Brenda Carter, Rita Price and Pat Jackson each won their first Gold Slams today in Salinas, California. Carter dominated the first set against Carmen Almodovar before Carmen fought back strongly in the second set, and led 5-4 before Carter audibly upped her effort level to its max and won the final three games. Carter previously won three of the four nationals in one year but this year was the first time she won the grass courts in singles. Carter and Anne Russ play Almodovar/Grant in the doubles final tomorrow.

Price and Jackson won the Clay and Indoors and entered the grass (they were the only ones who did in the 85 doubles), and today finished the Gold Slam with a 61 61 win over Joyce Vanderpol/Cathie Hall. Interestingly, last year Price/Vanderpol beat Hall and her partner in the final. Price beat Hall in the singles final today too.

Dori deVries successfully defended her 75+  singles and doubles titles this year, beating Dororthy Matthiessen in singles and combining with Roz King to beat Matthiessen/Lynn Little. Little took third in singles with a long three set win over Kathy Langer on the warmest day of the week. Langer/Carol Wood took the doubles bronze in the 75s.

In the 55s, Susan Wright and Carolyn Nichols advanced to the final with wins over Sherri Bronson and Leslie Murveit respectively. Wright/Tina Karwasky beat Kandy Chain/Chris Ramosower-Pearlstein in one doubles semi while Andrea Barnes/Anne Lowry, unseeded, knocked off the #4 seeds, Roylee York/Sue Sprague in a long, tough match 76 56 63.

Manola Murillo (Colter) beat Tracy Houk in the 45s to advance to the final, unseeded, but not unknown; she faces Anna Zimmerman, who took out Vicky Cosio today. Jami Patterson/Zimmerman had a hard fought three setter against Karwasky/Houk, winning 62 67 62. They face Michelle Bynum/Kristen Hildebrand in the final.

In the 35s singles, Amy Alcini will face Sophie Woorons-Johnston in the final. Sophie had a good match, particularly the second set, with Marlo Carruth.

Shelly Works/Jami Patterson are in the 35 doubles final. They play the winner of Alcini/Finerman and Bynum/Hilebrand, that match was scheduled for 5:30pm and apparently wasn’t finished by 7:30. UPDATE: Bynum/Hilebrand won the match in three sets so are into two doubles finals tomorrow.

Susan Wright goes for a gold slam in 55 doubles tomorrow when she and Karwasky play Barnes/Lowry.

Link to tournament: http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=109003