Goldie, Lee, Gates, Nichols Hall of Fame-Bound
Dan Goldie won the NCAA title as a Stanford senior before going on to a top-30 career on the ATP Tour that included wins over the likes of Jimmy Connors (at W
imbledon), Mats Wilander (when the Swede was No. 1), Jim Courier, Michael Chang and Guillermo Vilas. Gary Lee’s tireless efforts helped lead to the formation of Multicultural Participation Committee, which began as a grassroots initiative in Norcal and was later adopted by the USTA on a national level. Linda Gates swept the NCAA singles and doubles titles in ‘85 before jumping from Stanford to the WTA Tour, where she would crack the top 60. Graydon Nichols is a senior stalwart who at 84 holds the No. 1 USTA ranking in the men’s 80s and regularly cross-crosses the globe representing the U.S. as a member of various ITF Cup teams.
Their credentials speak for themselves.
Now Goldie, Lee, Gates and Nichols will be recognized by their peers, and you can be part of the festivities. On July 30, the foursome will be inducted into the USTA NorCal Tennis Hall of Fame during the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford. Former Stanford skipper Dick Gould will co-emcee the event along with NBC analyst/commentator Ted Robinson.
For ticket info on the event, which includes a reception (10:30 a.m.) and brunch/induction ceremonies (beginning at 11:15 am), call (510) 748-7373, ext. 7350 or e-mail halloffame@norcal.usta.com. RSVP by July 7.
Cardinal Update: Stanford Men Finish No. 9
The Stanford men narrowly missed a couple of opportunities at the NCAAs, but in ‘09 reestablished themselves as a formidable top ten team, and one to watch next season.
The Cardinal finished at No. 9 after losing 4-2 in the NCAA round of 16 to USC, the eventual winner that they had gone 1-1 with in the regular season. The team went 20-6 for the year.Two years ago Stanford’s couldn’t qualify for the NCAA draw because of its losing record. Last year it finished No. 21.
Alex Clayton, who surrendered his No. 1 position in mid season to Bradley Klahn, turned on the juice at the NCAAs, played in College Station, Texas. He gained All-American status again by reaching the singles quarters. He bowed to Ole Miss’ Devin Britton 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, who went on to win the title. Clayton lost a three-set semi last year, also to the eventual winner.
Klahn was the other Stanford singles hope. He was riding the momentum of his Pac-10 singles and doubles victories going in. He lost in the first round to Ohio State’s Steve Moneke (7-6, 7-6), who became a finalist.
But Klahn’s fine achievements during the year earned him the ITA’s National Rookie of the Year award. The freshman, 33-7 overall, was three times the Pac-10’s Player of the Week.
The Cardinal women didn’t fare so well. They lost 4-3 in the Round of 16 to Baylor, the team that upset them the year before. They finished No. 13, the first time they have been out of the top ten since the ITA started the rankings in ‘85. The Cardinal also failed to win the Pac-10 conference title for the first time in 22 years.
Their bright spot was Hilary Barte and Lindsay Burdette gaining the NCAA doubles final and achieving All-American status. They lost to the Cal team of Mari Andersson and Jana Juricova 6-3, 6-4. In singles, Barte, a sophomore, lost in the round of 16 and finished the year ranked No. 18.
Wettengel Triumphs in Mountain View
Chris Wettengel, a transplanted southerner, took another step toward becoming NorCal’s No. 1 player for the year by beating defending champ and top-ranked Brad Weston in the Mountain View Open finals 6-3, 6-4 on Memorial Day.
Wettengel, 27, originally from Bettonville, Ark., moved to the Bay Area from L.A. last year and lives in Saratoga where he teaches on a private court. He won five open tournaments last year was IT’s Open Player of the Year for 2008. He was expected to be ranked No. 1 ahead of Weston, but although he lived here, his USTA membership wasn’t from NorCal and that kept him out of the men’s open rankings.
The same rule was applied the year before when former Stanford star K.C. Corkery had a fine open year and was expected to be ranked No. 2 best online casino behind Weston. But he, too, did not appear in the rankings. Wettengel’s straight set win over Weston, an Aussie transplant, was more efficient than his victory over the NorCal ranked No. 1 Aussie in the Los Gatos finals the month before. Struggling through three tiebreakers, Wettengal fought off match point at 9-10 in the third tiebreaker to win 12-10.
“I played with more confidence this time and went for my shots,” he said.
Also this year Wettengel won his way through the SAP Open pre-qualies in February and took the Stahl Elite 16 title in March.
Entries this year jumped from 98 in 2008 to 124, the highest in three years.
Wettengel won the men’s doubles with Weston. Giuliana Olmos of Fremont won the women’s singles and Eric Holmes and Laura McGaffigan from the Sacramento area took the mixed.
Smiles Aplenty at 7th Annual RS Academy Event
Parents were as excited about their kids’ first tournament experience as the players were, director Riaz Shivji reported on his 7th Annual RS Tennis Academy Junior Tournament held at Burlingame’s Peninsula TC in May.
Sportsmanship got an A, too, he said. Kids walking off with smiling faces and first place awards as novices were: G12s, Lindsey Pantuso, Hillsborough, in singles and in doubles with Halle Martinucci, Burlingame; B12s, Jeffrey Liu, Millbrae, singles and doubles with Jimmy Zhang, Burlingame. Other winners: G14s Challenger, singles, Jenna McGuirk, South San Francisco, doubles, Irina Haack, Moss Beach Amanda Berke, Montera; B14’s Challenger, singles, Eric Dennis, Foster City, doubles, Steven and Danny Pantuso, Hillsborough; G18s Open, singles, Brooke Tsu, Hillsborough, doubles Zoe Davidson, Burlingame, Laura Galijan, Half moon Bay; B18s Open, singles, Taylor Chaparro, Burlingame, doubles. Ray Worley, San Mateo, Sean Talmadge, Hillsborough.
Riaz’s nine RS Tennis Academy afternoon summer sessions run mid-June through mid-August and it is not too late to sign up. Call (650) 347-1440 or go to RSTennis.com.
Bank of West Serves Up an Ace
The Bank of the West will kickstart the Aces for Kids fundraiser at the Bank of the West Classic July 27-Aug. 2 when the top women pros converge at Stanford’s Taube Tennis Center and the aces start flying.
The bank will donate $50 for each of the 200 first pledges made to the campaign that benefits Youth Tennis Advantage, the Bay Area nonprofit that brings free tennis instruction and tutoring to kids in low-income urban areas.
YTA Executive Director Loretta Conway welcomed the extra incentive.
“Aces for Kids is one of the most exciting events that donors enjoy participating in,” Conway said. “It’s crucial to YTA’s fundraising because it impacts our ability to keep our programs operational.” Also a benefit is ordering tournament tickets through the YTA office at (510) 663-6586.
In Brief
The Mountain View Open men’s singles draw had a familiar name: Whitney Reed. But this was junior Whitney, 23, from Lomita, who lost in the second round. His legendary father was spotted earlier in the stands watching him work through qualifying rounds. Whitney Reed won the Mt. View men’s singles in ‘67 and the doubles with Rich Anderson. Co-tournament director Jere Schaefer remembered the matches.
San Francisco’s Curtis Dunn won his fifth U.S. Gay Open men’s singles title on Memorial Day, equaling the record five titles teaching pro Kerry Mitchell earned when the event was played at Golden Gate Park. Dunn lost seven games in four matches, beating Jose Sambas of L.A. 6-0, 6-3 in the finals at Stanford’s Taube Tennis Center. Dunn beat him 6-1, 6-2 in the 2008 final. Dunn and James Dao won the men’s doubles.
