Florida’s Southwest Region USTA Adult League Regional Championships will he contested at Bonita Bay and Pelican Landings Tennis Club from Friday July 18 through Sunday July 20. Twenty (20) women’s teams and 18 men's teams, from Tampa to Naples, will compete for the right to represent the Southwest at the Sectional Championships in Daytona, FL August 8 - 10. The winners at Sectionals will represent Florida at the USTA League National Championships in Tucson, AZ in October.
Women’s 4.0
Among the most competitive women’s divisions will be the women’s 4.0. Melanie Beasley, director of tennis at Kelly Greens in Fort Myers, captains a 9-0 team from Fort Myers Racquet Club (FMRC). Although the team dominated their league, going 42-3 in individual matches and posting six shutouts, Beasley acknowledges that victory is no given. “We do have a solid team but it just depends what matchups we get and whose game is on. Against good teams the difference between winning and losing is usually just a few points,” Beasley commented.
The other teams vying for women’s 4.0 supremacy include Katrina Ramsey’s FMRC team (4-2), and teams from Naples (10-0), Tampa (13-1) and Sarasota (11-0). Sarasota B&R-Sperling, led by Janet Sperling, went 54-1 in individual matches, and won 110 of 116 sets played. This team was more dominant in its league than any other team in the nine contested divisions at the Regionals, men’s or women’s. The winner of this division should represent the Southwest well at Sectionals.
Women’s 3.5
Across the country, one of the more popular divisions in USTA League play is women’s 3.5, and that holds true in Southwest Florida. Eighty-three teams vied for five slots at the Regional Championships.
In the Lee-Charlotte County area, Heritage Palms of Fort Myers, captained by Jami Hallman, claimed the Lee Fall League with a 9-1 record, and undefeated Punta Gorda (9-0) captained by Donna Bouffard won the Charlotte Spring League playoff against previously undefeated Harold Avenue (8-0) in a tight 3-2 battle.
It was Punta Gorda’s toughest test of the season, with their No.2 singles player (Laurie McDonough) and No.1 doubles team (Renee Shakeshaft and Patrice Sanasac) pulling out third-set tiebreaks for the win. With powerful teams with strong regular season records from Tampa (14-1), Naples (7-1), and Sarasota (6-1) also vying for regional bragging rights, this division will be worth watching.
Women’s 3.0
Fort Myers Racquet Club will send another tough team to the Regionals in Susan Kaar’s team, which claimed the Spring Night League with a 7-2 record. Kaar’s team beat Janice Yallof‘s FMRC team 3-2 in a playoff. It was the first loss of the season for Yallof’s team, which had gone 10-0 during the Spring Day League’s regular season. FMRC’s 3.0 women will battle teams from Tampa (11-0), Naples (7-1), and Sarasota (7-3). Given that the Tampa Palms Volley Girls, led by Melissa Pierce, won a playoff against another Tampa team that won its division with a 9-1 record, they must be the early favorites.
Women’s 4.5
Park Meadow will also field a women’s 4.5 team. Sandy Miller’s Dynamos will battle the 8-1 Naples YMCA, and Sarasota’s Longwood Run (6-0). Naples YMCA appears to be the most seasoned team in this division, having faced more teams during the regular season and having won a playoff to reach the Regionals.
Women’s 2.5
In the smallest division in the competition, FMRC has one entry, led by Choon Dho Olmstead, and Naples has the Marco YMCA, captained by Jeannette DeNicolo.
Who is Playing Where?
Women’s 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 will be held at Pelican Landings Tennis Club (239-495-8100) and women’s 3.0, 4.0 will be at Bonita Bay Club (239-495-3573). Matches start at 8:00 A.M. at both sites all three days.
