SDDTA Lauds 2009 Awardees
The San Diego District Tennis Association Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet was held at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club. The sold-out event began with a cocktail hour followed by dinner for 150 tennis aficionados. SDDTA president Geoff Griffin welcomed the attendees and new SCTA president William J. Kellogg and SCTA executive director Henry Talbert also spoke.
Dr. Richard Lederer, noted author, lecturer, and former PBS radio host of “A Way With Words” and avid tennis player, was the keynote speaker. A nationally recognized expert on the English language, his talk, “Jest For the Pun of It”, included the origin of tennis terms like the word racket that “derives from the Arabic rahat meaning palm shaped bats used by Persians as early as the 4th century.” From the French rond ruban (ruban meaning ribbon) comes round robin. “In France during the 17th and 18th centuries, when people had a complaint against the crown they would sign it and the top name was considered the ringleader and could be punished, sometimes with his life. To avoid losing one’s head-literally-some clever complaintants devised a rond ruban, a method for taking grievances to superiors with the document signed in circular form by the petitioners so that no one name would head the list, thus a group of equals.” For more of Lederer’s tennis word derivations visit www.sandiegotennis.com and click on Annual Banquet.
Griffin and Jim Lackritz, SDDTA past president, introduced the deserving players and volunteers who were honored. The Jay Schiller family was named Family of the Year. Anne Podney received the Community Service Award. Mimi Loucks and Saul Snyder are the Players of the Year. Selected as Sportsman/ Woman of the Year were Roberto Ancira and Colleen Clery Ferrell. Male/Female Pro/Coach of the Year are Woody Yocom and Megan Lowrey Haber. Tournament of the Year is the SES Tennis Center 4th Annual Pro-Am Fundraiser and the La Jolla Tennis Club is the Club of the Year.
A special award was given to Ralph Anderson for Outstanding Service of a Tennis Official.
UCSD Forges Ahead
The UCSD Triton men’s team, coached by Eric Steidlmayer, won its first match of the season with a 5-3 win over Hope International. HIU won the NCCAA National title last year. The Tritons won two doubles matches and three singles matches to earn the win. In singles action, Chapman Chang, Samuel Ling and Jake Fellow all scored victories.
The Tritons dropped a 6-3 decision to Cal Baptist. Sophomore Naveen Dixit won at No. 4 and Eric Mendoza scored at No. 6 singles. Eric Elliott/Kazumi Negishi took the No. 2 doubles.
The UCSD women, coached by Liz LaPlante, opened with a 7-2 loss to Cal Baptist. Ina Dan/Taskeen Bains won the first doubles slot and senior Tessa Tran won the No. 4 singles. Dan competed at the No. 1 singles, losing a three set decision while Anita Athavale, Valerie Tang, Bains and Roxy Poumirzaie also competed in singles.
Magers, Score at La Jolla Hard Courts
December opened with the USTA National Men’s 40, Women’s 40, Mixed 40, Father/Son and Grandfather/Grandson Hard Court Championships at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club.
San Diegan Gretchen Magers collected 40 singles gold when she beat defending champion Manola Colter (NM) 7-5, 6-2. Magers teamed with Lindsey Buechler (Del Mar) but they could not overcome Alissa Fineman (NY)/Erika Smith (Oakland) who claimed the 40 doubles title 6-4, 6-4.
USC tennis coach Peter Smith has won the 40 singles crown the past three years. In 2006 and 2007 Martin Barba (Solana Beach) has been the man he’s beaten in the final, but not this time. Barba got revenge against his nemesis, winning their three-set final, although casino online when Smith took the first set 6-0 it looked as though he would add another gold ball to his collection. Barba had other plans and scored 6-2, 6-3 in the final two sets for the win.
Brian Corey (Salinas)/Rick Kepler (Aptos) got a wake up call from Ken Zanio (La Jolla)/Daniel Martinez (AZ) who took them three sets in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, in the other half of the draw Matthew Litsky (FL)/Kelly Ward (TX) prevailed in a semi-final battle against Ross Hessler (Mission Viejo)/Jon Tyrell (Sierra Madre). Cory/Kepler earned the championship defeating Litsky/Ward 6-3, 6-1.
Kepler/Smith each pocketed their second gold balls when they titled in the Mixed over San Diego’s Brendan Gayliss/Ros Nideffer 6-3, 6-3.
The Father/Son event drew 73 teams. After all the matches were played, defending champs Brian/Brett Joelson (OR) trophied over Robert/Kaes Van’t Hof (Newport Beach) 6-3, 6-4.
Grandfather/Grandson action saw Gregory Janssen (WI)/Greg Kohles (Calistoga) win the championship 6-4, 6-4 against Ohioans William Ellison/William Mitchell.
Larry Willens Donates $700,000 for San Diego State Building
San Diego State got a new tennis clubhouse in вЂ05, but there were no funds for showers or changing rooms. Thanks to SDS volunteer tennis coach Larry Willens’ generosity, there is a brand new locker room facility beside the tennis clubhouse. He “If I loan you a Barbie, you become the debtor and Please note that due to industrial action by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and GMB the school fundraising ideas will be closed on Thursday 10th July 2014. I’m the free-credits-report.com or. donated $700,000 for the building and it is named in honor of his parents, the late Harold and Grace Willens. Earlier he had provided the furniture for the clubhouse. Willens has coached World Team Tennis professional teams as well as world-class players such as Butch Walts, Kerry Reid, Gretchen Magers and Alex Waske.
SD Tennis & Racquet Clinics To Feature Kelly Jones
Angel Lopez, tennis director at San Diego Tennis & Racquet Club, has teamed with his former student Kelly Jones to hold men’s, women’s and junior clinics April 3-4. Jones was No. 2 in the US in Boys 18s, won the NCAA doubles title twice, was a four-time All American, a 1984 Olympian, and as a pro, was No. 1 in the world ATP in doubles in 1992. He coached Mardy Fish during last year’s Indian Wells tournament where Fish beat four of the top 10 players in the world including Roger Federer and Nikolay Davydenko.
Lopez, who’s just begun his 30th year at SDT&RC, worked with Kelly during his junior and pro career. The clinics are available to the public. For information, contact Lopez at 619-275-3270.
Recently Lopez donated $2000 for new Wilson rackets for children who play at Mt. View Sports & Racquet Club. “I just wanted to give back to the club where I played soccer and baseball when I was young. Virginia Glass, a major force at Mt. View, helped me so much when I was a kid playing tennis, getting me sponsorships for shoes and rackets that I couldn’t afford. I know Virginia will make sure these rackets get into the right hands,” Lopez said.
USD Women Start Strong
Sherri Stevens celebrates her 25th year as women’s coach at USD. Her ladies started the season with a decisive 6-1 win over Cal State Fullerton. Freshman and No. 1 Juliette Coupez of France easily won and then teamed with fellow Frenchwoman Samantha Mouly to win the No. 1 doubles. Freshman Maja Sujica of Croatia bageled her opponent No. 3 singles. They won every match in straight sets except at line 2 singles where Mouly retired. The team also defeated Loyola Marymount 7-0 , winning four singles matches in straight sets.
Of Note: USTA National Committees, League Sign Ups
Volunteers appointed by the USTA to national committees for two-year terms were recently announced—Junior Competition: Lisbeth Blum (Chair) and Ellen Ehlers; Adult/Senior Competition: William J. Kellogg and Roz King; Diversity: Angel Lopez; Senior International Competition: Lesley Waite; Awards and USTA Service Bowl (Chair); Kathy Willette; Nominating: Joseph Zesbaugh.
Last year four San Diego District teams advanced to the USTA League National Championships to vie for the title. Although none brought home the trophy everyone had a wonderful tennis adventure, with close matches and great camaraderie.
The 2009 season may begin play as early as mid April and ends in June. Roster deadline is March 20. Call 858-755-8110 for league information and captains please call for your team registration number.
The San Diego County spring season of the USTA FLEX League for men’s and women’s singles opens online registration March 1. Deadline to register is April 15. Matches are scheduled to begin the week of April 19. Play is offered at the 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0 NTRP skill levels. Visit ustaflex.com or sandiegotennis.com to register.
