Senior Scta November
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Senior SCTANewsletter NOVEMBER 2001 Determined William J. Kellogg player. The encounter lasted 2 hours things off against Olivier Cayla. The French and 45 minutes and came down to a clay court expert had too much experience tie-breaker in the final set. The wily and won the first set handily. Cayla was up Italian won the first set, but a break in the second before Schmidt began Dickinson turned things around win- to make headway. He managed to even the ning the second. At the start of the score at 5-5, but Cayla’s performance car- third, he began experiencing leg ried the day 6-2, 7-5. cramps, but survived and held four Jeff Greenwald started his match, as he match points. Unfortunately, he was had done the day before, firing on all cylin- unable to convert on any of the ders. Franck Fevrier, the top French player, opportunities and eventually lost to was the opponent. The points were long his relentlessly retrieving opponent and exciting. Greenwald won the first set, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6. but unforunately, he ran out of gas and Greenwald raced through the Fevrier easily won the second set. The third opening set against Enrico Casadei set became a battle of will and nerve. the top Italian player. Casadei then Fevrier rushed to a 5-2 lead before Italia Cup team: Dexter MacBride, Richard Schmidt, Brett turned the tables, with his brilliant Greenwald began applying the pressure he is Dickinson, Jeff Greenwald and William J. Kellogg. left-handed shot-making, to even the well known for. He brought the score back match at one set apiece. After to 5-4, but Fevrier served out a 1-6, 6-1,6-4 ollowing the U.S. Open, the Men’s 35 Greenwald broke serve in the opening game victory. Italia Cup team represented the of the final set, it began to rain, forcing the The team trophy is a beautifully crafted United States at the international match to be moved from slow clay to a fast work of art that was presented to the F tennis competition held in Portschach, carpeted indoor court. Greenwald was res- International Tennis Federation by the Italian Austria. Members of the team included: Jeff olute holding the break, in the new sur- Tennis Federation at the inaugural event in Greenwald of San Francisco, Brett Dickinson roundings, to earn a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory. He 1982 – hence its name - Italia Cup. The U.S. of La Jolla, Dexter MacBride of Gaithersburg, then teamed with Schmidt to score a 6-2, has won four times and placed second ten Maryland and Richard Schmidt of Orlando, 6-2 decision over Paolo Frasson and times over the 19-year history of the event. Florida. I served as the non-playing captain. Giovanni Lelli Marni which put the U.S. in This year’s final standings were: France, U.S., At the end of the weeklong event, involving the final. Italy and Germany. 20 nations, the U.S. was a finalist to a very The all night rain put the European red The following week, a period dominated strong team from France. clay courts under water in the morning. But by news of the stunning and tragic attack on The team lived up to its No. 2 seeding by once the sun peeked through the clouds, the America, September 11th, sixty of the defeating South Africa, Australia and Slovenia court keepers adeptly prepared the facility world's best Men’s 35 players, from 21 dif- in round – robin play. Not having lost a set so the final, in which the U.S. faced France, ferent nations, traveled to Velden (which is a in any of the singles or doubles matches, could take place in the Werzer TennisClub short distance from Portschach) to com- the U.S. faced a strong challenge from Italy stadium. In the semifinals, the French, who pete in the International Tennis Federation’s in the semifinals. Dickinson lost a heart- were seeded No. 4, dispatched Germany, the Senior World Tennis Championships. The breaker, in the opening singles match, to top-seeded and defending champion. challenge facing the U.S. contingency was to Giovanni Lelli Marni the number two Italian Hard-hitting Richard Schmidt started (continued on back page) Courting The Cup Tina Karwasky was a member of the Women’s 45 3-0. The mood was somber and the team Margaret Court Cup team that was wore black arm bands. Our Spanish oppo- I captained by Pam Austin. In mid- nents were solicitous and very understand- The Pacific Palm Players: (Back) Donna Niederhelm, Miki Watanabe, Lu Lu, Toni Laudermilk and Chris September, we played in Bad Hofgastein, a ing. The next day, under cloudy skies, we Lee. (Front) Terrie Shimada, Nancy Arakawa and Jan beautiful city in the Austrian Alps. My team- played Germany. I defeated Margreth Beyer Hurtado. (Not pictured: Jan Sardina) mates were Carolyn Nichols of Lodi, 6-1, 6-3 while Nichols lost to Sabine Christy Wing of Hinsdale, Illinois and Knuvener 7-5, 0-6, 6-4. Just before the Winning Ways Frances O'Sullivan of Durham, North start of the doubles, a steady rain began. Carolina. We moved indoors, and I teamed with nyone who has played League ten- Participating countries included: Austria, Wing to defeat Claudia Adam and Beyer nis knows that it usually takes years Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, 6-0, 6-2. On Saturday, the U.S. played Great A to form a winning team. In the The Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Britian for third place and scored a convinc- case of Donna Niederhelm, who is captain Switzerland and the U.S. The teams were ing 3-0 victory. I downed Denise Gwatkin of the “Pacific Palm Players”, success was divided into two round-robin groups of five. 6-3, 6-1, and Nichols defeated Sally Freeman quickly realized. The team she organized, The group winners met in the final. The 6-4, 6-3. Wing and I completed the sweep with help from her husband David, captured second place teams played for third and with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Ann Brown/Pauline the Women’s 3.0 Senior Sectional fourth place. Fisher 6-3, 6-2. Championships in its first year of existence. In its first match, the U.S. faced Austria Austria and The Netherlands were “After years of League play, I was disap- on a cold and rainy day. Playing the No. 2 opponents in the final. In front of a partisan pointed that the teams were rarely in con- singles, I faltered after being up 6-0, 4-0 and crowd, in the rain, the Austrians won the tention for a Sectional victory, much less a lost the second set 7-5 to Roswita deciding doubles match 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. As is chance to compete in the Nationals,” Donna Woltsche. I regained my composure and always the case at the end of the World Niederhelm explained. “One of the major was able to grind out a 6-3 win the third Team Championships, heartfelt good-byes obstacles was finding and enlisting, enough set. The wind drove a cold drizzle over the were said as we left to catch trains and outstanding 3.0 lady players to form a new mountains as Nichols began her match with planes. The Americans realized going home team. Usually, these players have already made Maria Geyer. Our team’s top player fought wasn't going to be easy. It took me two a commitment to a team or they have been for 3 hours before losing 6-4 in the third hours to get through security at Frankfurt. moved to a higher category.” set. I teamed with O'Sullivan against Geyer O'Sullivan’s flight was delayed 5 hours when With her experience in League play, and Woltcher in the deciding doubles match. a knife was found under a passenger seat. Niederhelm had forged friendships with We were competitive, but with Woltsche Everyone on board was interrogated and all many players. These connections enabled poaching tirelessly and effectively, the the luggage was searched. her to form a team from this group. “After Austrians upset the top seeds and defending Things had changed. Tennis friendships a few short weeks, we had an outstanding champions 6-4, 7-6. may have been made, but the world was a team of Senior players, some of whom were The second day was a day to be different place. our best friends,” she said. remembered in many ways. It was Tuesday, Playing in the San Gabriel Valley, the September 11.The U.S. defeated South Africa new team was very successful. At the soundly 3-0. As we came off the court Sectional Championships, they continued some of the players told us that two com- their winning ways earning a chance to com- mercial planes had flown into the World pete at the National Championships in Trade Center. One of my teammates said Tucson, Arizona. To prepare for the tourna- “What? This must be a terrorist act. It’s ment, they practice daily. They have also crazy.” decided to play in the Fall Doubles League. We raced back to our hotel room to The team’s home courts (and sponsor) is see the horror and drama unfold on the tel- the Pacific Palms Resort and Conference evision. Even though we were in such a Center (formerly known as the Sheraton beautiful setting, we felt isolated and Industry Hills).