SOUTHERN SMASHERS DEFEAT TEXAS TNT 37-35
TO WIN WTT JUNIOR NATIONALS IN SAN DIEGO
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (August 5, 2010) – The Southern Smashers (pictured to the left with Billie Jean King) won the WTT Junior Nationals for the fourth time in the past six years, defeating Texas TNT (pictured to the right below) 37-35 in Overtime at the George E. Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego, Calif.
The WTT Junior Nationals, which is hosted by WTT co-founder Billie Jean King, is an invitational national junior event featuring 16 coed teams from throughout the U.S. The teams use the World TeamTennis format during their three days of non-elimination draw competition. The 2010 event marks the 15th anniversary of the tournament.
The Smashers, representing the USTA Southern Section, jumped out to an early 12-6 lead after the first two sets of doubles. Clare Mendell of Canton, Ga., and Ashley Kitchen of Hilton Head Island, S.C., outlasted Farris Cunningham of Houston and Casey Sutton of Austin, Texas, 6-4 in girls doubles. Roberto Hennis of Raleigh, N.C., and Chase Baker of Suwannee, Ga., built on the lead with a 6-2 victory in boys doubles.
In girls singles Mendell overpowered Emily Olivier of Spring, Texas, 6-2, while teammates Abigail Owens of Duluth, Ga., topped Cunningham 6-3.
Texas TNT started to turn the tide in boys singles as Robin Chou of Austin, Texas, edged Hennis 6-5, while Eliot Blatt of Austin, Texas, beat Parker Chang of Winston Salem, N.C., 6-4.
Trailing by 10 games heading into mixed doubles, Texas rallied with Greg Haugen of Austin, Texas, and Olivier defeating Chang and Kitchen 6-1. Blatt and Sutton won the designated mixed doubles match over Owens and Baker 6-2. Baker and Owens won the first game in overtime to win the title for the Southern Smashers. USTA Southern teams also won the event in 2005, 2007, and 2008.
“Our team had really good chemistry,” said Smashers coach Susannah Cook of Chattanooga, Tenn. “We came together as a team, especially when it really counted in those last few games. I’m really proud of this group.”
Two California teams faced off in the battle for third place with defending champion San Diego Riptide (Youth Tennis San Diego) defeating the OC Lightning 45-33.
Smooth Strokes (pictured to the left)received the Maureen Connolly Brinker Team Spirit Award which is voted on by coaches, players and tournament officials for a team’s outstanding sportsmanship and camaraderie. Smooth Strokes received a $1,000 check along with the award. Team members of Smooth Strokes are Kyle Burton, Madison, Tenn.; Jordan Harrell, Lithonia, Ga.; Anthony LaRue, Louisville, Ky.; Brandi Nelson, Jonesboro, Ga.; Ja'Haun Freeman-Clark, Atlanta, Ga.; and Rankin Anderson, Stone Mountain, Ga. Alyce Meadors is the coach of Smooth Strokes.
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CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL: Southern Smashers def. Texas TNT 37-35 OT
3rd place: San Diego Riptide def. OC Lightning 45-33
5th place: Midwest Charging Colts def. Incredible Intermountain Ice 40-33
7th place: Southwest Sweetness def. Bakersfield Heat 45-30
9th place: San Diego Attackers def. Central Coast Crushers 43-42 STB (7-5)
11th place: Beasterns def. Smooth Strokes 35-32
13th place: Northern Galaxy def. Middle States Team Work 39-30
15th place: Reckless Rebels def. The Waves 46-12
CHAMPIONS: SOUTHERN SMASHERS (USTA SOUTHERN)
Chase Baker, Suwannee, Ga.
Parker Chang, Winston Salem, N.C.
Roberto Hennis, Raleigh, N.C.
Abigail Owens, Duluth, Ga.
Clare Mendell, Canton, Ga.
Ashley Kitchen, Hilton Head Island, S.C.
COACH: Susannah Cook
2nd place: TEXAS TNT (USTA Texas)
Robin Chou, Austin, Texas
Greg Haugen, Austin, Texas
Eliot Blatt, Austin, Texas
Farris Cunningham, Houston, Texas
Casey Sutton, Austin, Texas
Emily Olivier, Spring, Texas
COACH: Bobby Reeves
3rd place: SAN DIEGO RIPTIDE (YOUTH TENNIS SAN DIEGO)
Corey Smith, San Diego, Calif.
Sam Todd, Encinitas, Calif.
Bryce Bettwy, San Diego, Calif.
Maika Adair, San Diego, Calif.
Morgan McCray, Oceanside, Calif.
Megan McCray, Oceanside, Calif.
COACH: Eric Mann
4th place: OC LIGHTNING (Orange County Tennis Association)
Robbe Simon, Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Tracie Beblie, Costa Mesa, Calif.
Andrew Kurzwell, Newport Beach, Calif.
Tiffany Cheng, Laguna Hills, Calif.
Jordyn Kearney, Irvine, Calif.
Zoe Odekerk, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
COACH: A.G. Longoria
5th place: MIDWEST CHARGING COLTS (USTA Midwest)
Daniel Garcia, San Diego, Calif.
Jared Thompkins, San Diego, Calif.
Romar Hernandez, San Diego, Calif.
Courtney Wild, Carmel, Ind.
Stephanie Fox, Huntington, W.V.
Katie Klyczek, Munster, Ind.
COACH: Shelly Wild
6th place: INCREDIBLE INTERMOUNTAIN ICE
(USTA INTERMOUNTAIN)
Jake Malman, Denver, Colo.
Aaron Lapkin, Cheyenne, Wyo.
Mark Miller, Englewood, Colo.
Ashley Tanner, Sandy, Utah
Alexis Garrett, Las Vegas, Nev.
Morgan Anderson, St. George, Utah
COACH: Sue Burke
7th place: SOUTHWEST SWEETNESS (USTA Southwest)
Ari Richman, Phoenix, Ariz.
Emilio Gomez, Las Vegas, N.M.
Christopher Krimbill, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Aleeza Kanner, Phoenix, Ariz.
Marissa Baca, Oro Valley, Ariz.
Emily Serrano, Phoenix, Ariz.
COACH: Eric Mitchell
8th place: KCTA BAKERSFIELD HEAT
Daymon Johnson, Bakersfield, Calif.
Tyler Thoms, Bakersfield, Calif.
Levi Niavez, Bakersfield, Calif.
Grace Jacobs, Bakersfield, Calif.
Carolyn Stevens, Bakersfield, Calif.
Lily Schuler, Bakersfield, Calif.
COACH: Mark Windes
9th place: SD ATTACKERS (SAN DIEGO ATTACKERS JR. TEAMTENNIS)
Rozel Hernandez, San Diego, Calif.
Parker Wilson, San Diego, Calif.
Tiara Cabrera, San Diego, Calif.
Max Weishan, San Diego, Calif.
10th place: CAL CENTRAL COAST CRUSHERS
(Cal Central Coast Jr. Development)
Sean Hollister, Arroyo Grande, Calif.
Joshua Milla, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Victoria Troesch, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Abigail Will, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Amber Petersen, Atascadero, Calif.
Eli Whittle, Nipomo, Calif.
COACH: Bill Dunkle
11th place: BEASTERNS (USTA EASTERN)
Steven Koulouris, Long Island City, N.Y.
Jeramy Solema, Briarwood, N.Y.
Ryan Schmitz, Scotia, N.Y.
Katie McKay Holmdel, N.J.
Maya Vasser, New Rochelle, N.Y.
Olivia Messineo, Fayetteville, N.Y.
COACH: Dan Mansmann
12th place: SMOOTH STROKES
Kyle Burton, Madison, Tenn.
Jordan Harrell, Lithonia, Ga.
Anthony LaRue, Louisville, Ky.
Brandi Nelson, Jonesboro, Ga.
Ja'Haun Freeman-Clark, Atlanta, Ga.
Rankin Anderson, Stone Mountain, Ga.
COACH: Alyce Meadors
13th place: NORTHERN GALAXY (USTA NORTHERN)
Eric Zishka, Owatonna, Minn.
Bradley Entwistle, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Patrick Sinha, Eden Prairie, Minn.
Emily Alper, Minneapolis, Minn.
Sophia Whittle, Nipomo, Calif.
Heather Sullivan, Mankato, Minn.
COACH: Gordon Reid
14th place: TEAM WORK (USTA MIDDLE STATES)
Darren Mast, Lancaster, Pa.
Nick Bybel, Lancaster, Pa.
David Sklar, Philadephia, Pa.
Abigail McCormick, Bethel Park, Pa.
Jacqueline Lane, Kennett Square, Pa.
Natalie Savage, Port Murray, N.J.
COACH: Jim Phipps
15th place: RECKLESS REBELS (USTA PACIFIC NORTHWEST)
Lukas Kleinman, Vancouver, Wash.
Triton Pitassi, Camas, Wash.
Nigel Lyons, Vancouver, Wash.
Brittany Ellingsen, Vancouver, Wash.
Victoria Tam, Camas, Wash.
Julie Christen, Vancouver, Wash.
COACH: Nancy Ansboury, Sarah Ansboury
16th place: THE WAVES (PACIFIC ATHLETIC CLUB)
Connor Nicol, Maui, Hawaii
Charlie Frishberg, San Diego, Calif.
Robert Alexander, San Diego, Calif.
Nastiya Nicol, Maui, Hawaii
Missy Barwin, San Diego, Calif.
Lee Johnson, San Diego, Calif.
COACH: Jim Ault
MEDIA CONTACT: Rosie Crews, WTT PH: 817.691-5424 email: rcrews@wtt.com
Photos: WTT