Hammes (W) def. Peter Whidden (E) 6-2; 6-2
George McCabe (W) def. Julien Moussalli (E) 6-2; 6-2
Donald Mathias / Santiago Benites (W) def. Walter Scherer / Whidden (E) 6-2; 6-3
George McCabe (W) def. Walter Scherer (E) 6-4; 6-1
Santiago Benites (W) def. Julien Moussalli (E) 6-2; 6-1

For additional tournament information go to http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?T=207833.