USC Honored Everywhere
While the men’s team won its 17th NCAA team championship, the USC women program also had a fine year. Coaches Richard Gallien and West Nott were honored as the ITA West Region Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year.
The pair led USC to its first-ever Pac-10 team championship. Pac-10 singles and doubles champ Amanda Fink also earned regional honors as the ITA Senior Player of the Year.
Gallien and Fink also earned top honors this season from the Pac-10 Conference. Now a three-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year, Gallien has his second career ITA West Region Coach of the Year award with this year’s pick. In just his second season, Nott has quickly become one of the nation’s top assistants. He helped the Women of Troy to a 21-3 record in 2009. USC’s 21-win season is the second such mark in the past four years.
Fink won the 2009 Pac-10 Singles and Doubles Championships this season and boasts a 35-7 overall singles record — her third season at Troy with at least 30 singles wins.
Others honored by the ITA West Region included Pepperdine assistant men’s coach Nick Carless at Assistant Coach of the Year and Pepperdine’s Omar Altmann as the Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership & Sportsmanship.
Russell, Tetreault Win USTA Carson Challenger
Three times Valerie Tetreault has contested a USTA Pro Circuit final and each time she’s been on the losing side. That all changed at the Home Depot Center Women’s USTA $50,000 event as the 21-year-old from Montreal, Quebec, overcame some admitted early match nerves to beat Alexandra Stevenson, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
In the L.A. Tennis Open Men’s USTA $50,000 final, 31-year-old Michael Russell of Houston jumped out early against Michael Yani and rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 win for his record 20th USTA Pro Circuit title. Russell takes home $7,200 for the win while Yani earns $4,240. “I was a little bit nervous when I got out there,” said Tetreault. “I just kept trying to relax and stay calm.”
The 28-year-old Stevenson on her first serve, Individual courts within the state decide if traffic tickets may be dismissed with the successful completion of a driver improvement program, based on your teen driving record and the current violation. especially in the second set when she made it in just 47 percent of the time and won just four points on her second serve during the entire set (4-for-18, 22 percent). She also had to call the trainer for a medical timeout and twice more asked casino for a treatment during changeovers “I couldn’t hold my serve,” she said. “It wasn’t good enough to break back. If you don’t hold your serve you won’t win.”
Russell said he was relieved to have such a convincing win in the final after having to come back from four match points against him in a second-rounder that ended in his winning 11-9 in a third-set tiebreaker. “Michael kicked my butt two weeks ago in the Sarasota Challenger so it was good I was able to get him today,”
Gonzalez Enters L.A. Tennis Open
French Open semifinalist Fernando Gonzalez headlines a group of early entrants into the LA Tennis Open Presented by Farmers Insurance that will begin July 27 and played at UCLA. Two-time Grand Slam winner Marat Safin, 2006 Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis, 2007 LA Tennis Open champion Radek Stepanek and Americans Mardy Fish and local favorites Sam Querrey and Mike and Bob Bryan are also expected to play at the 83rd annual tournament.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming this distinguished group of experienced international stars,” tournament director Bob Kramer said.
Gonzalez, the ‘07 Australian Open finalist, is likely to move into the top 10 following his run to the French Open semifinals. Safin, the 2000 US Open and 2005 Australian Open champion, will not only be playing the main draw of the LA Tennis Open presented by Farmers Insurance, but will be showcased in a special opening night “Millennium Challenge” match against Pete Sampras. Stepanek has claimed ‘09 titles in Brisbane and San Jose while also reaching the final in Memphis Baghdatis climbed into the Top 10 after reaching the ;06 Australian Open final. The Cyprus native reached the Round of 16 in Melbourne this year and has reached two other quarterfinals in 2009. Fish reached the finals in San Jose this year. A part time LA resident with his new wife, Stacey, he’s 6-4 in his career at the LA Tennis Center.
Querrey, who graduated from Thousand Oaks High School in 2006 and now lives in Santa Monica, is the youngest of the early entrants. The 21-year-old reached the finals in Auckland earlier this year and claimed his first career ATP title last spring in Las Vegas.
Bassett-Martin Camps This Month
There is still time and spaces available to sign up for the popular Bassett-Martin Tennis Camps this summer at the Big Bear Sports Ranch. For 35 years the camp has been a staple for promising SoCal juniors who get the chance to spend time and learn under the watchful eye of current UCLA men’s coach Billy Martin and his camp coaching staff.
The first session will run July 19-25 and the second session July 26-Aug 1. Campers have the option of staying for one or two weeks.
For info, go to www.bmtennis.com or call (310) 206-6375 or email: camps@bmtennis.com.
Malibu RC Keeps Upgrading
Trey Waltke and the Malibu Racquet Club never stop improvising and as of late, have installed a skylight in the newly remodeled clubhouse and have added an Espresso Bar.
The pro shop features up to date outfits, as well as racquets from all the major manufacturers.
The club is spreading its Grand Slam wings, and is planning on installing courts with all four different surfaces. On July 18-19, 25-26, the club will hold a mixed doubles round robin.
Described as a club with an idyllic setting, the Malibu Racquet Club is situated on raised ground overlooking the Pacific Coast Highway and The Colony, the gated Malibu enclave where the movie stars live. For info, call (310) 456-3313.
UCLA Forfeits Pac-10 Title
The UCLA men’s tennis program has been penalized by the Pacific-10 Conference for allowing a student-athlete to compete while ineligible during the ‘08 season. The conference determined that UCLA would be required to forfeit all singles and doubles matches in which the ineligible student-athlete participated during the 2008 season.
Based on UCLA’s team results after the ineligible student-athlete’s matches were forfeited, the results of two Pac-10 matches were subsequently reversed — UCLA-USC on April 12; UCLA-Arizona State on April 18. By adjusting the final team standings to include a victory awarded to each USC and Arizona State, USC has been declared the 2008 Pac-10 men’s tennis champion.
