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Monday,
October 15, 2007
WEEKLY TENNIS NEWS
Tennis Chiefs’
Integrity Unit Has First Meeting
Meanwhile
the first meeting of Tennis Integrity Unit in London on Friday agreed the
need for independent expertise to look into the potential threat of
corruption in the sport.
A presentation given by former London Metropolitan Police Detective Chief
Superintendent Paul Scotney, currently head of the Horse Racing Authority’s
Integrity Unit, and Ben Gunn, head of the new British Gambling Commission,
convinced the likes of Wimbledon chief executive Ian Ritchie, ATP chairman
Etienne de Villiers, WTA Tour general counsel David Shoemaker and Grand
Slam coordinator Bill Babcock that people well versed in the field of
modern internet betting needed to quickly recruited.
Scotney was appointed Head of Security for the Jockey Club in late 2003
after 27 years service with the police. Advice has also been sought from
Lord Condon, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police until 2000, who
chairs the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption department and
although Tennis Integrity Unit will not convene again until the Tennis
Masters Cup which begins in Shanghai on November 11, the ensuing month will
be spent head-hunting men experienced in anti-corruption.
“All of the tennis’ governing bodies are on the same page on this one,”
said the ATP’s general counsel Mark Young who reiterated the prepared
statement released after the meeting that the belief was tennis does not
has a corruption problem. “We understand that currently there is a serious
threat to the integrity of all sports, including tennis, and we see the
need to take a coordinated approach. The next step is to build a specific
department and appoint those with expertise in the field. In that respect
we shall certainly be looking to people from horse racing and cricket. They
are the people better versed in these matters than anyone, they have the
experience and that is the expertise we need to tap into.”
***
USTA Vice President
Gordon Smith Elected to Executive Director Position
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The
United States Tennis Association announced that Vice President Gordon Smith
has been named Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer. In his new
position, Smith will lead the USTA’s effort to accomplish its mission to
promote and develop the growth of tennis and oversee the operations of the
USTA and the functioning of the USTA’s national office.
"I’ve been an avid fan and active participant in the sport of tennis
for most of my life” said Smith. “It is therefore a great honor to be
chosen as Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the national
governing body for the sport. These are very exciting times for tennis and
I look forward to leading the organization and our incredibly committed
volunteers in creating more effective and new ways to attract people to the
sport and make tennis even more accessible and inclusive for players and
potential players of all backgrounds, ages and abilities."
Smith will assume the senior staff position at the USTA effective November
1, upon the retirement of current USTA Executive Director and Chief
Operating Officer, D. Lee Hamilton.
***
Injury Forces
Hingis to End Her Season Early
A
lingering hip problem which has bothered her since Key Biscayne in March
has forced former No. 1 Martina Hingis to end her season early.
The Swiss press has already begun speculating that the 27-year-old could be
nearing the end of her second career, which only began in January, 2006,
after she quit the game for three seasons with foot and ankle injuries.
2000 champion Hingis has withdrawn from Zurich starting Monday. "I'm
very disappointed that I have to withdraw from the Zurich Open. I've done
all I can to try and compete. But since Key Biscayne I've had problems with
my hip. It stops me from playing any more this year, I can't even train
properly."
Since making a surprise return to the game where she reigned as a teenaged
champion late in the last century, Hingis has won titles at Rome and
Calcutta in 2006 and Tokyo last February.
***
Murray and Nadal Meet to Clear up Their Differences
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Andy
Murray and Rafael Nadal met to clear up their differences on the eve of the
Masters Series event in Madrid to sort out their press comments after the
world No.2 openly criticized the 20 year-old Scot’s insistence that
instances of match fixing were common knowledge on the men’s tour.
Murray has subsequently amended his views, maintaining his quotes were
taken out of context. Nadal it seems is also rather contrite after using
the word ‘stupid’ in his observation of Murray’s initial statements.
We were joking about it,” Murray said. “I don’t think it’s as big an issue
as it’s been made out anyway. I explained the whole situation and he
understands where I’m coming from. Rafa has been involved with the press
for a long time and he knows it’s easy for them to change words and not
report the question asked and just put the answers.”
Murray will still face a grilling from ATP president Etienne de Villiers
today when the 20 year-old has been asked to explain his comments in a
formally arranged meeting in Madrid.
***
Federer and Roddick
Sign Up to Play at Kooyong in 2008
Roger
Federer and Andy Roddick have proved to be creatures of tennis habit with
both set to return for a fifth year next January at the AAMI Classic
Australian Open warm-up event.
Federer, who will be bidding for his 13th major title from January 14 at
Melbourne Park, will fine-tune at the eight-man special event at Kooyong
Club traditionally used by the elite to prepare for the season's first
major.
Federer and Roddick will be joined by Marat Safin and Fernando Gonzalez.
Also competing at the January 9-12 round-robin event: Tommy Haas, Ivan
Ljubicic and Andy Murray.
One spot remains open for organizers to award a wild card at the last
moment in the run-up to the Open.
***
Hewitt Looking for
Tennis Australia to Help Philippoussis
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Lleyton
Hewitt wouldn't mind some Australian Open help for former rival Mark
Philippoussis, now reduced to playing on the senior circuit at age 30.
2005 Australian Open finalist Hewitt says he would support a wildcard
lifeline which could allow the Scud to take a place in the draw at
Melbourne Park in January.
"I'm sure Tennis Australia will make the right decision," said
Hewitt of a player now moving out of the Top 500 on the ATP. "It's a
different situation with Flip, considering what he's achieved in the game.
It should probably all be taken into account. "But it's not my concern
really," added Hewitt.
Two-time Grand Slam finalist Philippoussis, who turns 31 next month, has
all but dropped from the tennis radar. The former No. 8 was last spotted on
court being helped off on January 2 at the Hopman Cup in Perth after injuring
his knee in the fifth game of a match against Frenchman Jerome Haehnel.
A few days later, he underwent surgery in Sydney and vanished from the
game. With his made-for-television dating reality series, "Age of
Love" now a memory, a return to the sport cannot be ruled out.
And the new Tennis Australia hard line about wild cards is not expected to
do any potential favors for the Las Vegas-based Australian, whose possible
return remains well over the odds.
Under tough guidelines, wild card entries must be earned on merit - and
that means winning in a series of December playoffs.
"It really depends on how much he has trained, what he wants for
himself, how many matches he may have under his belt," said Hewitt.
***
Coach-Changing
Season About to Begin
The
professional tour season is coming to an end, and coach-changing season is
about to begin. To kick off the season is the news that Fabrice Santoro who
is likely to keep on playing next year at age 36 will be looking for a new coach.
His long-time coach Laurent Raymond has been hired full time by the French
Federation and won't be able to travel with him.
Santoro will beat Andre Agassi's record of 61 Grand Slam tournaments played
at the next Australian Open which will be his 62nd.
Gael Monfils has terminated his agreement with Tarik Benhabiles which adds
up to his fourth coach this year. Monfils, who has been injured and
not playing, is supposedly looking for a new coach again.
Thomas Johansson has hired Magnus Norman as his traveling coach.
***
Philadelphia Event
Raises $400,000
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In a
battle of big servers, John Isner held off Andy Roddick to lead Team Elton
to a 20-18 overtime victory over Team Billie Jean at the 15th annual
Advanta WTT Smash Hits in Villanova, Pa. October 10. The annual
charity event, hosted by Billie Jean King and Sir Elton John, raised more
than $400,000 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and Philadelphia-based
ActionAIDS.
The night was capped by an exciting duel between American Davis Cup
teammates Roddick and Isner. Roddick and Isner put on a serving
clinic for the Philadelphia crowd of 4,156 in the evening’s much
anticipated final set. Roddick won men’s singles for the trailing
Team Billie Jean 5-2, forcing the match into overtime. Isner took the
second game of overtime to win the overall team match 20-18 and give Team Elton
John its first Smash Hits victory since 2001. “The quality of the tennis
was fabulous and we raised a lot of money for charity,” King said.
“It was a really great night.” At a pre-match reception, more than
$248,500 of the evening’s total was raised as King, John and the players
participated in a live auction. Anna Kournikova kicked off the
auction by buying a package that included tickets to Elton John’s Red Piano
show in Las Vegas, along with dinner in his VIP suite for $35,000.
Auction Highlights ($273,775 of the evening’s proceeds were raised in the
Live and Silent Auctions): Tennis Instruction & Lunch w/ Elton John
& Billie Jean King at John’s private court in London: $55,000 Sir Elton
John Red Piano Concert & Dinner in Elton’s suite: $35,000 (bought by
Anna Kournikova) and 2008 Smash Hits Hitting Session w/ Andy Roddick:
$19,000
Advanta Chairman and CEO Dennis Alter capped off the auction by putting in
a winning bid for a hit with Patrick McEnroe and Billie Jean King at the
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Elton John opened the evening of tennis by teaming with Roddick to win the
celebrity battle of the sexes match against Lindsay Davenport and Anna
Kournikova, 4-0. The set was highlighted by a humorous 12-stroke net
rally between Roddick and Kournikova, ultimately won by Roddick.
The WTT format match officially began with men’s doubles as Roddick and
Luke Jensen (Team Billie Jean) took on Isner and Patrick McEnroe (Team
Elton). Jensen and McEnroe struggled to return the powerful serves of
Isner and Roddick. The highly competitive set went to a WTT
tiebreaker, won 5-4 by Team Billie Jean on an unexpected ace by
Jensen.
Kournikova and Davenport returned to the court for Team Elton, taking on
rising Dover, Del., star Madison Brengle and Corina Morariu,
representing Team Billie Jean. Brengle and Morariu prevailed
5-3. Brengle then had an opportunity to live out a dream in
women’s singles, facing Lindsay Davenport, former world No. 1 and
mother of 3-month old son Jagger. Davenport appeared to be back in
Grand Slam form, dominating the set 5 -0 for Team Elton John.
The night of competitive tennis was highlighted by a crowd-pleasing mixed
doubles showdown. But neither Morariu standing on a chair at the
baseline to return the serve of the 6' 9" Isner, or a successful
between-the-legs shot by Roddick could help Team Billie Jean prevail in
mixed doubles competition. The towering team of Davenport and Isner
took the set 5-2 for Team Elton.
***
Tennis Week Making
Plans for 2008
Contrary to rumors of
its possibly shutting down, Tennis Week is making plans for 2008, according
to publisher Randy Master.
Master said the final issue of 2007 would be at the newsstands on
Thanksgiving and then the next issue will be the first issue of 2008.
Three of the magazine’s biggest subscribers, Eastern Section of the USTA,
USPTA and the PTR have indicated their concern about the future frequency
and content of the publication. Master said that he wasn’t sure about the
intentions of the PTR and the USPTA, but the Eastern Section has reached an
agreement with the magazine and only the signing of a contract is left.
The Eastern Section President Dale Caldwell told Daily Tennis News he is
very pleased with their Tennis Week set-up, and it will fit in nicely with
their agreement to subscribe to Inside Tennis in 2008, thus providing
Eastern members an increase in member benefits.
Henin Clinches
Year-End Number One Ranking on Women’s Tour
Justine
Henin will conclude the 2007 season as the No.1 player in the world, the
Sony Ericsson WTA Tour announced today. Currently holding 5,500 points in
the rankings and 1,850 points ahead of No.2 ranked Svetlana Kuznetsova,
Henin has mathematically clinched the season-ending top ranking.
Henin added eight tour singles titles to her resume this season, including
two major titles – a fourth career Roland Garros title and second career US
Open title for a total of seven major singles titles.
Henin reclaimed the No.1 spot earlier this year on March 19 and has held on
ever since, for an eventual 2007 week total of 45 out of 52 weeks (includes
the remaining weeks to close out 2007). She has held the No.1 ranking for
all but seven weeks this season when Russia’s Maria Sharapova owned the top
spot. When rankings are released on Monday, October 15, Henin will have
owned the top ranking for a total of 87 weeks.
***
Djokovic is Briefly
Backing Off From an Intense Schedule
Serb
Novak Djokovic is looking out for his No. 1 after achieving his dream of
qualifying for next month's season-ending Masters Cup.
With his ticket to Shanghai punched, the 20-year-old standing third in the
world says the pressure is off him for 2007. "It's not about the
points or the money - it's about winning."
"As third in the world, I've gone over the limits this year.
Logically, I don't need to try anymore this season. But whenever I go to
the court, I try to win.
"I'll try 10 percent," he said, with Vienna, and the last two
masters Series events of the season in Madrid and Paris on his calendar
before flying to China in early November.
Djokovic made his breakthrough in 2007, lifting titles in Adelaide,
Estoril, Miami and Montreal. He also played semi-finals at Roland Garros
and Wimbledon.
***
Luke and Murphy
Jensen to Host Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic
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Luke
and Murphy Jensen will host the inaugural Bank of the West Pro-Celebrity
Tennis Classic, Dec. 8, at The Riviera Tennis Club.
Monica Seles, Jennifer Capriati, actor David Duchovny and musician Gavin
Rossdale are among the tennis and entertainment stars scheduled to join the
Jensens for the event. Also expected to join them are Justin
Gimelstob, Carling Bassett-Seguso and Robert Seguso, actors Scott Foley,
Donna Mills and Eric Braeden plus many other sports and entertainment
stars.
The fun-filled day of tennis and an “Evening with the Stars” gala will
raise money for a number of youth-oriented charities, including
Jensen-Schmidt Tennis Academy for Down Syndrome, the National Down Syndrome
Society and The Riviera Foundation.
It will be an all-day affair with a tennis pro-am followed by a kids’
clinic and a pro-celebrity tennis exhibition. The activities climax with
the “Evening with the Stars” gala from 7-11 p.m. at The Riviera Country
Club. The gala will feature top entertainment and a live auction.
MEN
Moscow
Singles
- Final:
(1) N Davydenko def. (4) P Mathieu 7-5 7-6(11-9)
Not even a bad elbow (which he said almost caused him to retire from the
match) could stop Nikolay Davydenko in Moscow -- though it certainly
limited the number of service holds (there were five breaks in the first
set, in which Mathieu muffed two set points, and six in the second set, in
which Mathieu again wasted set points)...This place loves Russians, and it
loves repeat winners, and Davydenko of course is both.
In terms of rankings it doesn't make any difference; he remains #4. But he
had gone all year without a title. Now that's off his back, at least
giving him a bit of cushion for when his Paris title come off in three
weeks. The ATP still hasn't announced that he'll qualify for Shanghai. But
he will.
Mathieu would have been Top Twenty had he won this. Instead, he'll have to
settle for #21. This is still the best year of his career -- and he still
has Paris coming up.
Doubles
- Final:
Safin/Tursunov def. Cibulec/Zovko 6-4 6-2
One thing is clear: Marat Safin was due. He hadn't reached a doubles final
in two and a half years, and hadn't won a title since Gstaad 2001. Maybe
his messed-up knee doesn't trouble him as much in doubles. It's the first
doubles title for Tursunov in his career -- and, he said, the first time he
won a title with his parents in the stands. And, of course, it completed a
sweep for Russians on the day. (Well, a near-sweep; they won both men's
matches, and the women's singles, but there were no Russians in the women's
doubles final.)
Tursunov grudgingly admitted that he and Safin were a "long ways from
catching up with the Bryans," but thinks it good preparation for the
Davis Cup final....
Vienna
Singles
- Final:
(1) N Djokovic def. S Wawrinka 6-4 6-0
Obviously there wasn't much to say about this match, except that Djokovic
did much better than in, say, his quarterfinal. The effects, though, are
interesting. Djokovic is now only about 1000 points behind Rafael Nadal.
Madrid and Paris are worth 500, and Shanghai up to 750. So the year-end #2
is very emphatically in play.
Djokovic now has five titles this season, trailing only Federer and Nadal
(interestingly, four of his five are on hardcourt or indoor hard; it's
almost as if we're seeing Nadal dominate on slow courts, Djokovic strong in
the middle, and Federer in charge on fast). Djokovic is up to 65 match
wins, which leads the ATP.
Doubles
- Final:
(4) Fyrstenberg/Matkowski def. Behrend/Kas 6-4 6-2
It wasn't a very exciting set of finals, was it? Fyrstenberg/Matkowski now
have two titles this season, and remain on the fringes of the doubles Race
at #11. But it's definitely the fringes -- barring withdrawals, they will
need to just about sweep the two remaining Masters.
Stockholm
Singles
- Final:
(7 I Karlovic def. T Johansson 6-3 3-6 6-1
If we'd been asked to guess in advance how many breaks there would be in
this final, our guess would have been one or, at most, two. But there were
four: One each to settle the first two sets (Johansson's break in game two
of the second set coming on his only break point of the match), then
Karlovic had two in the third. And, of course, 27 aces.
And a career high. He'll be moving up to #24, just a week after hitting
#25; he was #41 as recently as the end of July. And he has three titles, on
three different surfaces: Houston on clay, Nottingham on grass, and now
Stockholm, the biggest, on indoor hardcourt. (Amazingly, depending on how
you count it, Roger Federer may be the only other player with titles on
three surfaces; Djokovic has titles on clay, outdoor hard, and indoor hard.)
Throw in a final at San Jose, and three semifinals, and it has been quite a
year for Karlovic. If he can start adding some required event points, he
should really go places. Unfortunately, he has only two required
event wins this year (one at Roland Garros, one at the Canadian Open).
Johansson fails to take home the title, but he reaches his first final
since St. Petersburg last year (indeed, it's only the second time he has
made a quarterfinal this year!). After a very hard start to the season, he
now has 11 wins in his last five events. He's back in the Top Fifty. Maybe,
just maybe, he's finally reached the point where he can be consistent
again.
Doubles
- Final:
(2) Bjorkman/Mirnyi def. (3) Clement/Llodra 6-4 6-4
It's stunning to realize that Bjorkman and Mirnyi hadn't won a title this
year. It's also stunning to realize that they were #10 in the Race even so.
But the rest -- well, we'll let Bjorkman tell it: "It's a great
feeling to win again, because we have both been having a mediocre year in
doubles. We have been fighting hard to find our way through.... Today we
really showed ourselves that we could play some great tennis again. This
was as good as we could play and to do that in my home, it could not have
happened at a better place."
Regarding the Masters Cup: "We had really closed the door on Shanghai.
We felt we were so far behind that we could not see an opportunity to
qualify. I think now we open the door a little bit, there is still a long
way to go because we are still quite a lot of points behind. But now we are
playing with great confidence and we will be pumped up coming into Madrid
having played our best match of the year today. Anything can happen at
least now. We are going to see if we can open that door a little bit
more."
***
WOMEN
Moscow
Singles
- Final:
Elena Dementieva def. (4) Serena Williams 5-7 6-1 6-1
In the first set, Elena Dementieva couldn't seem to put things away. She
had two break points in the first game -- whereupon Serena hit four aces.
She was certainly out-running Serena, but if she couldn't break, obviously
she wasn't going to win. Toward the end of the set, down three set points,
she saved three -- and then double-faulted on her game point. And so it
went.
But Serena, who had played two straight weeks, ran out of gas after that.
(It must be an interesting dilemma for her: Play, and get hurt, or don't
play, and get out of shape.) Serena hasn't won a title since Miami -- and
she hasn't won an indoor title in almost five years, since Paris 2003. She
will be going to the Championships in Madrid, and should reach #5 next week
due to Maria Sharapova's problems (see below), but this much reduces the
chances of her going higher than that.
Dementieva -- well, it's the biggest win of her life. Not just a Tier I,
but the Tier I in Moscow. Her home town. To other players, it may be an
ordinary event. To the Russians, it's up there with the Slams. She becomes
the third Russian to win it since it upgraded to Tier I status, following
Myskina and Chakvetadze. Think she was thrilled?
And, of course, she moves up the standings. We show her back in the Top Ten
in the rankings -- and #10 in the Race, only about 400 points behind Maria
Sharapova and less than a hundred behind Daniela Hantuchova. Keep this up,
and she'll be at least an alternate at Madrid, and she just might qualify
directly, especially if someone withdraws. And even if she doesn't -- well,
her ranking can only climb for most of next spring.
Doubles
- Final:
(1) Black/Huber def. Azarenka/Poutchek 4-6 6-1 10-7 (Match TB)
After that first set, you have to wonder if Azarenka didn't get nervous
about a final again. Of course, she and Poutchek were facing the world's
top team. We're still waiting for the WTA to announce that Black and Huber
will be the year-end #1 and #2. Because they will be.
Bangkok
Singles
- Final:
(7) Flavia Pennetta def. Chan Yung-Jan 6-1 6-3
Finally the frustration ends. And we're not talking about the four hour
rain delay in this match. Since winning at Acapulco 2005, Flavia Pennetta
had made thirteen semifinals (including one at a Challenger). This was only
the fourth time she had won one of those semifinals (the last being at
Acapulco 2007, and the one before that at Acapulco 2006). She hadn't won a
single title. Now, with this routine win, the long wait is over.
And not only that, Pennetta has a hardcourt title. Her previous wins --
Sopot 2004, Bogota 2005, Acapulco 2005 -- were all on clay. So were most of
the finals and semifinals. It's a pretty good breakthrough.
It's not bad in the rankings department, either. #49 coming in, we show
Pennetta rising all the way to #39 (meaning Vera Dushevina won't be making
the Top Forty after all). And she has two semifinals and a title in the
last three weeks -- and she lost to the eventual champion in both of her
last three events. Sounds like she just might continue climbing.
Chan fails to win her first WTA title (she has a bunch of Challenger
trophies), but she does make her first final. Her ranking, which has fallen
dramatically in the last few months, will finally climb again, to probably
slightly better than #70.
Daily Tennis Footnote of the day: Serena Williams was the top player beaten
by champion Dementieva at Moscow; Venus Willians was the top player beaten
by champion Pennetta at Bangkok. And Dementieva and Pennetta have
frequently been doubles partners.
Doubles
- Final:
(1) T. Sun/Yan def. Morita/Namigata walkover (Morita: Gastro-intestinal
illness)
This was one of those jinxed events: Instead of 15 doubles matches, there
were only 12 due to all the withdrawals. Morita and Namigata actually were
involved with two: They had a walkover in the quarterfinal, then withdrew
from the final.
Sun and Yan have now won two events straight: They also won the Japan Open.
At this rate, Zheng Jie had better hurry back, or she's going to lose her
doubles partner.
2007
Prize Money Earnings
MEN
(October 15)
|
1 Federer, Roger
|
$7,063,620
|
|
2 Nadal, Rafael
|
4,344,435
|
|
3 Djokovic, Novak
|
3,213,700
|
|
4 Davydenko, Nikolay
|
1,559,775
|
|
5 Roddick, Andy
|
1,224,120
|
|
6 Ferrer, David
|
1,178,452
|
|
7 Gonzalez, Fernando
|
1,131,930
|
|
8 Berdych, Tomas
|
1,055,320
|
|
9 Gasquet, Richard
|
957,290
|
|
10 Haas, Tommy
|
935,350
|
WOMEN
(October 15)
|
1 Henin, Justine
|
$4,185,086
|
|
2 Williams, Serena
|
2,058,521
|
|
3 Kuznetsova, Svetlana
|
1,934,312
|
|
4 Williams, Venus
|
1,843,187
|
|
5 Jankovic, Jelena
|
1,670,257
|
|
6 Ivanovic, Ana
|
1,645,224
|
|
7 Sharapova, Maria
|
1,258,550
|
|
8 Chakvetadze, Anna
|
1,133,766
|
|
9 Bartoli, Marion
|
1,083,325
|
|
10 Hantuchova, Daniela
|
930,452
|
This
Week’s Events
MEN
Madrid
WOMEN
Zurich
Next
Week’s Events
MEN
Basel
Lyon
St Petersburg
WOMEN
Linz
ITA
Small College Champs Crowned
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|
Embry-Riddle's
(Fla.) Mislav Hizak and Johanna Dahlback from Armstrong Atlantic State
(Ga.) won the singles titles and UC San Diego and Fresno Pacific duos
captured the doubles titles Sunday at the 2007 Intercollegiate Tennis
Association (ITA) "Super Bowl" of Small College Tennis at the
Copeland-Cox Tennis Center.
NAIA Embry-Riddle's Hizak is the first player in tournament history to win
the "Super Bowl" men's title three years in a row as he beat Alex
Grubin from Division II Concordia ( N.Y), 6-3, 6-4 in today's final. Hizak,
a senior, has gone 15-0 in this event over the last three years. Armstrong
Atlantic State senior Dahlback beat JuCo champ Monika Lalewicz of Abraham
Baldwin (Ga.), 6-3, 6-3 to become the second player from her school to win
a "Super Bowl" title. Division II UC San Diego's Eric Rubens and
Blake Meister beat NAIA Fresno Pacific's Matt Carroll and Vincente Joli in
the men's doubles final, 7-6(6), 7-5. Fresno Pacific did win a doubles
title today on the women's side as Anna Karavayeva and Maria Kolkotsky beat
Division II Abilene Christian's (Texas) Irene Squillaci and Aina
Rafolomanantsiatoskia, 6-4, 7-6(4).
This event begins as the ITA National Small College Championships and is
presented by Outback Steakhouse and the United States Tennis Association
(USTA). It dates back to 1986 and determines champions for NCAA Divisions
II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College men's and women's singles and
doubles during the first two-and-a-half days of play. Those champions then
competed to become the overall national small college champs (for all
divisions) in the ITA "Super Bowl" of Small College Tennis during
the weekend.
Each small college division featured eight singles players and eight
doubles teams who earned spots into this national event by winning their
retrospective Wilson/ITA Regional Championships held over the past three
weeks throughout the country. All told, nearly 7,000 student-athletes
competed in 61 regional tournaments to earn spots in the national event.
Embry-Riddle's Hizak did not lose a set in five victories this week. On
Saturday he also became the first men's place to win three NAIA men's
singles titles. He followed up his 2005 "Super Bowl" title by
reaching the quarterfinals of the 2005 ITA National Indoor Championships
and reached the round of 16 there last season. This is the second
"Super Bowl" title for Fresno Pacific's women in as many years;
last year Jelena Pandzic captured the singles title in only the second year
of the program's existence. Dahlback is the second player from Armstrong
Atlantic to win a "Super Bowl" women's singles title, joining
2003 champ Zsofia Golopencza
Today's overall ITA "Super Bowl" of Small College Tennis
champions earn wild cards into the November 1-4 ITA National Intercollegiate
Indoor Championships hosted by The Ohio State University in Columbus. This
tournament is the second of three national championships for Division I
tennis and offers the small college participants the opportunity to become
champions for all divisions of collegiate tennis.
Final Draws: Division II Division III NAIA Junior College SUPER BOWL
·
Tennis Professional/Chaperone--Europe
and North America
·
Teaching Pro--Illinois
·
Executive Director USTA Mid-Atlantic
section--Washington, DC
·
Tennis Australia Men's Tour
Coach--Australia
·
Tennis Australia Women's Pro Tour
Coach--Australia
·
Associate Tennis Professional
·
Head Professional--Arizona
·
Head Tennis Pro--New York
·
Wilson Product Developer--Footwear
·
Wilson Product Manager--Rackets
·
Tennis Instructors--Connecticut
·
Head Tennis Coach--Hong Kong
·
Teaching Pro--Ohio
·
Utah and Nevada--Tennis Professional
·
Wichita State--Associate Head Men's
Coach
·
Tennis Club for Sale--Cape Cod
·
Teaching Pro--Washington
·
TENNIS BALL CANS—FOR SALE
For
complete ATP and WTA results, please see our web site at www.tennisnews.com
***
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Bob
Larson - Publisher
Cort
Larson - Editor
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