TENNIS E-News *

*A South Carolina-registered service mark*

Thursday, Apr. 05, 2012         Vol. XI,  No. 43                  Recipient of the South Carolina Media of the Year Award                                    Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

 

It's FAMILY CIRCLE CUP Week -- Serena, Venus Win in Straights; Bartoli Upset; Lisicki, Zvonerava, Petrova, Safarova Advance  

See stories below, then follow results throughout the week. TENNIS E-News will be on-the-scene reports today, Friday, Saturday.

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LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING IN APRIL --

    Apr. 12: Tennis Players Hit Back at Cancer ... Benefit round robin at Spring Lake Racquet Club. see story below

    Apr 20-22 & 27-29: National Super Senior League Championships / Surprise AZ / HHI Women competing
    Apr. 20- 22: 27th annual “BillyBob” Doubles Championships / South Beach Racquet Club / Entry blanks available at www.southbeachracquetclub.com
    Apr. 27-29: 6th annual Banana Open Junior Challenge / Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center / Novice & Tournament Boys' & Girls' singles. Go to www.palmettodunes.com.
    Apr. 27-30: Bullfrog USTA Southern Section Designated Boys/Girls 12s & 14s / Van der Meer Tennis / ID #704115812 / Email jim@vdmtennis.com.

See below for more detailed information and info tabs

 

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Spring Lake Team Organizer

     "Tennis Players Hit Back at Cancer" -- Round Robin Apr. 12 To Support "Relay for Life" -- See story below.

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First Matches Friday, Apr. 20

     Pro League Teams Set With Player Draft -- 4 Teams, 46 Players in All-Doubles Format

        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- The Hilton Head Island Professional Tennis League second season is set, with player draft over the weekend filling rosters of the four teams: Players World Of Sports, Island Family Dental, Mattress Firm and Spinnaker Resorts. Coral Resorts is title sponsor of the league following up on the 2011 inaugural that was a smash hit with 300 to 400 spectators enjoying every Friday night match.

    Open date for this season is Friday, Apr. 20, and the pros will be providing extra excitement for the first day (and player party) of the 27th annual BillyBob Century Cup Doubles at South Beach Racquet Club.

    Here are the team rosters, with captains' names in bold and color:

       

Players World Of Sports Island Family Dental Mattress Firm Spinnaker Resorts
       
John Brittis Mike Caboy Scott Christenson Guenter Bergmann
Jo Cahi Pat Child Jeremiah Dye Stephen Black
Robin Haroutunian Tom Coulton Eddie Goodson Christian Coley
Tom Jilly Robin Fulton Scott Hart Emile Dumas
Danny Nash Glenn Sheaffer Bill Hoppe Rob Ellison
Mike O'Regan Lee Holyoak Susie Lester Tapi Hayrinen
Robert Seferian Mark Sheaffer Patrick Mason Hank Ianuzzi
Derrick Spice Tom Shimada Paul Rankin Brian Kiggins
Mike Sutcliffe Royce Silvan Thomas Richter Shawn Oliver
Jolene Watanabe Koeche Smith Andy Sklarin Bobby Tillison
Matt Wuller Naoko Ueshima Eric Wammock Clint Van Aswegen
    Tammy Zawacki Rohan Wadehra

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Spring Lake Team Organizer

     "Tennis Players Hit Back at Cancer" Round Robin Apr. 12 To Support Relay for Life

        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- The American Cancer Society "Relay for Life" will benefit from a Round Robin Tennis Tournament Thursday, April 12, at Spring Lake Racquet Club in Hilton Head Plantation. Play will be from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. and will include prize drawings plus refreshments. "Relay for Life" will take place Friday, May 4 at the Island Recreation Center.

    The Spring Lake event is being organized by Gail Cheaney, a 14-year cancer survivor, and the USTA League Senior 3.5 Lucky Ladies on which she plays. She has been a volunteer in "Relay" 13 years, but this is the first time to organize a fundraising tennis event. Eight courts are reserved for the benefit. A minimum donation of $20 is requested from players. A donation by credit card can be made on my Relay for Life web site http://main.acsevents.org/goto/tennisplayers. In the comment field, state "Play in Tournament". All donations accepted, even if one can't play the event.

    For information and signup, contact Cheaney at gail.cheaney@gmail.com or 843-715-0660.

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Storm Cuts Short Night Feature Match

     Sisters Outpower 2 Opponents, Advance to Quarterfinals; Bartoli Upset at Family Circle Cup

        CHARLESTON SC (TENNIS E-News) -- Watch out for Polona! TENNIS E-News issued a warning like that in the 2009 Family Circle Cup when Sabine Lisicki of Germany whipped through Venus Williams, leaving the American ace virtually speechless in the after-match press conference. Can it happen again? That's up to Slovakian Polona Hercog, whose power groundstrokes overcame the FCC's #3 seed Marion Bartoli today. In more predictable results, wildcard Venus and #5 seed Serena Williams looked super sharp in straight-set wins to advance to Friday quarterfinals. Also moving into the quarters were former FCC champions Sabine Lisicki of Germany and Nadia Petrova of Russia and Vera Zvonereva of Russia and Lucie Safarova of Czech Republic.

    Bartoli the Exerciser Wabbit seemed to exorcise herself out of strokes at the end of the third set, losing to redhot #14 seed Hercog of Slovakia 6-2, 1-6, 6-4. It's hard to figure the sense of it, but Bartoli continued her bouncing and prancing about between points. At one point in the third set, Hercog called for a trainer. While she was being attended to, Bartoli was jumping, stretching, "stairstepping" from the court surface to her courtside chair seat. Hercog went back out, then finished off Bartoli with a screaming crosscourt backhand. The Slovakian now will face Petrova.

    Serena Williams had all guns blazing in her 6-2, 6-2 win over Marina Erakovic of New Zealand. Williams was so in tune that at 1:09 of the match, she aced a 109 mph serve. The American also converted the Point of the Day. At the second set's first game point, she drilled a backhand to the crosscourt corner that Eraovic stabbed at and sent a lob over Williams' head. The latter leaped, whiffed an overhead, but then spun around and cracked a stroke at the surprised Kiwi, who dumped the ball into the net. Williams will play Lisicki Friday.

    Following on Stadium Court, Venus Williams and Anastasia Rodionova of Australia went stroke for stroke through most of the first set before the American broke and held by forcing four groundstroke errors by the Aussie that ended the set. Williams won four straight points on each of her first two games of the second set, rolling into the quarterfinals. In the final game, Williams smacked four outright, untouched return-of-serve winners. She will go against the winner of rain-suspended match between Samantha Stosur and Galina Voskoboeva.

      

    See additional Family Circle Cup stories below. For complete information, go to www.familycirclecup.com.

 

RESULTS THURSDAY -- April 05, 1012

Attendance

(04/05/12) Day Session: 7,822; Night Session:  6,249

 

[14] Pelona Hercog (SLO) def. [3] Marion Bartoli (FRA) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4

[5] Serena Williams (USA) def. [17] Marina Erakovic (NZL) 6-2, 6-2

[9] Lucie Safarova (CZE) def. Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-4

[WC] Venus Williams (USA) def. Anastasia Rodionova (Aus) 7-5, 6-2

[13] Nadia Petrova (RUS) def. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 6-1, 6-4

[6] Sabine Lisicki (GER) def. [Q] Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) 7-5, 6-4

[4] Vera Zvonareva (RUS) def. [Q] Stefanie Voegele (SUI) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4

[2] Samantha Stosur (AUS) vs. Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) -- Stosur leading 4-2, play suspended by thunderstorm

 

ORDER OF PLAY - FRIDAY, APRIL 06, 2012
STADIUM start 11:00 am
G Voskoboeva (KAZ) vs [2] S Stosur (AUS) 24 to finish

Not Before 1:00 PM
[6] S Lisicki (GER) vs [5] S Williams (USA)
[WC] V Williams (USA) vs G Voskoboeva (KAZ) or [2] S Stosur (AUS)
[4] V Zvonareva (RUS) vs [9] L Safarova (CZE)

Not Before 7:00 PM
[14] P Hercog (SLO) vs [13] N Petrova (RUS)
N Grandin (RSA) / V Uhlirova (CZE) vs [2] K Peschke (CZE) / K Srebotnik (SLO)

ALTHEA GIBSON start 11:00 am
A Medina Garrigues (ESP) / Y Shvedova (KAZ) vs [4] A Hlavackova (CZE) / L Hradecka (CZE)

Not Before 2:00 PM
[1] L Huber (USA) / L Raymond (USA) vs K Jans-Ignacik (POL) / A Kudryavtseva (RUS)
[3] S Mirza (IND) / E Vesnina (RUS) vs [WC] A Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) / L Safarova (CZE) 76(2) 12 - After suitable rest to finish

RESULTS- WEDNESDAY, APRIL 04, 2012
 [14] Pelona Hercog (SLO) def. Vavara Lepchenko (USA) 6-3, 6-2
[3] Marion Bartoli (FRA) def. V Dushevina (RUS) 6-2, 6-7(3), 6-4
[6] Sabine Lisicki (GER) def. [LL] Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
[9] Lucie Safarova (CZE) def. [Q] M Lucic (CRO) 6-2, 6-0
[WC] Venus Williams (USA) def. [7] Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 7-5, 6-0
V King (USA) / A Rodionova (AUS) vs A Medina Garrigues (ESP) / Y Shvedova (KAZ) TBD

Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 7-6(5), 6-2
[13] Nadia Petrova (RUS) def. [Q] Jill Craybas (USA) 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-2
[Q] Stefanie Voegele (SUI) def. Lucie Hradecka (CZE) 6-4, 6-4
[3] S Mirza (IND) / E Vesnina (RUS) def. N Petrova (RUS) / G Voskoboeva (KAZ) 6-4, 6-3
[1] L Huber (USA) / L Raymond (USA) def. S Lisicki (GER) / V Zvonareva (RUS) 6-2, 6-2
Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) def. [Q] Paula Ormaechea (ARG) 6-2, 6-3
[17] Marina Erakovic (NZL) def. Anna Tatishvili (GEO) 7-5, 6-3
[Q] Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) def. [12] Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 6-2, 7-6(2)
[2] K Peschke (CZE) / K Srebotnik (SLO) def. I Benesova (CZE) / B Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 6-3, 7-5

 

About the Family Circle Club Championships -- a mixed doubles competition among teams from Hilton Head Island, Charleston, Columbia, Myrtle Beach, Rock Hill, Charlotte and Anderson ....

    Information (including results) was hard to come by today. Playing on combo mixed levels, the teams were scheduled for three rounds of eight-game pro sets that started about 4:30 p.m. Games won were accumulated to determine which two teams would advance to Friday evening finals. Competing in its group, the HHI team had 11 games, while Charlotte had 19 and Columbia and Myrtle Beach each had 32. Stay tuned.

 

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'Bootcamp' with Area Pros

     Oldfield Tennis Fundraiser To Benefit American Cancer Society

        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- A tennis fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society is set for Saturday, Apr. 28, at the Oldfield Club. The 9 a.m.-3 p.m. "bootcamp" will include drills run by area pros, lunch and an afternoon round robin. Donation for the event is $50 per person.

    Oldfield is on SC 170, about four miles north of US 278 heading toward Beaufort. A silent auction and other prizes will be part of the fundraiser.

    For reservation information, email Paul Louw at plouw@oldfieldsc.com or Bob Kader at rwkader@gmail.com.

 

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In Effect for HHI, CCTA

     New State Rules Restrict USTA League Mixed Doubles Team Participation; Can't Play Same Level in HHI and CCTA
         HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- During the upcoming South Carolina Mixed Doubles League season, players may participate in the Mixed Adult, Mixed Senior and Mixed Super Senior divisions (e.g., 2.5, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, etc, as long as the players rating does not exceed the maximum rating for that level). However, players may only participate on one team for the same Division/Level statewide. That's a new 2012 state rule, confirmed by HHI Coordinator Jackie Reynecke and CCTA Coordinator Sally Harvey.

    With the new regulation, as an example, a player may not play on two Mixed Adult 6.0 teams but may play on one Mixed Adult 6.0 team and one Mixed Senior 6.0 team and one Mixed Super Senior 6.0 team, if their age permits. A player cannot play on a Mixed 6.0 team on HHI and another Mixed 6.0 team in CCTA.

    The coordinators explain that a player is bound to the first team on which he or she registers at each Division/Level, with additional team registrations resulting in defaults substituted for any matches played, and removal from additional team rosters without consideration of refund.
 

Registration Opens for CCTA Summer Mixed Adult & Senior Leagues; Team Preregistration Due Apr. 13
        BLUFFTON SC (TENNIS E-News) -- Registration has opened for Summer Mixed Doubles in Coastal Carolina Tennis Association, with play to start in June on USTA levels 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0. This is the final year of current age divisions that will switch in the 2013 USTA age restructuring.

    For this Summer, the divisions are: Adults…..18 & Up, Seniors….50 & Up.
    Pre-registration forms for teams will be due Apr. 13. For more information or a Team Pre-Registration Form, contact CCTA Mixed Coordinator Sally Harvey sharv@islc.net.
 

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Empowerment Night Saturday

     FCC's 1 Millionth Fan Gets $5,000 Gift Package at 40th  Year Celebration

            CHARLESTON SC – Lisa Ha is the 1,000,000th fan to attend the Family Circle Cup on Daniel Island. At 11 a.m. Monday, she, her husband Tony, son Kile, and daughter Sarah, walked through the gates and were showered with the gifts totaling more than $5,000 in retail value. Marking the 40th year of the WTA event that started on Hilton Head Island, the FCC is in its 11th year at Family Circle Tennis Center. The tournament had attracted 80,625 by the end of the first year it played in Charleston: 2001.

        Traveling to FCC from their Atlanta area home, the Ha family received a Premier Ticket Package consisting of four box seats, plus invitations to a boxholder reception to meet and be photographed with star players, terrace level seats and valet parking passes for the remainder of the week.  The winning holder did the coin toss for the fourth match on Stadium Court Monday and was gifted with a $250 spending spree at any food vendor or concession stands for the week as well as $250  to spend on any items in the FCC Merchandise Tent.       

 

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Decade Night: Thursday, April 5
1990s -- .com decade
If you were a teen in the ‘90s, you never missed an episode of Beverly Hills 90210 or The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and you grooved to the tunes of Nirvana, Bel Biv DeVoe or Vanilla Ice. Tennis in the 90s was hard hitting and competitive, seeing female players like Hingis, Graf, Capriati and Davenport hit their strides. The Williams sisters also came on the scene in this decade, taking the world by storm. On Thursday night, FCC celebrates girl power.
 

40LOVE: Original 9 Players from HHI's Family Circle Cup To Celebrate; McEnroe, Krickstein To Play    
        CHARLESTON SC (TENNIS E-News) -- Family Circle Cup started 40 years ago on Hilton Head Island, and next month nine of the original players will be at the Women's Tennis Association event to celebrate the continued success of the tournament at an "Empowerment Night". Featured will be, among others, Billy Jean King and first FCC champion Rosie Casals, as well as Virginia Wade, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Tracy Austin, Martina Hingis and Rennae Stubbs.

    The celebration Saturday night, Apr. 6, will feature a World TeamTennis-style exhibition including John McEnroe and Aaron Krickstein. McEnroe is subbing for that old hippie Jimmy Connors, who has hip trouble. A Stadium Court dedication to King will be part of the action. Add to that Gov. Nikki Haley, WTA CEO Stacey Allaster and representatives of event sponsor Dove.

    "Empowerment" will begin at 7 p.m. on the 7th. Tickets for this event are available at $20 in the grandstand, $35 for terrace level and $65 for box seats. Go to www.familycirclecup.com.
   
    In September 1970, women's professional tennis was launched when nine female tennis players signed $1 contracts with World Tennis publisher Gladys Heldman to compete in what would become the Virginia Slims Series. The Original 9, as they were called, included King, Casals, Nancy Richey, Kerry Melville, Peaches Bartkowicz, Kristy Pigeon, Judy Dalton, Valerie Ziegenfuss and Julie Heldman. They have previously reunited in 1980 (US Open, NYC), 1986 (Virginia Slims Championships, NYC), and 1989 (Slims of Houston, TX).

    Among 40Love honorees will be Fern Lee “Peachy” Kellmeyer, the first employee and director of the WTA in 1973, a direct contributor to the creation of the Title IX Amendment funding women's athletics and an International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee. During Kellmeyer's tenure, prize money on the WTA has increased from $309,000 in 1973 to more than $90 million in 2012, and the number of WTA events has increased from 23 domestic tournaments to 53 events in 33 different countries.
    Additional information is available at www.familycirclecup.com.

 

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UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS/Events: 

    Apr 20-22 & 27-29: National Super Senior League Championships / Surprise AZ / 2011 winners from 17 Sections compete in Men’s/Women’s 60s Combo 6.0 & 8.0 on Apr. 20-22 and 7.0 & 9.0 Apr. 27-29.
    Apr. 20- 22: 27th annual “BillyBob” Doubles Championships / 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 Mike Sutcliffe at 671-2215.
    Apr. 27-29: 6th annual Banana Open Junior Challenge / Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center / Novice & Tournament level Boys' & Girls' singles / 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. 27-30: 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 #704115812 / For entry/other information, contact Jim Stubbs 785-8388 or email jim@vdmtennis.com.

 

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TENNIS E-News FootNote

ooooO                              

 (      )                       Madison WI police filed weapon and drug charges against a 30-year-old man who had legally changed his name  

  (    )                            to Beezow Doo-Doo Zopittybop-Bop-Bop.

  (     )                                                                                                   -- BC, the comic strip

 

 -- Dennis Malick

 

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