Rafael Racquet Club Sends 3.0 Team to Districts
The women’s 3.0 team representing Rafael RC has advanced for the first time to the District Championships, to be held in Napa, Aug. 14-16.
RRC director of tennis Lisa Berg is especially proud of the team since several of the players are relative newcomers to the sport. In fact, Berg says, several of them were initially hesitant to join a team, nervous that the competition would be too tough. So much for inexperience: RRC secured the third position in the playoffs. Once there, the club defeated second place Scott Valley and then went on to edge out Marin CC to earn their spot at Districts.
“We really had no expectations,” said Jamie Papadimos. “We just kept playing one match at a time.”
Good advice for any tennis player, but not always easy to follow.
Postseason Play for Harbor Point Club
Harbor Point Tennis and Swim Club will send a pair of teams to the USTA Adult District Championships. The club’s men’s 5.0 team — captained by Paul Ferro — will head to Napa, while the women’s 4.5 team — captained by Chrissie Costamagna — will be playing in Alameda.
Ferro’s team is now 9-1 on the season after ousting Mill Valley in a 2-1 postseason opening win spurred by Giancarlo Andreani’s straight-set singles win and a convincing Mike Jee / Jeff Urban doubles win on the No. 2 court (6-3, 6-1). Costamagna’s crew, meanwhile, is a perfect 11-0, including a 5-0 sweep of Rolling Hills in their postseason opener July 19.
Agassi/Graf, Chang/Liu Join Esurance Lineup
Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi won’t be the only tennis power couple gracing the 5th Annual Esurance Classic this October. Michael Chang will now be joined by his wife, Amber Liu — a two-time NCAA singles champ and doubles finalist. Liu, who still holds the NCAA record for casino a match winning streak with 107 straight wins while at Stanford, boasts pro wins in Caracas, Venezuela and Portugal and three finalist appearances in Los Gatos and Hyderabad, India.
The foursome will be joined by Tracy Austin, Conchita Martinez, Corina Morariu, Luke and Murphy Jensen, and Marin’s own Brad Gilbert. Bud Collins will also be on hand for the festivities. Also scheduled for the three-day event is a YTA Junior Clinic (Oct. 2), cocktail reception (Oct. 2), pro-am doubles (Oct. 3), a black-tie dinner (Oct. 3) at the JCC in San Rafael and a WorldTeamTennis Shoot-Out (Oct. 4).
The event will raise money for To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation, Us Too Prostate Cancer Education and online pokies Support; and Youth Tennis Advantage. Visit tennisclassic.org for info.
Rolling Hills Rolls Into District Championships
Captain Jill Sartori made sure Rolling Hills would have duel representation in August’s USTA Adult District Championships, helping her women’s 3.5A team to a dramatic 3-2 win over Marin TC. After taking a convincing 6-1 first set, Sartori came within a game of a third behind 5-1, before rallying to tie the set at 6-6 and eventually win the second-set tiebreaker 7-2 — sealing a Local League Championship for the Rolling Hills women.
They’ll be joined by the clubs men’s 3.0A team in Napa. Captained by Andy Shotz and Randy Poblitz, the men improved to 12-1 this season with a 5-0 postseason shutout of Mt. Tam.
Prize Money Sets Wagner Memorial Apart
Upwards of 250 players will descend on the Rafael RC the first week of September for the 29th Annual Hal Wagner Memorial Doubles Tournament, the largest and most profitable leg on the Marin Grand Prix.
“Our tournament is the only one with prize money,” said Rafael RC Tennis Director Lisa Berg.
Players will compete in doubles brackets ranging from 3.0-4.5, in addition to a men’s Open, mixed Open and 40-plus Open when the tournament begins Sept. 4. Entries close Aug. 21. According to Berg, Rafael RC will also use the tournament as an opportunity to raise money for the RRC Junior Tennis program via a raffle.
Vintage Look: Scott Valley Revamps Courts
Scott Valley Swimming and TC will kick off a court re-surfacing project on Aug. 3. With the help of Vintage Contractors, Scott Valley will resurface all six in Plexicushion 2000 along with U.S. Open blue and green.
“We expect to be done by the end of September,” said Scott Valley GM Patsy Love-Broyles.
Vintage will begin with courts 1-4 leaving two courts open for members before rotating to courts 5 and 6 once the first four are complete. Scott Valley’s Junior Tennis programs ending July 30 will begin again Sept. 28.
