There was a definite touch of winter today, Florida style (ie high temps in the 60s) and a lot of wind which made for tough and different conditions than the steamy weather earlier in the week.
The 30s continued their round robin play with the top seeds advancing easily.
Trish Riddell won her inaugural 40s tournament, beating Sheila Chiricosta (who played the 40s and 50s singles), handily in the final.
In the 50s, the top seeds prevailed in three sets each and each played an identical 25 games. Fran Chandler ousted Susan Love 64 26 61 and Diane Fishburne beat Carolyn Nichols 46 62 61. So the final is between the current 45s world champion, playing in her first 50s event, Chandler, and the reigning 50s champion, Fishburne. It should be a great match, the counter puncher with the heavy forehand, Chandler, and the puncher, Fishburne.
In doubles, Chandler/Loomis withdrew and Brown/Ellis beat Nichols/Viebrock, handling the increasingly windy conditions effectively and controlling the court and their errors. They play Boynton/Neuthaler in the final. The latter team has yet to drop a game in the tournament.
In the 60s, the top 2 seeds advanced, with Carol Clay destroying Lyn Thompson and Sue Bramlette beating Judy Louie in straight sets, though the second set was close, 76. In doubles, Clay/Ellen Goodman took out Hubbard/Watanabe. Hubbard/Watanabe upset last year’s champions, Louie/Delfausse in the quarters. They face Bramlette/Margie Cooper who beat Lil Peltz-Petow/Lyn Thompson in three sets.
The 70s was full of upsets and new players. Susanne Clark, the top seed, survived the singles, beating Heidi Attlefellner in the semis. She will take on Sheila Weinstock, who is new to the 70s in the final. Sheila beat Grace Woo in the semis.
In doubles, Boots Van Nostrand/Libby Keenan upset Clark/Woo and they will face Wasser/Attlefellner in the final. Wasser/Attlefellner edged Tietz/Langer in three sets (then started a noisy celebration…or their fans did anyway…they seemed very happy.
In the 80s, Peggy Winningham upset #2 seed Nancy Stout in the RR but also lost to Jane Lutz, who plays Stout tomorrow and who is undefeated up till now.
Tomorrow most of the finals and 3/4 playoffs will take place. The tournament has been going nicely despite the parking restrictions. Trish Faulkner, the TD and her staff have worked hard to make the tournament a smoothly running event and have succeeded. This is the 17th year this event has taken place…the first year the clubhouse was a trailer and now it’s a magnificent edifice…a lot of change and a lot of good tennis over the years.