Carter, O’Sullivan Win Marathon Matches in Naples

Frances O’Sullivan upset #4 seeded Pat Purcell in a very very long match today at the National Clay Courts in Naples. This is not the first time the two have played a long three setter, as the two bring out the best in each other. After splitting sets, O’Sullivan forged a 4-1 lead before Purcell rallied and the set fittingly ended in a tiebreak, won by O’Sullivan 9-7 (I think that’s the correct score).

Purcell though rallied to combine with Bunny Allare to play a beautiful doubles match against Sherri Bronson and Kathy Foulk. They are now in the final against Susan Wright and me. We bet Abbi Neuthaler/Kim Jones in our semi.

Susan Wright plays O’Sullivan next and Diane Barker plays Allare. Barker and Allare will be rekindling a rivalry which began as juniors in Florida.

Toni Novack had three match points today against Brenda Carter, one in the second set and two in the third, before Carter prevailed in a third set tiebreak. These courts are soft, even for clay and Toni has a wicket dropshot which repeatedly nestled into the court for a winner. Carter said she didn’t know how she won, she was just trying to hang in there! Lesley Pixley beat Carol Clay in the quarters, which on the face wasn’t an upset (though Clay hadn’t lost previously to Pixley). Clay said Pixley played a fabulous match. Betty Wachob and Molly Hahn complete the final four in the 70s.

Toni Novack

Brenda Carter

There was a marathon doubles match as well, won by Carol Clay/Ellen Goodman 76 in the third (of course)…they rallied from 2-5 down in the third to beat unseeded Ann Loose and Andi Polisky.

The seeding committee did a great job too in the 50s, as the top four seeds advanced to the semi i singles and doubles. Andrea Rice, Vesna McKenna, Shelly Works and Alicia Rowley are in the semis; Works plays Rowley and Rice faces McKenna. Dailey Rice, Kruger/Wauterlek, Rowley Works and Klitch McKenna are in the semis. None lost a set though Dailey/Rice had to go to a tiebreak to beat Dybendahl/Esswein.

Lizl Kotz and Jenny Klitch are in the finals of the 40s. Kotz beat Renee Alexis and Klitch beat Tangerine Manning 62 61.

Roz King and Dori DeVries are in the final of the 80s with straight set wins over Inge Weber and Burnett Herrick respectively. DeVries/King upset #1 seeded Carol Wood/Burnett Herrick in straight sets and play Wasser/Weber in the final.

There was an NSWTA (National Senior Women’s Tennis Assn) social today and player dinner. Photos are in the album linked below.

And an update on Carol Gay…she was looking much better at the player dinner.