Who says Californians can’t play on clay? The gold balls in the 50s today went to three Californians. Robin Ogburn and Chris Ramsower-Pearlstein won their third title of 2006 and their second national in Pensacola. They beat the second seeds, Sherri Bronson of Scottsdale and the lone Floridian in the final, Frances O’Sullivan. They will also finish the year ranked #1 as a team and also co-ranked #1 individually. Becky Holland won her first ever USTA ball, a bronze, teaming with Jan Kirkland-Cochran (it was bronze #3 for Jan) to beat Debbie Burgess/Sue Sprague 46 61 61. The third seeds, Bohac/Morgan took fifth.
Carolyn Nichols and Bronson met in the final for the second straight year, and Nichols defended her title, a first for her. She won 63 63. It was closer than the score would indicate…Ogburn and O’Sullivan began at the same time, and were finished (Ogburn won 62 63) about the time Nichols/Bronson were starting the 2nd game of the 2nd set. No one ever said I played too quickly though. Fifth place went to Hiko Fritz-Krakow who had a great week, beating the 6th seed, and then the 5th seed, Mary Morgan, in the consolation final.
Mary Dailey also defended her 40 doubles final, which she won with Renata Marcinkowska in 05. This year she played with Diane Fishburne and didn’t miss a beat, winning the final 76 63 over Mariana Hollman-Anna Zimmerman. The bronze went to Kathy Vick/Annemarie Brigandi by default over Bronson/Ellen Markowitz (plane to catch and late start to the doubles).
In the semis Dailey/Fishburne had a tough test, edging Brigandi/Vick 64 75 (and rallying from 1-5 down in the 2nd set to win it).
The rain of yesterday was a distant memory today, it was a bright sunny warm day.
Results: http://tournaments.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=39457