Rasgado (Froehling) New Year’s Doubles Team Cup
Date: January 3-5, 2020
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Director: Joe Rasgado – joe.rasgado@gmail.com

The first Rasgado New Year’s Doubles Team Cup became more than a fun event that drew more than 100 players to the Veltri Tennis Center at Plantation’s Central Park.

Joe Rasgado developed the senior prize money event as an honor to Florida tennis legend Frank Froehling III, who has been battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia for several years. Rasgado said he would change the name of the event next year to the Froehling New Year’s Doubles Team Cup.

Six teams of 12 players competed Saturday through Monday in the tournament that was run through the National Senior Men’s Tennis Association and was held at the site of last month’s prestigious Orange Bowl International junior tournament. Larry Turville’s NSMTA team won the title.

One of the competitors was Dr. Noble Hendrix, a friend of Froehling who brought along a wood Froehling autograph model Dunlop racquet. Hendrix noted that Froehling’s mission for several years has been to improve the quality of tennis in Florida through the court construction business.

Froehling, a college standout at Trinity University, was runner up at the US National Championships in 1963, where he defeated Roy Emerson before losing to Rafael Osuna. He was ranked as high as sixth in the world, and in 1971 at the French Open he defeated Arthur Ashe before losing in the semifinals to Ilie Nastase.

The convoluted idea of Joe Rasgado to have 6 teams of 15 male players over the age of 65 in various combinations and also requiring one women’s doubles per team ended on Monday. Confusing as it was, it turned out to be a tremendous success.

The matches were played over 3 days at the Veltri Tennis Center in Plantation, home of the prestigious Orange Bowl International Junior Tennis Championships. There were players from as far west as Arkansas, as far north as Boston and a couple even flew in the night before from Peru. A total of 99 players participated in the event. It required that 18 matches be played simultaneously, an incredible feat for a doubles-only event.

Although the powerful NSMTA team won the event pretty easily with 57 points, the fight for second place was an exciting one and came down to the last match of the last day. The team from SW FLA pulled a fantastic feat in their match against Treasure Coast, coming back from 6 points down on the last day, to tie Treasure Coast at 47 points for 2nd place. However, the Gold Coast team, which had been decimated by injuries and illnesses, was still sitting at 44 points with one match to go and a chance for a 3-way tie.  Unfortunately for them, even though Gold Coast won that match, they did so in a tie break getting only two points and finishing in 4th place, 1 point behind, with 46 points. Rounding up the teams were Flina Connection and NO FLA, which tied for 5th.

Informative speeches by the Secretary of the US International Club, Robb Bunnen, and by NSMTA Board Member, Mas Kimball, were made during the event. Most importantly, a very emotional ceremony occurred after lunch on Sunday, to honor tennis great Frank Froehling III and the Froehling family.  Frank has been battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia and is not doing well. It was decided that this event will be renamed the Froehling Cup in his honor starting in 2021.  It was particularly fitting that the publisher of the Florida Tennis Magazine, Jim Martz, was able to attend this ceremony, and already posted a very nice article on its Facebook pages about it.

More information on the Rasgado New Year’s Doubles Team Cup and Froehling will appear in the upcoming issue of Florida Tennis.

3rd Annual NSMTA Cat III Doubles Championships at Sanchez/Casals in Naples - January 7-11, 2020
Larry Turville
lturville@msn.com
January 2020

The 3rd Annual NSMTA National Cat III Doubles Championships was blessed in 2020 with beautiful Naples, FL weather, good competition and friendly happy hours each day.

In 2018, this event was the first to feature the Round Robin format for doubles, and this year, a new twist of Crossover matches was set up to guarantee three matches for players in groups of 3 (who before only got two). It worked well for those draws which had two or three groups of three. The round robin format has shown to be a big benefit to give the players more matches and is growing in popularity. The RR Doubles format is now used by all three of the Super Cat III’s in Florida (NSMTA Triple Crown).

Another big plus this year was thanks to player and former engineer Tom Meigs who developed a program to solve Tiebreakers and provide final point calculations. This will eliminate a lot of work for TD’s and the USTA.

Each day after the round robins a well-received happy hour was provided with Latin snacks and free beverages courtesy of the NSMTA. Also provided was a nice long sleeve shirt and as started last year, perpetual trophies that have the winners names engraved on them. These trophies are named after long time contributors to Senior Tennis.

They are listed below with this year’s winners;

• 55’s Ron Homberg Cup – Paul Williamson & Kevin Collin

• 60’s Toby Crabel Cup – Richard Bechtel & John Gillette

• 65’s Steve Solomon Cup – Tom Meigs & David Schmeer

• 70’s Alan Messer Cup – Andre Marois & Steve Shreiner

• 75’s George Wachtel Cup – Hank Irvine & Evert Jonsson

• 80’s Clem Hopp Cup – Michael Fenster & Richard Valentine

We look forward to continuing the annual NSMTA Doubles Championships for many years to come.

If you were a participant, please head over to the Tournament Reviews page on the NSMTA.net website and review the tournament.

Bermuda Breeze Championships and Ed Rhawn Invitational
Craig Tidwell
craigwell64@yahoo.com
January 2020

After receiving some intriguing information about the Bermuda Breeze Championships for a couple of years, I decided to enter the Men’s 50 and Over Doubles Tournament this past April of 2019.  The event was held at an exclusive property called “Coral Beach & Tennis Club”, and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

There were nine teams in our age division, which I thought was pretty solid.  The clay courts were in excellent condition and the pros from the resort, Monika Drabkova and Neil Towlson, did a wonderful job running the tournament. 

In addition, there was a social event every evening.  There was a very welcoming cocktail party the day of arrival, as well as an exhibition put on by the Bermuda Davis Cup Team and a barbecue on the beach.  All were first class!

Bermuda is incredibly beautiful, and the only negative thing I can say about the trip was that it was expensive.  Bermuda is literally one of the most expensive places in the world.  However, if you are looking for a very unique tennis experience that’s actually not all that far away, this would be an excellent choice. 

I have also played in the Ed Rhawn Invitational in Louisville, Kentucky the past four years, and this is also an excellent Category 2 event.  The site of the tournament, The Louisville Boat Club, is a tremendous venue. 

They have immaculate clay courts, and the southern hospitality truly makes you feel like you are a member for the couple of days you are there. 

They have a great banquet the first night of the event every year, and Tom Scovill does a tremendous job of running the event.  This tournament has been going for over thirty years, and it is a true gem. 

Longboat Key Tournament
Tom Scovil
wts4946@aol.com
December 2019

In 2003, a USTA Sanctioned Tournament was founded by Dick Schlorf, a longtime Longboat Key resident and a pioneer of the public tennis center. He started this tournament to raise money for improvements to the tennis center.

Each year, the tournament got a little bigger (and a lot better) and was eventually sanctioned by the USTA as a Super Category II National tournament.

For the last 3 years, the tournament has had over 300 players from across the country participating in age groups 55-85. 

This year’s tournament took place from December 3rd through the 8th and had players from 33 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada and 4 foreign countries.

This is one of the NSMTA Florida Triple Crown tournaments, which are 3 of the largest Category II tournaments in the country.

Click here for tournament results.

Photos courtesy of Kacy Coltun

The Gatlin Cup
Bill Gatlin
gatlinbill@yahoo.com
December 2019

The Gatlin Cup took place on November 22-24 in Daytona Beach at the Florida Tennis Center. The annual tournament is led by NSMTA founding member Bill Gatlin and is a team doubles round robin tournament with six teams of 7-8 players in both a 65 and 70 and over division.

Over 90 senior players attended. Teams were from Hilton Head, North Carolina, Jacksonville, Tampa, Treasure Coast and Naples.

The winning teams, pictured with the trophy, were from Hilton Head in the 65s, captained by Manson Hill and Naples in the 70s, captained by Larry Albritton. The team members included Hilton Head - Guenter Bergmann, Dennis Ranalli, Pat Child, Herb Cooper, Mike Listner, Tom Meigs and Ali Moezzi and Naples - Cliff Vines, Ted Sawyer, Butch Dixon, Frank Bova, Bob Green, Steve Schreiner.

Both division winners were not determined until the last match on Sunday, with the competition being so close. In all, 90 matches were played over the weekend with the winning margin two points in the 65s and one point in the 70s. Next year’s tournament plans call to add a 75 and over division with four teams.

Many thanks to the Florida Tennis Center staff who did a great job running the tournament.

The motto for the Gatlin Cup is: Old Friends are the Best and Old Tennis Friends are even Better.

ITF Super-Seniors World Team And Individual Championships
Mark Winters
mwinters@nsmta.net
October 2019

​The 39th version of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Super-Seniors World Team And Individual Championships was staged in Umag, Croatia at the end of September. In recent years, the US has dominated the team competition and this year was no different. The men won two titles and the women claimed three.

Jimmy Parker, National Senior Men’s Tennis Association President, led the Men’s 75 Bitsy Grant Cup team to a 2-1 victory over Austria in the title round. In an e-mail, he provided details about the event. Parker noted, “Don Long, Dean Corley, and Dave Dollins and I arrived in Umag, Croatia by various conveyances. There were 18 teams, from around the world, that would compete for the Bitsy Grant Cup. The US was seeded No. 2 behind Austria because the legendary Peter Pokorny, who has won 39 World Championships, was representing his home country. He was a member of the team that defeated the US in the final last year. He’s currently ranked No. 1 in the world in Men’s 75 singles and doubles.”

Parker continued, “The competition was divided into six round-robins of three teams each. Zimbabwe and Sweden, both of whom are dangerous, were in our group. Zimbabwe was first up and had Roger Dowdeswell (a former tour player whom I lost to in France in 1965), along with the famous Kileff brothers, Brian and Clive, all of whom now live in the US. Don (Long) played No. 2 singles for the US. He is ranked No. 3 in the world. He opened with a victory over Brian. Against me in the No. 1 singles, Roger hit a mix of outright brilliant shots interspersed with some near-misses. I won because the latter outnumbered the former. We had already clinched the victory with the singles successes, but Dean (Corley) and Dave (Dollins) prevailed in the doubles to make it a 3-0 win.

“Sweden, who was up next, featured Evert Jonsson, a Florida resident who goes back each year to qualify in the Swedish nationals, at No. 3. He’s been as high as No. 4 in the World Doubles rankings this year, so we knew that the opposing team was deep. Don struggled with the Swedish No.2, Hans Eberstein, a retired judge who is a wonderful guy, but finally gutted it out after a few tense moments. Goran Nordenhok, their No. 1, has a reputation as a shot-maker with a lethal forehand. Fortunately, it was frequently flying out, and I got by unscathed. Dave and Dean had a good win against Evert and Goran, and the US scored another 3-0 victory.

“It was down to the six winners of the flights for the World Championship. The US received a bye into the semifinals of the play-offs, as did Austria. The French defeated the Italians in the quarters, so we now faced France, a solid team with a wealth of international experience. Don downed their No. 2, Francois Pierson, a court magician, who hits with two-hands off both sides. Again, it was a match with some tense moments. I got by Serge Andres, their No. 1, who had an uncanny knack for taking balls out of the air from mid-court and hitting winners. Dean and Dave again completed the sweep, and the US was in the final, facing Austria, who had taken down Germany 2-1.

“Austria was seeded No. 1 based on its victory over the US in the final round last year. They were led by Pokorny, one of the all-time great senior players. Surprisingly, Don got hammered by their No.2, Klaus Kreuzhuber, 6-1, 6-1. Not what we planned! Now, if I had lost to Pokorny, it would have been all over before we even got to the doubles. Fortunately, Peter started off uncharacteristically, actually making some unforced errors, and I got the first set, 6-0. He found his game in the second and we went to a Tiebreak. I won it, 7-1, with a flurry of drop shots and sneaks to the net so, it was 1-1.

“Last year in the deciding doubles, Richard Salzman teamed with Pokorny and played lights out tennis to surprise Fred Drilling and Mike Stewart for the team title (and gold medal). This year, he was again swinging for the fences, but this time balls were hitting them! Don and I dominated by winning 6-1, 6-0, for some sweet revenge.”

George McCabe, who guided the Men’s 85 Cup team to the title, offered the following. “The team consisted of King Van Nostrand, John Powless, me and Joe Russell, in that order. Each member of the team was currently ranked in the ITF World Top Ten for the age group,” McCabe said.

He added, “The first match was against Australia. I selected Joe to play No. 2 singles, which was the first match of the tie. He handily defeated Bert Barwick 6-1, 7-5. King also won easily at No. 1 against Claude Menzel. John and I completed the sweep by winning the doubles.

“The second match was against the Brits. I played the No. 2 singles against Leonard Lawrence and won 6-1, 6-4. King defeated Leonard Phillips at the No.1, 6-0, 6-1. John and Joe played exceptionally well, and the US again won fairly easily.

“Sweden was up next. They switched their lineup to try and win the doubles. They put their No. 3 and No. 4 players into the singles against our numbers No. 1 and 2, King and John, and the matches were no contest. In the doubles, Joe and I beat their No. 1 and 2 players 6-1, 6-2, and dashed the Swedes ‘Impossible Dream.’

“In the championship match against Germany, I beat their No.2, Wilfried Mahler 6-1, 6-2. King, then, crushed Herbert Althaus 6-0, 6-1 to clinch the cup. King played extremely well throughout the competition, and it was a pleasure watching him compete. More important, the US 85 Cup team ran through the entire event without the loss of a set. Well done!”

On the women’s side, there were a trio of triumphs. Tina Karwasky captained the 65 Kitty Godfree team to a 3-0 victory over Austria. Brenda Carter’s 70 Althea Gibson squad dominated Great Britain, 3-0. In the 85 division, Margaret Canby’s group was 2-1 better than Argentina.

Looking at the rest of the results, there was a Men’s 65 Britannia, Men’s 70 Jack Crawford and Men’s 80 Gardnar Mulloy Cup “trifecta” with the teams finishing third in their respective age divisions.

The Men’s 65 Britannia Cup team was captained by Mark Meyers. His teammates included Geoff Cykman, Gary Jenkins and Tom Smith. Neither Hungary nor Poland were able to score a point in the first two matches. Both dropped 3-0 decisions. France, led by the Renoult brothers, Bruno and Marc, and Dominique Leman and Didier Kaisserian, defeated the US, 3-0 in the next match. In the Third-Fourth Place Playoff, the US shutout Australia, 2-0.

Brent Abel was the captain of the Men’s 70 Jack Crawford Cup team. He teamed with Steve Gottlieb, Bob Litwin and Geoffrey Moore. Not only is Abel a tennis talent, he is also very creative. Rather than write about the Men’s 70 experience, he produced an entertaining video which covers what took place. Click here to watch and enjoy the show.

Lester Sack, the captain of the Men’s 80 Gardnar Mulloy Cup team, stated, “Upon our arrival in Trieste on Friday, the 13th, we had a quick ride to our hotel, the Melia Coral, in Umag. It is best for information purposes, coordination, etc., if the team stays at the same hotel, apartment or other accommodation. Bob Quall, who was a late replacement for the injured Jim Rauch, had to stay in another hotel because there were no rooms at the Melia Coral. The other team members were Herman Ahlers, Wilbur Jones and me.

“After a good practice on Saturday morning, there was a captain’s meeting in the early afternoon. The US was seeded No. 2. At that point, the team had all received their accreditation badges. Later in the afternoon, we attended the parade of nations in the impressive Goran Ivanišević stadium. It was named for the former Croatian professional star.

“The team tournament, with seventeen countries taking part, began on Sunday. Denmark, on paper did not appear very strong, was our first opponent. We defeated them 3-0, although some of the matches were quite close with Bob (Quall) winning a third set Tiebreak.

“We next played Croatia and won 3-0. But, the matches were competitive with long and difficult rallies in both the singles and the doubles. Herman (Ahlers) and Wilbur (Jones) did a good job in the doubles against Denmark and Croatia.

“With the help of a bye, we were now in the ‘knockout’ part of the tournament and faced Chile. They had Jaime Pinto-Bravo, the top player in the 80s and possibly the 75s and 70s. I remember him from the 1960s and he was just not that good at the time. But, thanks to his play, Chile defeated us, 2-1. I managed to win my match, but Pinto-Bravo defeated Bob. He then teamed with Gustavo Ragga to down Wilber and me in the deciding doubles match – in a three-set contest.

“The next day, we faced Sweden in the Third-Fourth Place Playoff. Rolf Westman defeated Bob, but I won over Vitold Watori. Once again, the doubles would decide the match. Wilbur and I were able to hold on to down Westman and Watori for the Bronze Medal. This concluded a fairly good showing for the US.

Sack then made an important point saying, “We all want to thank the USTA for making the trip possible and for Milly Seguera Huss, (USTA Manager, Adult Tournaments), who was always there giving us encouragement and listening to any problems that might arise.”

The women scored a finalist double when the 75 Queens’ (Captain-Suella Steel) and the 80 Doris Hart (Captain - Carol Wood) Cup teams came up short against strong opponents in the title rounds.

The singles, doubles and mixed competitions spotlighted the best players in Super-Seniors tennis. Winning a title required nerves of steel and the ability to outlast formidable opponents. The Men’s 75 doubles was a US affair with Corley and Stewart edging Long and Parker 6-4, 0-6, 10-8 in the final. Van Nostrand was superb, defeating Henri Cruchet of France, 6-1, 6-2, for the Men’s 85 singles honors. He team with Powless to score a “double” downing another US tandem, McCabe and Russell, 6-2, 6-1.

In the Men’s 70 doubles, Petr Kolacek of Switzerland and Jairo Velasco Ramirez of Spain defeated the US’s Bruce Barrett and Chris Ornstien of Great Britain 6-2, 6-2 in the final. Australia downed the US in Men’s 80 doubles action when Bob Howe and Bruce Rehn disposed of Ahlers and Jones, 6-0, 6-2.

In Women’s 65 play, Karwasky was a two-time finalist. Wendy McCloskey edged her Godfree Cup teammate, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, for the singles title. In the doubles, Adrienne Avis and Helen Worland of Australia were 6-4, 6-1 better than Karwasky and Kirkland-Cochran, (who was also on the Godfree Cup team).

The Women’s 70 doubles final was an international mix as Kerry Ballard of Australia and Shirley Fox of Great Britain were 6-3, 6-4 better than Liane Bryson of US and Heidi Eisterlehner of Germany. In another all-US final, Burnett Herrick and Dorothy Wasser won the Women’s 80 doubles 6-0, 6-2 over Sheila Palmer and Carol Wood.

In Mixed competition, US performers were finalists twice. In 65 play, Avis of Australia and Marc Renoult of France overwhelmed Hildegard Bruggraber of Austria and Danny Shaw, 6-1, 6-1. June Simpson and Don Biddle of Australia stopped Palmer and Jones 6-2, 6-1 in the 80 final.

For Parker, the tournament was a personal victory. “This year had a twist for me,” he said. “I’d been suffering from shingles the whole summer. There were days when I was too exhausted to get out of bed, my stomach ached permanently, and I itched and burned to the point I couldn’t get to sleep. (Get your shingles shots if you haven’t already – like an idiot, I didn’t!) So, I really hadn’t played much, and Ellen, my wonderful wife, was questioning whether I should undertake the rather arduous trip to Croatia. Seldom ready to listen to reason, I felt I’d be letting the team down if I didn’t go.”

It was a memorial experience, as Parker pointed out,“ Playing on a US cup team is so much fun. The guys you’ve been locking horns with for years on the tournament trail are now your teammates. I’ve been fortunate to play on a lot of teams over the last forty years and spending a couple of weeks with the guys on the team, all working for a common goal, builds friendships. I don’t think I’ve ever played on a team made up exactly as a previous team. So, over the years, that’s a lot of buddies I’ve gotten to know better. And it just feels different when the umpire calls the score, ‘Advantage, United States’.”

Mountain Team Doubles Trophy
Noble Hendrix
1hendrix@bellsouth.net
October 2019

Between July 21st and 24th, four Men’s 65 teams from across the South gathered for the second year to contest the Mountain Team Doubles Trophy, as well as win prize money. The competition was held at the majestic Hound Ears Club Tennis Center near Boone, North Carolina. The one match a day round-robin format featured three courts of doubles, playing the best two of three sets. At six all, a Seven Point Tiebreak was played.

Substitution was allowed when injuries occurred or when one was impending. Coaching on side changes, (that did not impede play), was permitted.

A good practice session took place on Sunday and the matches began on Monday. Wives, friends and extra players were encouraged to use the courts after the main matches were completed. Everyone was asked to join the evening activities which they did. It was a nice group.

The Four Teams (click image to enlarge and view player names):

I served as the Tournament Director, but due to a bulging roster I was put on waivers by Hound Ears and as the tournament progressed, I was picked up by Hilton Head to fill in for an injured Manson Hill.
On Monday, Hound Ears played Hilton Head. On Court No. 1 Carl Poske and Dan Warner of Hound Ears scored a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Hill and Guenter Bergmann. Lee Kermode and Bob Traylor of Hound Ears bested Glen White and Chuck Lia, 6-0, 6-3 on Court No. 2. Robert Williamson and Jack Raftery of Hilton Head, on Court No. 3, blocked the Hound Ears sweep defeating Brant Bailey and Chuck Beckner, 6-2, 6-2.

The second set of Monday matches pitted Hendersonville against West Florida. On Court No. 1, Joe Rasgado and Mike Martin of Hendersonville won against Scott Chambers and John Lee, 6-3, 6-4. Roy Riley and Keith Richardson of Hendersonville, On Court No. 2, downed Jim Kennerly and Ron Thomas, 6-2, 6-2. On Court No.3, David Scmeer and Greg Mueller completed the sweep for Hendersonville defeating Aubrey Whitaker and Tem Miller, 6-2, 6-3.
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At the end of the first day, Hendersonville led with three points; Hound Ears was second with two, Hilton Head was third with one and West Florida was still in the tournament.

Rain began Monday night and uncharacteristically continued into late Tuesday afternoon. This wiped out play on Tuesday so the matches took place Wednesday morning. The format was changed to two sets and a Ten Point Tiebreak for the third set.

Hound Ears played Hendersonville in the morning. Joe Rasgado and Mike Martin of Hendersonville defeated Dan Warner and Carl Poske, 6-1, 6-2, on Court No. 1. Roy Riley and Keith Richardson extended Hendersonville’s lead with a 6-3, 6-3 over Rick Wack and Rod Schroeder on Court No. 2. A sweep was avoided when Brant Bailey and Rich Seader handed Hendersonville its first loss, defeating Howard Rugaber and Greg Mueller 6-4, 6-3 on Court No. 3.

The second match pitted Hilton Head against West Florida. Guenter Bergmann and Chuck Lia of Hilton Head won 6-3, 6-3 against Steve Mullis and Jim Kennerly on Court No. 1. On Court No. 2, John Leep and Ron Thomas of West Florida triumphed over Robert Williamson and me, 6-4, 1-6, 10-3. Hilton Head’s Glen White and Jack Raftery stopped Randy Sterns and Aubrey Whitaker 6-0, 6-4 on Court No. 3.

After round two the scores were Hendersonville – 5, Hound Ears and Hilton Head – 3, and West Florida – 1.

The final round matches were played Wednesday afternoon. Hilton Head faced Hendersonville. On Court No. 1, Joe Rasgado and Mike Martin of Hendersonville defeated Chuck Lia and Guenter Bergman, 6-2, 6-1. Roy Riley and Keith Richardson of Hendersonville were victorious on Court No. 2 against Robert Williamson and Glen White, 6-2, 6-2. Jack Raftery and I prevented a third Hilton Head loss by edging Howard Rugaber and Greg Mueller, 6-4, 7-6, on Court No.3.

In the other match, Hound Ears played West Florida. On Court No.1, Lee Kermode and Bob Traylor of Hound Ears prevailed over Jim Kennerly and Steve Mullis 6-3, 7-5. Brant Bailey and Rod Schroeder of Hound Ears were victorious against John Leep and Scott Chambers, 6-3, 6-1, on Court No. 2. On Court No. 3, Chuck Beckner and Rich Seader fell to Randy Sterns and Tem Miller of West Florida, 7-5, 6-1.
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The final results indicated that Hendersonville was the strongest team in the field. Hound Ears was second, Hilton Head finished third and West Florida was a competitive fourth.

During the tournament, the role the National Senior Men’s Tennis Association plays as an advocate for events of this kind was discussed. So was the importance of having a national organization representing senior men’s tennis. I, along with three of the captains and two other players, were among the NSMTA founders on hand. With a total of eleven members on Sunday, the group set out to have all of the players join the NSMTA by Wednesday. To aide in achieving the goal, the tournament held a $100.00 raffle for new members who joined. The goal was accomplished with 100% membership realized by Wednesday and Steve Mullis won the $100.00. Of interest, one third of the new members signed up for $40 (one year); one third for $100 (three years); and one third for $150.00 (five years), all of which indicated growing support for the National Senior Men’s Tennis Association.

The Mountain Team Doubles Trophy team event began as an extension of the competition Rich Bruer initiated six years ago. The annual Hilton Head team tournament, developed by Bill Gatlin at Daytona Beach, was an outgrowth of Bruer’s original idea. The mountains in the late summer seemed to be the right place to hold another team tournament and the North Carolina competition resulted. Each of the team gatherings has its own character, format and size.

The tournament at the Hound Ears Club Tennis Center is small enough to work with the court availability. It also serves as a “think tank” to test ideas before others put on larger events. Part of the process involves considering the timing, location, size, age, format, rules, food, prize money, trophy, promotion shirts, evening activities, family inclusion and cost. The promotion of health aspects, gaining effective feedback and efforts to support the NSMTA are areas of interest, too.
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The Yonahlossee Adult Clay Court Championship, a USTA sanctioned event, followed Mountain Team Doubles Trophy play. The tournament began on Thursday of the same week, and Taylor Kalister was the Tournament Director. A majority of those who played the team event participated. For the first time, because of the impact of last year’s team competition and the Tournament Committee’s forward thinking, the doubles format was changed from single elimination to a round-robin. Together, the two tournaments produced a good week of tennis in the cool mountains in the midst of the hot summer.

A survey following the team event revealed high ratings and a strong desire to have the tournament again next year. Events like this are not difficult to organize and seem to fill an important spot on the senior men’s tennis activity schedule.

If any reader is interested in holding this sort of competition, please feel free to call or e-mail any of the following who are holding these events:
Noble Hendrix - (305) 793-1422 - 1hendrix@bellsouth.net
Bill Gatlin - (772) 285-8854 - gatlinbill@yahoo.com
Lee Kermode - (904) 654-4563 - kz4rr@bellsouth.net
Joe Rasgado - (954) 326-9499 - joe.rasgado@gmail.com
Manson Hill - (770) 265-2244 - mansonhill2000@yahoo.com
Rich Bruer - (727) 599-8003

The Keith Donoff Cup
Steve Hayden
steve@bcctennisclub.com
August 2019

 After 2009, the USTA decided not to sponsor the National Men’s Intersectional Team Championships. Following the last event in Auburn, Alabama, a number of National Adult Competition Committee members decided to carry on the tradition of a men’s national team competition and a tournament was created. It was named in honor of Keith Donoff, formerly of Centerville, Ohio, who passed away in 2008. Beginning in 2001, Donoff captained the Midwest Section’s Men’s Intersectional team for seven years.  Ranked in the nation’s Top 10 in his age bracket, he represented his section in more than ten intersectional tournaments. As a club owner, he partnered with the USTA on many levels by hosting and promoting national, sectional and local level team competitions.

 The Keith Donoff Cup format is modeled after the National Men’s Intersectional Team Championships. Featuring singles and doubles, its player field is composed of men in the 55 to 70 age brackets. In its nine-year history, Florida, Middle States, Midwest, Southern and Texas have had opportunities to host and play in the tournament.  

The Keith Donoff Cup has been held in Cincinnati, Ohio (2011 and 2015); Asheville, North Carolina (2012); Arlington, Texas (2013 and 2017); Wilmington, Delaware (2014); and Atlanta, Georgia (2016). The first event appropriately took place in the Ohio Valley Tennis Association District, (of the Midwest Section), in February 2011 in Cincinnati. Last year’s championships was staged at the USTA National Campus at Lake Nona.

The Keith Donoff Cup has grown in stature since 2011 and now awards USTA National Ranking Points. The competition continues to be on a par with top national tournaments. Last year, the level of those participating was equivalent to many USTA National Super Senior Cat II championships.

One of the main goals of the Keith Donoff Cup founders was to grow the event and eventually transform it into an updated version of the former National Men’s Intersectional Championship.  The USTA has decided to sponsor and manage this year’s tournament at Lake Nona.  Looking ahead, locations for future contests will likely follow the hard court/clay court rotation as in the past.

This November sections from around the country will be playing a national intersectional tournament and vying for a national trophy…the Keith Donoff Cup.

The Cross Cup - The Oldest Clubs Challenge
Billy Crawford
billyecrawford@gmail.com
August 2019

The New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club and the Longwood Cricket Club in Chestnut Hills, Massachusetts…What do they have in common?

The answer, which some may know, but many do not, is this - They are the oldest chartered tennis clubs in the Americas. The New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club (NOLTC) was founded in 1876 and the Longwood Cricket Club (LCC) was established a year later (1877).

Dennis Cross, a New Orleans resident, and Sean Finicane, a Bostonian, were classmates at Harvard Business School in the early 1960s where they, despite each of their highly competitive natures, became fast friends. Both went on to become successful businessmen and highly ranked tennis players. They regularly joshed one another as to which of their home clubs was actually older, more prestigious and had the better players.

In 2001, they came up with the idea for "The Oldest Clubs Challenge"- A home and away competition which was made even more convivial because most players stayed in club members’ homes during the tournaments.

Cross brought out, “Since we are the two oldest clubs, I thought it would be a great idea to have a traveling trophy at stake when the two clubs played, alternating between the two sites.”

Finicane agreed adding, “We are interested in this event because it is a great way to preserve tennis history, and both of these clubs have had a lot of influence on the history of tennis in the U.S.”

Each team has a near perfect record at home - NOLTC on clay and LCC on grass. The matches are always competitive and high spirited, whether men's or women's singles, doubles or mixed doubles are being contested.

There have been thirteen matches played in the series. The latest took place this spring at the NOLTC. The home team won and now holds a 7-6 lead in the competition. (It’s almost like they are each still on serve, even after all these years.)

“The concept of the home-and-home match series is to promote competition, friendship and hospitality,” Brett Schwartz, NOLTC General Manager, explained. “It is played on the clay courts of the NOLTC in the spring and on the grass courts of the LCC in the fall.”

All of those who have had the honor of participating have made great friends at the clubs. Everyone looks forward, with great anticipation, to the next slugfest. The competition is always hard fought but when the day is done, the evening is spent laughing, sharing tennis stories and gearing up for the next match.

During the final banquet the winning team is presented with the trophy (pictured) which is theirs to display with great pride in their clubhouse. (The trophy is large because it has to hold a big pile of bragging rights.)

Longwood Cricket Club’s John Gallagher remembered, “We at Longwood were all stunned to hear the news that Dennis had died (in 2011 at the age of 75). We couldn't believe that a great athlete and superb host was taken away from all of us so suddenly. After conversing with his wonderful wife Jane, it was quickly agreed to rename the Challenge, The Cross Cup. It was and is fitting.

“The summer following his death his wife Jane came to Longwood, along with Dennis' daughter and we had a tearful, but somehow humorous memorial service on the Championship court where EVERYONE was forced to imbibe in various types of Martinis – Dennis’ favorite drink.”

Cross hoped that the event would continue for generations…And Dennis - It has!

United States Wins 47th Osuna Cup
Jake Putnam
jack9999p@yahoo.com
July 2019

The US took home the 47th Osuna Cup in a hard-fought victory over Mexico in the team event that was played in mid-May in Huatulco, Mexico.

Battling 90-degree heat and 90 percent humidity, both teams struggled to keep players hydrated during the four days of demanding, competitive tennis. Trailing 4-2 after the first day, the US came back to win day two and closed out the tournament on the final day for a 12-8 victory.

“We fought hard and every match was close, but we got all the breaks,” said Captain Tom Edlefsen of Indio, California. “I have three warriors on the team, and they did double duty and that determined the match.”

Both teams brought 13 players, the smallest teams in years, but the match-ups were dead even with the US team slightly older.

“Of the 20 matches played over four days, many matches went to third-set tie-breaks,” said Mexico’s Captain Rafael Belmar Osuna. “This year's match was just as close as the match-up last year when we won at La Jolla.”

The annual event began in 1972 and is named in honor of the most accomplished Mexican tennis player in history, the late Rafael Osuna. The Cup pits former college stars, national champions and Davis Cup players against each other in a friendly competition.

Many of the players are prominent businessmen working in commerce and industry. Some players had to give up dreams of playing pro tennis to take up other careers. They’re all older and now have time to return to their field of dreams.

The author, who is from Boise, Idaho, said, “I played college tennis and taught a couple of years but had to work to pay the mortgage. I started playing tournaments just a few years ago. I was a television reporter for much of my life and always wished I had stuck with tennis. The Cup gives us all the chance to play international tennis and live out our dreams again.”

At a time when Washington politicians talk of walls between the two counties, the Cup builds a bridge to life-long friendships. Almost all the players belong to the Osuna Cup Facebook page and stay in contact with each other throughout the year.

“It's not just a senior tournament between the two countries, it’s become an indelible bond for families and nations,” said Belmar Osuna. His uncle won Wimbledon with USC classmate Dennis Ralston. “The Cup is a spin-off of that doubles championship, some six decades ago,” he added.

The United States charged out of the gates in the 2019 Cup, taking the first two matches on Saturday, May 11th. Rudy Rodriquez of San Diego, California and Eddie Blanton of Houston, Texas beat Juan Quiroz and Raul Lozano 6-0, 6-1, Martin Montes of San Francisco, California and Jack Griffen of Portland, Oregon defeated Luis Pliego and Ruben Aguilera, 6-3, 6-2. The US team then proceeded to lose the next four matches in the unrelenting heat.

May 11th Results:
US-Rodriguez-Blanton d. Quiroz-Lozano 6-0, 6-1
US-Montes-Griffin d. Pliego-Aguilera 6-3, 6-2
MX Ordaz-Alfaro d. Putnam-Kearney 6-4, 3-6, 10-6
MX Alvarez-Castanon d. Sanchez-Grigsby 6-3, 6-1
MX Suarez-Ibarguen d. Stone-Napoles 6-4, 6-2
MX Soberanes-Gomez d. Diller-Pollock 6-1, 6-2

Sunday dawned hot and humid, under cloudless skies. Both captains tried to figure out how to handle the heat and tricky player issues.

“We knew we could play the younger guys in the heat and play them in both the early and mid-morning matches. It was the older guys we had juggle because of the heat,” said Edlefsen. “Eddie Blanton suggested putting the weight of the team on the younger players and the plan worked.” US won the critical Sunday matchup 5-2 in a surprise upset.

May 12th Results:
USA Rodriquez-Griffin d. Quiroz-Ordaz 6-3, 6-2
USA Montes-Blanton d. Pliego-Ibarguen 7-6, 6-2 10-8
MX Gomez-Soberanes d. Stone-Sanchez 6-2, 6-0
USA Diller-Kearney d. Suarez-Castanon 6-1, 7-6
USA Rodriquez-Putnam d. Alvarez-Soberanes 6-2, 6-1
USA Montes-Napoles d. Aguilera-Lozano 6-4, 6-1
MX Alfaro-C.Osuna d. Pollock-Nimelstein 6-2, 6-1

Going into championship day on Monday, May 13th , the US clung to a narrow 7-6 lead. By match time, the heat was already in the mid 80’s and the 61-year old Griffin was not feeling well, and the other players were not doing much better because of the heat. Captain Edlefsen decided to rely on Rodriguez, who was undefeated, to help pull off the win. He had played three matches a day throughout the Cup but showed no sign of fatigue.

May 13th Results:
USA Rodriguez-Napoles d. Quarez-Soberanes 6-3, 6-1
MX. Pliego-Gomez d. Montes-Kearney 7-5, 0-6, 10-5
USA Griffin-Putnam d. Ibarguen-Aguilera 6-3, 3-6 10-7
USA Pollock-Rodriguez d. Ordaz Lozano 8-6 ( heat rules, 8 game pro sets)
USA Putnam-Diller d. Alvarez-E. Soberanes, 8-7 10-7
USA Sanchez-Stone d. Suarez D. Soberanes 8-7 10-8

The last two matches featured gutsy performances from some of the oldest Cup participants. Sheldon Diller, an 82-year old from La Jolla, was not bothered by the heat. He made critical shots, time and again, in his come from behind victory. On match point, he hit a perfect drop volley to seal the match. John Stone of Lodi, California and Fred Sanchez of Carmel, California also came from behind and fought off a very tough team to win their match, securing the win for the US 12-8.

The Sunday match was bittersweet for both teams. Nearly 50 years ago Rafael Osuna was killed at age 30 in a plane crash near Monterrey, Mexico. The spirt and joy of the Cup is very much the way Rafael lived, full of boundless energy, playing hard with friends and enjoying every second of competition.

“Osuna was one of the greats,” said Edlefsen, a former USC teammate. “He played hard but was friendly to everyone. He never walked away. He didn’t care who you were. He was a friend to all, and that's what’s special about the Cup. All the players in the Cup are friends and the Bond is what the Cup is all about. It is a living legacy to my friend and teammate.”

The Friendship Cup is a tournament that runs in conjunction with the Osuna Cup. It showcases the comradery that exists between players from the two countries and was played each afternoon during the Cup. As is always the case, the competition was not only keen but spectacular.

Rodriguez and Juan Castanon beat Javier Ordaz and Stone in a thrilling three-set match of tie-break, 10-8, 7-10, 10-8.

After the match, an awards ceremony was held with both teams, on the beautiful Las Brisas beach. Players were honored and then dined together, bound by the love of tennis and the great Mexican and USC champion Rafael Osuna.

​Osuna Cup Teams:

USA
Eddy Blanton
Seldon Diller
Jake Griffin
Mason Grigsby
Tom Edlefsen (Captain)
Kevin Kearney
Martin Montes
Bob Napoles
Steve Nimelstein
Gary Pollock
Jake Putnam
Rudy Rodriguez
Fred Sanchez
John Stone

Nielson’s National Men’s 75-90 Hard Court Championships Trifecta
​Mark Winters
mwinters@nsmta.net
June 2019

Tennis tournaments often seem magical, but not solely for the setting, nor the level of competition. There are always “back stories” to tell. That was the case with the Verne Hughes Memorial USTA National Men’s 75-90 Hard Court Championships. The tournament took place May 13-18 at the Laguna Woods Tennis Club, in the city of the same name in California. This year’s event was special because it had a unique happenstance in the draw. In actuality, it had three of them - Ron, Larry and Dennis Nielson to be specific.

Over the years, a number of brothers have played the game exceedingly well. Looking back, Sandy and Gene Mayer are among the group. John and Patrick McEnroe could also be included in the count. Currently on the pro tour, Jamie and Andy Murray, along with Alexander and Mischa Zverev, are all cast as members of the “brothers” roster. Yet, when brothers are mentioned, Bob and Mike Bryan are the “brothers” who immediately come to mind.

Unfortunately, Wayne Bryan’s tennis playing prowess has gone dormant, but he regularly appears at tournaments utilizing his booming voice to welcome players on court and he captivates crowds while doing post-match interviews with contestants. But, he’s a father and not a third brother. And, in this situation, that doesn’t count, which means the Nielson trio stands alone in this brothers game.

Their participation at the Verne Hughes Memorial event was a first. It was their inaugural national championship family affair. Ron of Fountain Hills, Arizona, a Men’s 75 doubles participant, teamed with George Balch of Palm Desert, California. Larry Nielson of Boise, Idaho was a Men’s 80 singles competitor and played doubles with Thomas Geisness of Bainbridge Island, Washington. The last Nielson is Dennis, who lives in Palm Springs, California during the winter and in Vancouver, Washington during the summer. He was a Men’s 85 singles competitor and played doubles with Richard Haskell, who calls Laguna Niguel his hometown.

As Ron said in an e-mail, “Anyway ‘us boys’ have never played together in a national event. Three years ago, we all played a tournament in Oregon, and Larry and I played doubles. (He played down in the 70’s).”
He continued, “This year is our first year in the age groups......me in the 75’s, Larry in the 80’s and Dennis in the 85’s, so we thought it would be great to play a national championship together.”

The tournament has an impressive history. The Men’s 75 was first held in 1974. The Men’s 80 was launched in 1978. The inaugural Men’s 85 took place in 1984, but the doubles wasn’t part of the gold ball package until 1987. In the chronology of national hardcourts, this “trifecta” is most certainly a first.

Of the brothers relationship, Ron said, “We have always been in touch, but I was the only one who was tennis pro. Both Larry and Dennis were school teachers, and I know that Dennis coached the high school tennis team for a while.”

All three are established performers. “In 1984 or 1985, I was a Men’s 35 National Grass Court finalist at Montecito, California,” Ron pointed out. “And in 1984, I ranked No. 1 in the Men’s 40 singles. Larry has been ranked in the Pacific Northwest. In 2016, Dennis teamed with Neil Hurlbut to win the National Men’s 80 Hardcourt doubles title.”

At the end of the tournament, Ron said of their results, “I didn’t play singles, but George and I lost in the quarters of the 75 doubles to the No. 1 seeds Jimmy Parker and Ken Thompson. Larry lost to the No. 2 seed, Kaz Saito in the quarters of the 80 singles and he lost in the same round in the doubles. Dennis was the best Nielson. He was an 85 singles finalist to No. 1 seed Chuck Nelson. In another No. 1 seed defeats the No.2 seed, Nelson teamed with Dick Doss to down Dennis and Richard in the doubles final.”

Before the tournament, Ron offered, “Some people have been saying that this probably has never happened before and likely will never happen again. Three brothers, who are pretty good players, playing in a national, in three different age groups, at the same location. I thought it would be cool to enter. It’s unique and should be fun. Tennis is the sport of a lifetime, for sure.”

It would seem that the Nielson family has underscored that for many years.

Jerry Kirk Memorial Cup Memories
Mark Winters
mwinters@nsmta.net
June 2019
Article contributors include: Rich Bruer, Bill Gatlin, Noble Hendrix, Manson Hill, Lee Kermode, Jimmy Parker, Hugh Thompson and Dan Warner.

The Sixth Annual Jerry Kirk Memorial Cup took place at Hilton Head, South Carolina, from May 14th until May 16th. The tournament honors the late Jerry Kirk of Atlanta, who was a great friend of tennis. Rich Bruer founded and continues to manage the event. The goal of the championship is to preserve top flight doubles competition (among friends) after the USTA cancelled the Men’s 4.5 National 60 Championships, six years ago. It had previously been held in Surprise, Arizona.

This year’s tournament expanded by adding the 65 division. Six teams played six, three court matches at South Beach Racquet Club. Manson Hill was the Tournament Director. The 70 division, (which included a few 65 players), of eight teams played five three court matches at Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center. Rich Bruer was the Tournament Director.

On the first day of play, every match was decided 2-1. On day two, North Carolina and New England joined first day leaders Jacksonville and Hilton Head in the semifinals. In the morning, Jacksonville beat Hilton Head 2-1 and New England beat North Carolina, 3-0. In the final, Jacksonville prevailed 2-1.

Teams from Clearwater, Eastern, Hilton Head, Jacksonville, Mid-Atlantic, New England, Southern and Treasure Coast were involved in the 70 competition. After two days, Southern and Treasure Coast reached the final. Southern was the winner. Clearwater and New England played for third place and Clearwater triumphed. (Scores for the final and third place matches are unavailable.)

A total of 120 players took part in the event that was made special by the camaraderie that existed among the participants. There were dinners that enabled old friends, some of whom had not seen one another since college to share stories, along with cures for numerous tennis ailments that now seem to be part of playing. Those in the 70 group had a great meal at the Palmetto Hall Plantation. The activity was highlighted by Rich Bruer’s tournament history presentation. Hugh Thompson provided a thoughtful remembrance of Jerry Kirk. Mas Kimball brought those on hand up to date on the NSMTA.

All the contestants expressed their gratitude to those who make events like these happen. Everyone leaves tournaments of this sort richer in spirit, healthier and happier having shared the experience.

Jimmy Parker put everything in perspective with this Jerry Kirk story. “We were playing an umpired match,” Parker recalled. “As Jerry was getting ready to serve, the ump said, ‘Is that ball behind you ok?’ Jerry looked back, then walked to the ball, proceeded to get down on his hands and knees and shouted, ‘Are you okay?’

I'm glad there's a Jerry Kirk Memorial Cup!!”

USTA National Men's 70 & 75 Indoor Championships
Jimmy Parker
jparker@nsmta.net
March 11-16, 2019

​Tournament Director Keith Christman and his cadre of officials did their perennial great job in running off the 70 & 75 Indoor in Houston. It’s a tournament run with the players in mind, from the friendly staff, to the complete facility, to the Tournament Dinner, to the array of services available. The tournament hotel (the Whitehall) is across the street – the walk over to the tournament desk serves as a preliminary warm-up. And the weather inside is perfect!

Several of the courts have bleachers, which made viewing the good matches easy. And there were a lot of good matches! The tournament attracts most of the top players in the two age groups, partly because selection for the US World Cup teams follows shortly thereafter.

Overall, the seeds held up pretty well in all the draws. Brent Abel, the #2 seed in the 70’s, retired in the third set to Mas Kimball with an illness in the 16’s, but Padg Bolton ably filled that semifinal. There he gave eventual winner, Bob Litwin, his toughest match of the tournament. The #1 seed, Canadian Ken Dahl, retired at 2-4 in the third set against Brian Cheney in the other semi. Litwin then beat his doubles partner, showing no mercy at all, 6-3, 6-0. The two had won the doubles the day before by default when Dahl and Abel withdrew. In the semis, Cheney and Litwin had ousted Neal Newman and Larry Turville in an excellent match featuring four former World Champions on one court.

A few years back I remember thinking that the 75’s were looking a bit geriatric. Now that I be one, somehow they just don’t look as old! It’s weird. A lot of the players who are still playing are guys I’ve known for years, and maybe a hint of their younger selves still shines through. At any rate, I’m proud of how spry our group is – our level of play ain’t that bad. I’m not sure those young guys in the 35’s would agree, but hey, wait ‘til they get there! (If they do)

There were a couple upsets in the quarters of the singles, with Hank Irvine upsetting former winner Leland Housman 6-3,3-6,6-3. Hank has lost some weight, and is fit and playing well. His doubles partner, transplanted Swede Evert Jonsson prevailed over #3 seed Dave Dollins in a hard-fought match 7-5,6-1. Unfortunately, for Evert, he ended up on my side of the draw again (we have played ten singles and doubles matches against each other in the last year). However, he is now ranked in the Top Twenty in the world in singles, and #4 in doubles! ​

So, #2 seed Don Long and I ended up in the final for the fourth time in the last five nationals. As usual, we had a knock-down drag-out, with me prevailing in straight sets. We always have hairy points and games! Last year on the first point of our match, we had what our umpire (after the match) called “the best point I’ve ever seen!” Probably an exaggeration, but…. In the doubles final, Dean Corley and I, playing in our first tournament together, beat Evert and Hank 6-2,6-2.
You can check out some of the action by way of Ralph Grieco’s photos. Ralph was the inspiration behind our NSMTA Community Outreach Program, which we kicked off in Houston. Our players raised $700 to be donated to the Houston NJTL, which was matched by your NSMTA. Thanks to all who contributed!