TENNIS E-News *

*A South Carolina-registered service mark *

Friday, Apr. 08, 2011         Vol. X,  No. 43                  Winner of the South Carolina Media of the Year Award                                    Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+

17 Sections Competing

     Port Royal 4.0s Get Set for Super Senior 8.0 National Championships in Arizona

        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- It's the 2010 championship and it's in the 8.0s, but other than that the only surprise is the name: Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in Surprise AZ. Whatever, the Port Royal guys, captained by Dave Partington and Rich Rickenbach, will be heading there for the Friday (15th) opening match of the USTA League 6.0 & 8.0 Super Senior National Championships.

    It's the 2010 championships, leading from last November's South Carolina Super Senior States and December's Southern Section Championships, the latter played on Hilton Head Island. Although Super Senior leagues in the Southern Section plays the straight 4.0 category, at Nationals it is combo divisions. The Port Royals are in the 8.0 combo, meaning they likely will face doubles opponents who are a 4.5 and a 3.5.

    All 17 USTA sections will be represented at Surprise. Port Royal are grouped with Southwest/Albuquerque, Caribbean/San Juan and Southern California/Palm Desert. They will play two matches on Friday and one Saturday, aiming to advance to Sunday semifinals and finals. In addition to Captain Partington and co-Captain Rickenbach, Port Royal team members are Maurice A. Lurkin, Howard N. Kirk, Joseph Daniel, George Cooper, Kent O. James, Robb A. Warren, Jeffrey F. Gurnham, Dave Hales, Rich Silver and Robert Sergi.

    Here is the match schedule for Port Royal:

Friday the 15th

    9 a.m. -- PR vs. Southwest/Albuquerque

    2 p.m. -- PR vs. Caribbean/San Juan

Saturday the 16th

    12:30 p.m. -- PR vs. Southern California/Palm Desert Aces

Sunday the 17th

    7:30 a.m. -- Semifinals

    10 a.m. -- Finals
 

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+

Jankovic, Peng, Vesnina Win

     #1 Wozniacki Survives Again ... This Time in 3 Sets at Family Circle Cup

    NOTE: Computer malfunction prevented TENNIS E-News from accessing the Internet this afternoon and evening. The following story is by The Associated Press as run on espn.com.

        CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Yanina Wickmayer found out for herself why top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki keeps advancing at the Family Circle Cup.
    "In every match, she finds a way to get out of it and beat her opponent," Wickmayer said. "That's most important."
    Wozniacki rallied from a first-set loss and 4-2 down in the final set to defeat Wickmayer 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 on today to move into the semifinals.
    It was another tight match for Wozniacki, who needed two tiebreaks a day earlier to beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova. In this one, Wickmayer looked like the steadier player, winning points with deep forehands and pushing Wozniacki all over the court. Wickmayer kept the pressure on in the second set as she took a 3-1 lead against the Dane.
    But as Wozniacki did against Zahlavova Strycova, she pulled herself up with a string of laser forehands and well-placed shots. Wozniacki won five of final six games to even the match.
    Again, Wickmayer grabbed control in the decisive set, breaking Wozniacki on the way to her 4-2 lead.
    "I knew that I was going to get one chance, and I had to take that," Wozniacki said.
    Did she ever.
   
    Wozniacki won the next game at love and then broke Wickmayer's serve. When Wickmayer threatened to break a game later, Wozniacki pounded a 110 mph serve that her opponent couldn't handle.
Wickmayer sailed a forehand wide and Wozniacki was in front for good. Wickmayer had little left in her final service game, which Wozniacki took at love to win the match.
Wozniacki pumped her fist and smiled widely when Wickmayer's shot went out before waving and blowing kisses to the crowd at stadium court.

    "I mean, it's unbelievable. Everyone is cheering for me and it's such a great feeling," she said. "I feel like a local, really."
    And why not? Wozniacki has stuck around deep into the tournament the three times she's played. In 2009, she reached the final before losing to Sabine Lisicki. A year ago, she was in the semifinals when she had to retire with an ankle injury.
    Wozniacki figures to face another difficult match on Saturday in Jelena Jankovic, who ended the run of 18-year-old American Christina McHale 6-2, 6-0.
    Jankovic, 26, reached No. 1 in the world in 2008 and understands better than anyone the pressure that comes with that position. And Jankovic, who has not dropped a set in her first three matches, is playing as well as anyone left, including Wozniacki.
    "I'm feeling good," Jankovic said. "My game is getting better and better."
    Jankovic, the 2007 champion here, has won four of five career meetings with Wozniacki. None of those, however, took place on the slower green clay at Family Circle Tennis Center.
    "She's a great athlete," Jankovic said of Wozniacki. "She really runs a lot of balls down and doesn't give you anything."
    The other semifinal will feature 11th-seeded Peng Shuai against Elena Vesnina, the only unseeded player among the final four. Peng defeated Sania Mirza 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 while Vesnina beat No. 12 seed Julia Goerges, also by 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Singles - Quarterfinals
[1] C Wozniacki (DEN) d [6] Y Wickmayer (BEL) 4-6 6-4 6-4
[3] J Jankovic (SRB) d C Mchale (USA) 6-2 6-0
[11] S Peng (CHN) d [Q] S Mirza (IND) 2-6 6-2 6-2
E Vesnina (RUS) d [12] J Goerges (GER) 2-6 6-2 6-2

Women's
Doubles - Quarterfinals
S Peng (CHN) / J Zheng (CHN) d R Kops-Jones (USA) / A Spears (USA) 6-3 6-4
S Mirza (IND) / E Vesnina (RUS) d A Kudryavtseva (RUS) / A Rodionova (AUS) 3-6 6-2 10-8

ORDER OF PLAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2011
STADIUM start 11:00 am
[1] K Peschke (CZE) / K Srebotnik (SLO) vs [4] B Mattek-Sands (USA) / M Shaughnessy (USA)

Not Before 1:00 PM
[1] C Wozniacki (DEN) vs [3] J Jankovic (SRB)
[11] S Peng (CHN) vs E Vesnina (RUS)
S Peng (CHN) / J Zheng (CHN) vs S Mirza (IND) / E Vesnina (RUS) - After suitable rest

----------

Category Championships at Stake

     Playoff Spots Settled in Senior Men's & Women's 3.5 Flights; Men's 4.0 Could End Up in Playoff for 2nd

        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- No question something had to give. Final date on the Senior Women's 3.5 regular season with two unbeaten teams stop Flight II: Palmetto Dunes PDQ and Port Royal Glory Girls both at 9-0, with the teams aiming to advance to the category championship playoffs next week.

    PDQ won the battle Wednesday, taking a critical third set on #1 court and prevailing 2-1 for the flight #1 spot. The South Beach Sandspurs also won and stayed in first with a 9-1 record. PDQ and the Sandspurs will square off next week to decided #1 and #2 seeding for the South Carolina State Championships May 14-16 on Hilton Head Island. A wild card slot opened up for the locals and the Glory Girls will play Flight II #2 Daufuskie Divas for the HHI #3 seeding at States.

    Meanwhile, the Senior Men's 3.5 Flight I was settling its lineup for Monday's category championship match as Spring Lake Lakers visited Indigo Run Wednesday. The home team came through with a 2-1 win, taking a 6-4 third set on the #3 court for the deciding match. Indigo Run will meet Flight II's Country Club of Hilton Head Barbarians Monday for the category championship and right to advance to States. Winner will advance as HHI's sole entrant; loser will go to States only if a wildcard opens.

    In the Senior Men's 4.0s, Wexford has clinched the HHI #1 seeding spot for States. However, a playoff may be needed to determine the Island's #2 seed. Long Cove Crazy Crabs and Port Royal Whipping Boys are tied with 6-2 records. If both win their final matches Tuesday, a playoff on Apr. 19 will determine which team goes to States 

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+

26th for BB; 1st for Pros

     The BillyBob & the HHI Pro League Open at South Beach Apr. 29

        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- Friday the 29th will be more than just opening day for the 26th annual BillyBob Century Cup Doubles. As entertainment for the South Beach Racquet Club's player party that night, the Hilton Head Island Professional Tennis League will open its inaugural season. 

    The 29th through May 1st BillyBob has added a new tweak to its men's, women's and mixed combined-age playing categories: 4.0 & Below categories for players with combined ages of 80 and above and 120 and above. Ya got that? If you and your partner are 4.0s or below and your combined ages is 80 years or more, you play the 4.0 80s division; if you and partner ages combine to 120 or more, you can play the 4.0 120s.

    In addition to the new configuration, open rating divisions will be played in 80s, 100s and 120s. The 140s division is restricted to 4.0 and below players; the 150s is only for 3.5s and below.

    You can get an entry form at racquet clubs throughout the island or by going to this website: www.southbeachracquetclub.com.

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+

Banana Open Junior Challenge Deadline is Sunday, Apr. 24

        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- Novice and tournament level players will be competing in the 5th annual Banana Open Junior Challenge Apr. 29-May 1 at Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center. The tournament will benefit the MUSC Children's Hospital. Boys and girls singles will be contested in age divisions of 8 & Under, 10 & Under, 12 & Under, 14 & Under, 16 & Under and 18 & Under. Entry deadline is Sunday, Apr. 24.

BillyBob Century Cup Deadline is Monday, Apr. 25

        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- Gather your partner's and your info and register for the BillyBob's 26th annual championship by entry time of Monday, Apr. 26. Playing categories for the South Beach Racquet Club event range from combined partner ages of 80, 100, 120, 140 and 150 in men's, women's and mixed doubles.

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS: 

    Apr. 29-May 1 -- The BillyBob 26th Annual Century Cup Doubles / South Beach Racquet Club / Combined age divisions in men’s and women's doubles as well as mixed doubles / 80 & older, 100 & older, 120 & older, 140 & older, and 150 & older levels / USTA rating restrictions apply as well / Entry blanks available at www.southbeachracquetclub.com or request by e-mail at sbrc10s@aol.com. For information, call Michael O'Keefe at 671-2215.
   Apr. 29 - May 1: 5th annual Banana Open Junior Challenge / Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center / Novice & Tournament level Boys' & Girls' singles and doubles / Benefit Charles P. Darby Children's Research Center at MUSC / For information, call Palmetto Dunes at 785-1152 or go to www.palmettodunes.com.

    Apr. 30-May 2: Bullfrog USTA Southern Section Designated Boys and Girls 12s and 14s / Van der Meer Tennis Center / Sanctioned / 250 of top 12s & 14s in Southeast. ID #704115811 / For entry/other information, contact Justyn Schelver at justynschelver@gmail.com.

    May 13-15:  6th annual The Bluffton Today Open / Bluffton High, Palmetto Bluff, Hampton Hall / Men's, women's singles & doubles on clay and juniors on hard courts / For information, call Bob Brown at 290-2833 or email randdbrown@hargray.com. 

++++++++++

  (    )                               only two chose the correct four teams that reached the finals. Just 5,791 (or 0.1%) included Virginia Commonwealth.