Volume XVIX / Number 3 FALL 2010 CELEBRATING THE END OF AN UNFORGETTABLE ERA Fall 2010 Fall b The end of an era, Tennis Times bids adieu As we say farewell to Tennis Times, join the USTA Pacifi c Northwest (USTA/PNW) for a trip down memory lane. Turn to page 12 to review the archives and reminisce Number 3 about the signifi cant milestones, special events, inspirational stories, and intriguing b 12 interviews that Tennis Times has delivered to you over the years. Volume XIX Volume Senior, Super Senior and Super 70 teams win USTA League Section Championships The fi rst USTA League Pacifi c Northwest Section Champions of 2010 were crowned in Sunriver, Ore., this summer. The teams who participated in the 2010 USTA League Senior, Super Senior and Super 70 Section Championships represented various Pacifi c Northwest tennis clubs and facilities that fi nished at the top of their local leagues. 14 Turn to page 14 to see which teams emerged with section titles and will go on to represent the section at the 2010 USTA League National Championships. JTT teams win section championships, prepare for nationals The summer of USTA Jr. Team Tennis (JTT) in the Pacifi c Northwest fi nished with a bang at the 2010 USTA/PNW JTT Section Championships where four teams earned the right to advance to the national championships. A total of 35 teams participated in the section championship tournament, the largest ever to take place in the Pacifi c 11 Northwest. Please turn to page 11 for complete results. CONTENTS 3 From the Baseline by Bill Leong 5 From the Chair by Ira Moss 16 From the Tournament Desk by Becky Tallent 3 From the Editors by Blair Thompson and Hillary Moore 6 Area Reports 18 Health+Fitness Files by Carl Petersen departments 4 From the Prez by Gwen Ramras 10 Community Tennis Development 21 Pro Update - PNW Players on Tour 4 Net Notes 14 Let’s Talk Leagues by Sheila Banks 21 College Courts 4 In Memoriam 16 Junior Development by Jim Markin 22 Tournament Schedule USTA PACIFIC NORTHWEST Exclusive USTA New Member Offer Take Advantage of Special Published four times/year by the United States Tennis Association Introductory Rate! Pacifi c Northwest 4840 SW Western Ave, Suite 300 Whether you’re a new player or a seasoned competitor, a Beaverton, OR 97005-3430 Ph: 503/520-1877 Fax: 503/520-0133 USTA membership off ers you the opportunity to enjoy many email: [email protected] Web site: http://www.pnw.usta.com exciting tennis benefi ts. Editor-in-Chief: Blair Thompson By joining the USTA, you can have more fun on the court Managing Editor: Hillary Moore participating in USTA League play that offers tennis Area Reporters: competition for all ages and ability levels. And you can Alaska/Mona Yarnall; British Columbia/ Lenka Moravcova; NW Wash/Lori Brillhart; make a diff erence in your community because your USTA SW Wash/Barbara Wyatt; E. Wash/Frank membership also helps grow the sport in your area. Cruz-Aedo; N. Oregon/Glenn Good; S. Oregon/Gail Patton. Community Tennis Development: Ruth Turner, Valerie Wright, Mark Toppe, Becky Tallent, Gail Benzler, Adam Rogers, Terry Valdez. USTA Leagues: Sheila Banks. Junior Development: Jim Markin, Valerie Weaks. For a limited time, new members can purchase a one-year USTA Adult Fitness Files: Carl Petersen. membership at the special introductory rate of just $30 (that’s $12 off the Advertising Sales: Blair Thompson. regular rate) and also receive a 2010 US Open hat (while supplies last). Graphic Design: Print Media Productions Ph: (503) 359-9727 Email: [email protected] Call toll-free 1-888-TRY-USTA or visit TRYUSTA.com to take advantage Please notify the USTA at 1-800-990-8782 of change of address. of this special introductory USTA membership off er. Tennis Times cannot be forwarded. 2 TENNIS TIMES FALL 2010 í www.pnw.usta.com FROM THE BASELINE By Bill Leong Embracing change, technology and Tennis Fest 2010 ll great things must come to an end and the time has come to Tualatin Hills Tennis Center for spearheading the effort. Beaverton was close the curtain on our Tennis Times magazine. The USTA Pa- the only city west of the Mississippi that made the top ten in the annual A cific Northwest (USTA/PNW) is moving in a direction to take USTA contest. We are very proud of the Tualatin Hills facility for their advantage of current technology to maximize our time and resources. programming, community outreach and servicing diverse audiences. It’s a business imperative to embrace change and utilize technology The USTA/PNW Hall of Fame Committee has selected Jim Brink, to provide real-time information in a fast-changing world. New features Marjorie Leeming, B.P. Schwengers and Joe Tyler to be inducted into Bill Leong on our pnw.usta.com website and social media platforms will allow us our section’s Hall of Fame. Special thanks to Steve Hall for his dedicated USTA Pacifi c to do that and communicate with our members and a wider audience. service as the Chair of Hall of Fame Committee for nine years. We look Northwest Tennis Times has been an outstanding communication tool to inform forward to his continued participation as a committee member. Executive Director our members and provide interesting tennis news. Special thanks to And please join us October 22-24 for the return of Tennis Fest to Blair Thompson and Hillary Moore for their dedication and creativity Portland (see page four for more details). Former Davis Cup Captain and in producing a nationally recognized publication. current USTA National Coach Tom Gullikson is scheduled to join us along Congratulations to the city of Beaverton for being selected one of with former NCAA All-American Alex Vlaski for our Youth Tennis Car- this year’s top ten “Best Tennis Towns” and to Brian Leahy and the nival and Exhibition. Bring your kids to play some QuickStart Tennis! b FROM THE EDITORS Looking back while moving forward into a new and exciting era eventeen years ago, in February 1993, Tennis Times was born. As that will inform and entertain all of our visitors. And many of your favor- an offspring of the former Oregon Sports Report publication that ite Tennis Times regular columns will continue to appear on our website. S covered racquet sports and many others, Tennis Times became the You will also see our Internet footprint expanded in the next few months USTA Pacific Northwest (USTA/PNW) membership magazine and the as we open the doors and welcome you to our new Facebook page that will only publication in our region dedicated to covering tennis on a regular offer the exciting contests, discounts and other member benefits mentioned basis. above. And let’s not forget a new and improved Twitter page that will help Tennis Times has gone through many improvements over the last two connect you to all of our online happenings. decades both in content, appearance and frequency. Originally published While it may be the dawning of the social media era for the USTA/PNW, six times a year, we shifted to a quarterly publication in 2005 due to the the sun will also be rising on a new addition to our print media family. We rising costs of printing and postage. may be saying goodbye to Tennis Times but we will also welcome a new Unfortunately, those costs have continued to rise and have led our “baby” in 2011 with an annual “Spring Into Tennis” (working title) publi- Board of Directors over the last year to ask if there are more cost-effective, cation that will be mailed to all of our members next May. Look forward immediate and interactive ways to communicate with our members. The to an entertaining, informative and motivational guide to local summer answer, with the current technology available today, is yes. tennis action that will help you play more and better tennis. By As a result, this will be the 96th and final issue of the printed version But first turn to page 12 and join us as we look backward and give Ten- Blair of Tennis Times as you know it. And as you read further in our last From nis Times a warm hug and a fond farewell – it has provided us some great Thompson the Editor column, you will see why the change is being made and why memories over the years with stars such as both the McEnroe brothers and we are excited to move forward and enter a new era that will provide (John and Patrick), Michael Chang, Tom Gullikson and former Pacific Hillary Moore even more benefits to our members. Northwest ATP players Jan-Michael Gambill, Jonathan Stark, and Pat First of all, much of the many thousands of dollars that will not be Galbraith. Not to mention current ATP/WTA players Travis Parrott and spent on Tennis Times will now be utilized to increase the value of your Story Tweedie-Yates and local heroes like Paralympic gold medalist David USTA/PNW membership. We will offer exciting prizes in exclusive Wagner. member-only contests along with valuable product discounts through And indulge us for a few more words as we say thanks to the stars that our website and new social media channels. We will also utilize some were “behind the camera” who made Tennis Times the best it could be of the cost savings to invest in our local communities to help introduce over the last 17 years. First and foremost of those would be Gwen Patch, new players to the sport and provide existing players more fun in their the outstanding graphic designer of all of the 96 issues of Tennis Times tennis events.