Australia and Spain awarded 2009 World Championships
The ITF announced that Spain and Australia have been awarded the ITF Seniors and Super-Seniors World Championships in 2009.
The Real Federacion Espanola de Tenis (RFET) will stage the Seniors World Championships on the island of Majorca, as part of its centenary celebrations. The ITF Seniors World Team Championships will be held on 27 April – 2 May 2009, followed by the World Individual Championships on 3-10 May.
This is only the third occasion that seniors world championships have been staged in Spain, following the 1993 Seniors and Super-Seniors, and 1999 Super-Seniors Championships, both held in Barcelona.
Perth in Western Australia is set to stage the Super-Seniors World Championships at the end of the year. The ITF Super-Seniors World Team Championships will take place on 2-7 November 2009, followed by the World Individual Championships on 8-15 November.
Tennis Australia and Tennis Seniors Australia have a long history of hosting seniors world championships, having staged five events since their inception in 1981. The events are returning to the capital of Western Australia for the fourth time, following the 1991 Seniors and Super-Seniors, 2001 Super-Seniors and 2005 Seniors World Championships.
Charles Trippe, Chairman of the ITF Seniors Committee, said: “We are delighted that the seniors world championships are returning to Spain and Australia. Both countries have a long tradition of support for seniors tennis, and in particular we are looking forward to playing a part in the Spanish Tennis Federation's centenary celebrations."
Saturday was a San Francisco summer day...ie bring your fleece and mittens...60s, and windy with the fog on the horizon, but sunny in Mill Valley after morning fog. This tournament started in summer and ended in spring (70s, light breeze).
The tennis was good on the final days.
Carolyn Wei and Mai Ichikawa went 3 sets in their final 35 round robin match. Carolyn led 52 in the first before Mai rallied to win the set 76, then Carolyn won the final sets decisively. Valerie McKinney beat Mai the first day in 3 sets and then lost to Carolyn on the 2nd day. So the draw was mall (4 people), but strong.
In the 40s, Erika Smith lost to Catherine Vowles in 3 sets on Friday and Vowles beat Chrissie Costamagna in 3 sets in the final, offsetting her errors with some nice winners and showing good movement and stamina.
In the 45s, Kim Lackey played Tracy Houk in the semis. Tracy said she hadn't played a lot since injuring her abdominal muscle at the indoors, but her will to win was still in place. She won the first set 61, but Kim improved her attack in the 2nd set and earned 2 set points, leading 65 40-15. Tracy was ready for a third set, but managed to level the set and then won the tiebreaker 7-1. Kim was ready for it to be over at 6-1, going to the net to shake hands...Tracy declined, explained the score, then Kim hit what she thought was an errant backhand, made a comment about the match NOW being over...but the wind blew it in (it was quite windy), Tracy erred they replayed the point,...and then Kim hit a ball out...game, set match Houk. Carrie Zarranondia is back playing a lot and was aggressive in her 62 75 win over Mary Johnson, the 2nd seed. Carrie and Tracy have been playing each other for about 35 years...and had a good match, but Tracy was too steady for Carrie, winning 64 62.
Helle Virgah also made a rare tournament appearance, teaming with Zarraonandia in the 45 doubles, against Tracy Houk/Judy Newman Rakela. Tracy and Judy edged Helle and Carrie 76 06 75 in a very long and entertaining match. They were to face Kari Hamlin/Sue Leo, who beat Mary Johnson/Kim Lackey in the semis 75 75...Leo's touch and anticipation were excellent in that match. Houk/Rakela continued their fine play in the final, beating Leo/Hamlin 60 in the third to win the 45 doubles.
In the 50s, I beat Chris Ramsower-Pearlstein in the semis...we had great points, but it was very windy...I won. Robin Harris played Leslie Airola-Murveit at 8am and beat her 62 61 but they had great points and the last game was very long. Murveit is back on track after a back injury sidelined her for much of the winter and spring. I beat Robin 63 63 in the final, tough match as always.
In the 50 doubles, Wilma Lee/Debbie Brink Croft started well and took the first set against Ramsower-Pearlstein/Harris 64. Robin and Chris forged a 3-0 lead in the 2nd set. Debbie then held off a break point, and Wilma and Debbie then leveled the set at 3-3 and went up 40-15 in the next game, Chris serving. That was the turning point...Chris held and Chris and Robin lost only 1 more game in winning the match 46 63 61.
Tina Karwasky won the 55 singles 60 62 over Lee...who said she learned a lot in the mach.
Charleen Hillebrand won the 60 singles over Sheila Johnson (who had a tussle with Nancy Garcia, edging her 76 76 in the semis).
In the men's 40s, on Saturday Jeff Greenwald was playing Curtis Dunn, and while serving tore a tendon on the inside of his ankle, so he was unable to finish that match...he was on crutches and in a lot of pain. Greenwald was in the 35 singles as well and obviously had to default that event...and Hunter Galloway defaulted also in the 35 and 40 singles divisions, due to a wrist injury.
Robert Stang beat Robert Levin to win the 35 singles.
In the 45s, Steve Dawson and Polo Cowan reached the final and had a marathon match. Polo survived, 76 16 63. He's the pro at Mill Valley (and Ada Cowans's son)...and had a huge crowd supporting him. He then had the 40s final immediately afterwards and faced a tough, consistent foe in Curtis Dunn. Dunn won 62 62.
Wendell Pierce beat Geoff Martinez in straight sets to win the 50 singles.
Cory/Kepler won the 40 doubles.
Robinson/White lost in the final of the 60 doubles, upset by Talmadge/Zebot (who also took out Yukawa/Shepard in the semis.)
In mixed, Chan/Croft played Brent Abel/Ichikawa in the semis and rallied from 05 dowin the third to win the match. They faced Kepler/Erika Smith in the final.
I am in Mill Valley at the Marin Senior Cat II. It's being held on the 5 hard courts here and also, through today, on 4 courts at Harbor Point in Tiburon (overlooks the Bay, San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge.) Mill Valley is an old club, with a clubhouse that has large windows overlooking the courts. There are always lots of spectators for the matches, especially on the weekends, creating a great atmosphere for the tournament, both for the spectators and players.
The tournament began on Wednesday, just as some rare hot weather here. Yesterday it was in the mid-90s (but 105 in Lodi). A few players melted, but the sea breeze came in today and it's in the 70s, sunny...no rain.
35-60 are the age divisions and there are a lot of tough players here. Local stars Polo Cowan and Jeff Greenwald are each playing 2 singles divisions..both are playing 40s, as is Curtis Dunn. The seeds are in the previous entry. Helle Virgah is playing 45 doubles with Carrie Zarranondia and Carrie is playing singles today. She faces Mary Johnson tomorrow while Tracy Houk and Kim Lackey will play on the other half of the draw.
The 50 singles has Chris Ramsower-Pearlstein and Carolyn Nichols playing while Leslie Murveit faces Robin Harris.
Carolyn Wei played her doubles partner, Mai Ichikawa in the 35s which was a RR. Valerie McKinney upset Mai in 3 tough sets on the first day of play and Carolyn beat her yesterday.
Tonight there's a cocktail party...(no Tab though). More tomorrow.
Diane Fishburne edged Susan Wright to win the 50 Indoor singles title in Detroit on Sunday 76 67 62. It was their third meeting this year and the two have established themselves as the top two 50 and over players in the world. Wright had 5 set points in teh first set and commented that Fishburne played great on those points, which included one in which Wright hit a serve on the line and Fishburne hit it so early that it was back over the net before Wright could budge. Wright combined with Sherri Bronson to edge Lori Fahrenholz and Janet Bezmalinovich in three sets, 64 57 62. Bez/Fahrenholz rallied from 25 down in the 2nd set to tie the match at a set apiece and the teams were on serve till 2-2 in the third, at which point Bronson/Wright raised their level of play according to Fahrenholz and won the match and the gold. Wright also won the 50 hard court doubles; Fishburne won the 50 hard court singles, so each is half way to a gold slam in the 50s.
Donna Drosner took the singles bronze by default over Marianne Robertson, who injured herself during her semifinal match with Wright (trailing 62, Robertson retired from that match). Debbie Burgess/Drosner took the doubles bronze over Shelly Thigpen/Robertson 64 42 ret, inj.
Robin Keener, seeded second, won her first 40s national, beating Mary Dailey in an all-Florida final 76 75. Keener also beat Sue Kaleel 75 in the third in the semis; Kaleel took out last year’s finalist Capelli and the top seed, Anna Zimmerman to place third. Susan (Mascarin?) Keane/Eva Welsher beat Mary Dailey/Diane Fishburne in an exciting three set final 64 36 62 to win the 40 doubles. Keener/Zimmerman took the bronze over Thigpen/Chrissie Costamagna.
Robin and Bud Harris won the “Ultra” Senior Father/Daughter hard courts June 3 in San Diego, CA. There were 8 teams at the inaugural event in which the fathers have to be at least 80. Christy Schaeffer and her son Mark won the Mother/Son hard courts held at the same time. Click here to see all draws.
Suella Steel won the singles (over Charleen Hillebrand) and the doubles at the 65 indoors on June 3rd. She then combined with Hillebrand to beat Cathie Anderson/Sinclair Bill in the doubles final. Mary Boswell is half way to a gold slam in 75 singles and doubles. She beat Louise Russ in the singles and combined with Russ to edge Angie Ray/Jeanette Weiland in 3 sets in the doubles final. Russ was lucky to make the singles final...she had to rally from 0-4 down in the third set to beat Suzanne Ryerson in the semi. Click here to see all results.
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