As the Dow Dips, Courts See Spike
As the unemployment rolls rise, the Sacramento region’s tennis courts are seeing a large rise in usage.
Bill Campbell is the director of a network of 10 clubs in the area. The indoor court complex he runs in nearby Gold River has never in its eight years of existence seen so much traffic, he said. Some of his clubs are seeing a 20 percent rise in usage over this time a year ago, he said.
“People are stressed. They’re eating out less, they’re traveling less, but they’re looking for ways to blow off some steam and exercise,” he said. “That’s the best way to explain it.”
Chang Highlights Caps’ WTT Schedule
The Sacramento Capitals have unveiled their ‘09 schedule. Hall of Famer Michael Chang will play for the six-time World TeamTennis titlists at home against the Newport Beach Breakers on July 10. The match is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., at Allstate Stadium in Roseville.
Former Capital Anna Kournikova and the St. Louis Aces visit Roseville on July 13. Eight days later, the world No. 1 doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan join the Kansas City Explorers in Sacramento. The season begins July 3 at home against Washington.
Millennium Remembers Dugoni
Millennium Sports Club Rancho Solano again paid tribute to the late Lynn Dugoni by hosting a mixed doubles tournament and raising funds to fight cancer in her name.
“Many of us remember her incredible life force, her love for tennis and especially her passionate love for her family and very close friends,” said Millennium Sports Club tennis director Michael Friedman. “It was special because we also had many players who did not know Lynn but love our community and wanted to be a part of this special event.”
Dugoni’s husband, Steve, and her two sons, Paul and Eric, also participated in the event, which raised over $1,700 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Winners included: Anne Ridens/Miguel Santos (6.0), Dipti Lala/Bill Patel (6.5), Josie Rosman /Dan Rosman (7.0), Al Vigil/Marilu Emery, Stephanie Ross/John Ross and Cynthia Lim/Jeff Thoma (8.0).
Eastern Euros Thriving at Fresno State
“Making money in business inspires the career dreams of young Ana, whose Monday night studies halt once Gossip Girl shows up on her TV.”
The details sound typically American, but Anastasia Petukhova counts herself as part of NCAA tennis’ large international contingent. The Russian national, a former city girl from Moscow who’s now a business major at Fresno State, forms one half of the country’s No. 1-ranked women’s doubles team. Now in her third year here in California’s Central Valley, Renata Kucerkova hails from the Czech Republic.
“It’s neat to be someone different in a foreign country,” said Petukohova, whose team won a seventh straight WAC title last year, and is currently ranked No. 22 in the country. “People will say, ‘Wow, you’re from Russia?’ I love being in the U.S.”
Considering that 97 percent of the world’s top 100 women — and all but eight of top 100 in the men’s ATP rankings — are from outside the U.S., it makes sense that college tennis houses such an overseas influence.
Another inland California state university is part of the trend. With a March 8 home win over St. Mary’s, Sacramento State’s men (6-4) captured their fifth straight match. The roster features four Californians — and three players from Belarus. A former tutor of longtime Belarussian pro Max Mirnyi, head coach Slava Konikov has used the Eastern European recruiting pipeline to make the Hornets the Big Sky Conference’s top program.
“We provide the opportunities, Slava provides the coaching, and it all comes together,” said Sacramento State director of tennis Bill Campbell, whose program went dormant in the ‘80s due to financial restrictions.
While America’s tennis talent flocks to traditionally strong collegiate programs (Stanford, USC, Duke, Vanderbilt, etc), adventurous foreigners fill many other roster slots throughout the country. They seek opportunities that are unique to America as well. Kucerkova considered going pro out of high school. She also thought about a career outside of sports, as twin brother Ondrej is currently a medical student in Europe. She instead followed the path of Rudi Siwy, a senior on the Bulldog men’s team and mutual friend of the Kucerkova twins from back home.
“The idea of playing tennis, having a scholarship and going to school at the same time is something that isn’t available in Europe,” Kucerkova said. “You have to choose one or the other. The idea of doing both really appealed to me. I’m glad I came to Fresno.”
Situated in California’s fourth-largest city, Fresno State boasts athletes from all corners of the globe. This conflicts with the San Joaquin Valley’s connection with well-known produce (the area proudly calls itself “The World’s Raisin Capital”) and country music production (Dwight Yoakam and Merle Haggard hail from nearby Bakersfield). It’s a long way from Kucerkova’s hometown, whose spas once gave rest to Sigmund Freud and Gregor Mendel.
Petukhova studies entrepreneurship at Fresno State, while also being mindful of all the money changing hands back home in Russia (“Moscow is changing. There’s a lot of growth, a lot of new ideas taking shape,” she says). She and her partner are good friends off the court and have been doubles partners on it since January ‘07. They are once again college roommates for this academic year.
“We think the same way,” Petukhova said. “I think we’re both neat and tidy around the apartment. We’ll stay up at night talking about ideas. We definitely know how to communicate well on the court without talking to each other.”
They’ve won 21 of 23 matches this year, according head coach Simon Thibodeau, a French Canadian. He lauds his top doubles team’s efficiency, its ability to make all kinds of shots while dictating the pace of the match.
“There are no cheap points against them,” the head coach said. “They’re just a solid all-around team. They don’t beat themselves. We’re lucky to have them.”
