Chang to be Honored at Esurance Classic
So much for a simple “Hello.”
The 5th Annual Esurance Tennis Classic will welcome one of its headliners —’89 French Open champion Michael Chang — in style on Oct. 3 with a day dedicated to the former world No. 2. The Vice Mayor of Mill Valley will present a proclamation welcoming Chang to Marin County before the Marin Chinese Cultural Association Lion Dancers Team, featuring youth from Marin County, performs to welcome and open the Michael Chang Day festivities.
“We wanted the Asian community to come out and support Michael and in contacting them they were inspired by his accomplishments and wanted to find a way to acknowledge him and his success,” said TD Rosie Casals. “We thought it would certainly be a nice way to welcome him to Marin County and our Esurance Tennis Classic event. The Dragon Dancers do sort of put their stamp on an event and certainly makes it fun and interesting for those who watch.”
“We’ve all been to Chinatown for the Chinese New Years and love to see the Dragon Dancers, especially if they’re from Marin.”
Chang, who will compete in the Classic, will be joined by his wife Amber Liu — a two-time NCAA singles champion and doubles finalist at Stanford.
The event will raise money for To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation, Us Too Prostate Cancer Education and Support and Youth Tennis Advantage. For more information visit www.tennisclassic.org.
Scholarship for YTA’s Wesley Augustine
When 16-year-old Wesley Augustin of Berkeley joined the National First Serve Student Athlete Competition, he probably didn’t know he would place No. 1 in the ‘08-’09 National First Serve Student Athlete Competition or have the awesome opportunity to meet Andre Agassi.
Wesley, a YTA regular who was recently hired as a junior instructor for the its Bear Trax after-school program, not only won the competition for great tennis but he won for superb grades as well. First Serve’s competition instilled in Wesley and other participating scholar athletes a sense of healthy balance where physical activity, competition, academics, leadership and having fun is concerned. To sweeten the honor, Wesley will be presented the First Serve medal by the world’s all-time tennis superstar, Andre Agassi, who will present the First Serve medal to Wesley during an on-court ceremony on Oct. 4 during the Esurance Classic at Harbor Point TC in Mill Valley, Calif. In addition to receiving $5,000 toward educational assistance when Wesley enrolls in college in a few years, First Serve has invited Wesley and his mother to a weekend in New York where they will attend the ‘09 U.S. Open.
— by Lori Shepherd
Mt. Tam 4.0 Leaugers Break New Ground
Mt. Tam’s 4.0 women boldly went where no MTRC women’s 4.0 contingent had gone before. The team which — get this — is actually from Mt. Tam (with no outside recruits), reached the Aug. 28-30 —the USTA Sectionals.
With a sweep of the USTA NorCal District Championships in Napa August 14-16 with back-to-back-to-back 5-0 wins, the Lisa Kruttschnitt-captained squad headed to Sectionals with an unscathed 19-0 record. Sunnvale Tennis Center’s Women’s 4.0 team added the first blemish to Mt. Tam’s record on Aug. 28-the first day of Sectionals-with a barn-burning 3-2 final. The two teams split a pair of singles matches, including a 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 tiebreaker win for Mt. Tam’s Brooke Juhl, before Sunnyvale seized control in doubles action.
The club rebounded on Day 2 with a dominant 4-1 win against La Cantera RC, before falling to Orinda 4-1 on the final day of Sectionals. Mt Tam’s lone win in the finale came in straight sets courtesy of Jennifer Bonvechio and Kruttschnitt 6-3, 6-1.
“We’re proud casino online that the team achieved this success with players who are all club members,” said Mt. Tam RC’s Steve Summer.
Rolling Hills Club Teams Fall in Sectionals
Rolling Hills Club’s men’s 3.0 and women’s 3.5 teams made the USTA Section Championships.
Then they made history.
“This is the first time our club has ever had two teams in the same season qualify for Sectionals and we’re very excited and proud,” said Rolling Hills Director of Tennis Jay Potter.
It was a promising start, but in the end, both teams were eliminated 2-1 after starting Sectionals 1-0. The club’s men’s 3.0 squad came within a match of advancing before falling 3-2 to Broadstone RC on the final day of the Championships.
The squad, captained by Andy Shotz and Randy Poblitz, received a pair of doubles wins with Pietro Obert and Michael Barry coming back from a tough loss on Saturday to win 6-3, 5-7, 1-0. Bruce Kessler and Bob Frank also turned in a fine performance as they won in straight sets 7-6, 6-1.
RHC’s women’s 3.5 team, captained by Jill Sartori and coached by Fern Ruth, lost 4-1 to Club Sport Valley Vista in its Sunday final, as Sheila Colletto suffered a rare straight set loss, 6-3, 6-4, in a singles sweep by CSVV. In doubles, Maryellen Steiger and Dori Drucker recorded the lone Rolling Hills point, up 3-0 in the first set when one of their opponents was injured and forced to retire. Michelle Andrade and Jean Randall battled back in the closest doubles match of the afternoon, but came up short, 3-6, 6-4, 1-0.
Members to Celebrate New Courts at Scott Valley
After surviving a month of two-court tennis during a massive resurfacing project at Scott Valley Swimming and TC, members will break in the new courts (which opened Sept. 2) in style in October during the Scott Valley Club Championships. The Championships will include men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed for all levels (2.5 to 4.0 ), in addition to a Friday night cocktail party on the deck before the final four is played out in each division on Saturday and Sunday.
“It was well attended last year and we look for a big turnout to inaugurate our new courts,” said Scott Valley director of tennis Helle Sparre.
TPC Challenger Oct. 10
The Tiburon Peninsula Club will host the Royal Bank of Scotland Challenger, Oct. 10-18. For info, call (415) 789-7900, ext. 103.
