Houston Days 6 & 7: Julie Thu Wins 45 Singles/Doubles (with Alina Jidkova); Stephanie Wallace Takes 35s Singles & Doubles Titles (with Kaysie Smashey

Draws are here. Julie Thu cruised past opponents in the 45s, dropping a miserly three games in three matches. She beat Regina Balcune in the final. The doubles final was […]

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Singles Finalist/Doubles Bronze in Houston on a Beautiful Friday; Wright, Guerrant, Hartsock Win Singles Titles

Draws are here. Many thanks to Sue Bramlette, tournament director extraordinaire and Bob Bramlette, tournament supporter and tournament director supporter, to the Houston Racquet Club and to everyone who made […]

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Houston Day 4 at National Clays: 80s Turn to 50s (degrees); Into Singles final

Draws are here. Tennis was a mixed bag for me today…I won my singles and face Susan Wright in the final…but we were waxed in doubles..our opponents were very good […]

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Houston 24: Monday

Draws are here. Today was the last day before I play my first match at Houston. Susan Wright and I practiced for an hour early, practiced serving with Vicki Buholz, […]

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Houston Sunday: Practice Day 2

Draws are here. There was less drama today on the automobile front. Though having one’s tires stolen does result in a lot of comments in social media! My second, very […]

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Houston: National Clay Courts 2024

Draws are here. I arrived yesterday in Houston, TX for the 2024 USTA Level 1/ITF MT1000 Clay Courts for the women’s 35/45/55/65/75/85 divisions. I met up with my doubles partner, […]

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Bleakley, Smashey/Thu Win 35s Crowns Sunday in Houston

Draws are here. The final gold balls of the 2023 Clay Court Championships in Houston were awarded on Sunday in Houston. The 35 singles gold went to unseeded Kristen Bleakely, […]

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National Clay Courts Day 6: Thu, Buholz & Wright Win Titles in Houston…no Fooling

Draws are here. Today, Saturday April 1st was a warm and humid day in Houston with only a light breeze, pretty good for tennis. Sue Bramlette was the TD for […]

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Houston Day 5: Champions Crowned in 75/85 Singles and 65/75/85 Doubles

Draws are here. Friday March 31st, Houston, TX. Today was semifinal day in the women’s 65 singles and the matches were tough as were the conditions, very windy, and shadowy. […]

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Action Packed Day 4 of the USTA Level 1 National Women’s Clay Courts in Houston: Into Doubles Final & Singles Semis

Draws are here. Thursday was a really busy day at the National Clays in Houston as all age divisions were in action from the 35s to the 85s. It was […]

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Rainy Wednesday in Houston at National Clay Courts; Into Singles Quarters and Doubles Semis

Draws are here. There was a 15% chance of rain in Houston today…unfortunately this was one of those days when it did rain despite the odds and play was delayed […]

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National Women’s Clay Courts Tuesday, Day 2: Lots of Matches & NWTO Meeting

Draws are here. I played my first matches today in Houston at the National Clays. I played Gloria Stevens from the Austin, TX area and won in straight sets as […]

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Let the Play Begin: Monday in Houston at the National Clay Courts

Draws are here. Play began in the 55/65/75 divisions at the National Clay Courts in Houston. The 85s begin tomorrow, the 45s on Wednesday. No seeds were in action in […]

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Preview, USTA Level 1 Women’s Clay, 35-85 & 90, Houston, TX

Draws are here. This is the best women’s age division tournament you will find anywhere. 275 women in the 35/45/55/65/75/85/90 + divisions…275 women players in just eight divisions (this tournament […]

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Houston Saturday: Hartsock Wins 55 Singles & Thu Conquers 45s

Writing from Palm Desert, CA: Draws can be found here. Charlotte Hartsock (5) won the 55 singles over Shelly Works (3); Hartsock beat the #1, 4 and 3 seeds en […]

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Barker Wins 65 Singles, Kimball & Canby Win Doubles Gold, 55, 65, 75, 85 & 90 Doubles Champions Crowned

Draws are here Diane Barker played a near perfect match today. (I did not but she didn’t let me!) This portends well for our success in the Kitty Godfrey Cup […]

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Houston Day 5: Sue Kimball Takes 75 Singles Crown; Margaret Canby Wins 90 Singles Title

Houston, TX, March 24, 2022 The draws can be found here. Sue Kimball and Ann Eaton contested the women’s 75 final today and what I saw of it was a […]

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Houston Day 3: Return of the Sun

Draws can be found here. It was an early start after a late night today…some players finished closer to 10 than to 9pm and had to return to play 9am […]

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Donner, Blitzen & Rain Then Play into the Night

Draws can be found here There was thunder (donner) and lightning (blitzen) and hard rain this morning, which soaked the courts. Play finally began on some courts around noon and […]

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Houston Day 1: Rain & Wind Did Not Stop the Senior Women’s Clay Courts!

The draws and results can be found here. Monday March 21, 2022, Houston, Texas, 8:50 PM CDT There was a rainy, then windy, then rainy AND windy start to the […]

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Houston Practice Day 2

Sunday March 20, 2022, Houston, TX The draws can be found here. Today was another very nice day in Houston and a busy practice days for players competing in next […]

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Houston Day 7: Smashey Wins 35 Singles; Morris/Toney Win 45 Doubles

Click here to see the draws and results.  Click here to see photos. Sunday was the final day of the 2021 Clay Courts in Houston, which was the 50th anniversary […]

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Houston Day 6: Julie Thu Blanks Field to Win 45 Clay; Kaysie Smashey/Thu Win 35 Doubles

Click here to see the draws and results.  Click here to see photos. Last night I flew to Florida for the 60 national clay but the Houston tournament is still […]

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Houston Clay Nationals Day 5: Klitch, Nichols, DeVries, Price Win Singles Titles; Buholz/Prejean Take 55 Doubles

National Women’s Clay Courts, Houston, Day 5 Click here to see the draws and results.  Click here to see photos. It was another beautiful, sunny warm (but not humid) day […]

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Houston National Clay Courts Day 4: Carter Takes 75 Singles Crown (corrected); Jackson/Savitt Win 65 Doubles; Castell/Kimball Win 75 Doubles; Devries/Wood Win 85 Doubles

Houston, Texas Click here to see the draws and results.  Click here to see photos. Brenda Carter mounted an impressive comeback in the second set to win the 75 singles […]

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National Women’s Clay Courts: Torrid Tuesday in Houston

Houston, Texas, USA Click here to see the draws and results. Click here to see photos. It was sweltering, torrid, hot, humid, oppressive, sultry…air temps around 100 with high humidity […]

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Houston, National Women’s Clay Courts Day 1; Practice Day 2

Houston, TX Today was my last practice day here in Houston. I practiced early (7;30!) with Jenny Klitch. It was HUMID (and warm) … by 9am I was soaked. After […]

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Houston, National Clay Courts, Practice Day

Houston, Texas (yes I AM in Houston),Sunday September 20, 2021 Link to draws and results (once tournament begins); seeds are posted in “overview”. Link to photos album. This tournament was […]

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