The MT 1000/USTA Level 1 women’s tournament held at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club last week concluded the main draw on Friday and the consolation on Sunday with a lot of good matches, quite a few falls and as always great food and a wonderful view.
Jenny (Rens) Keller won the 60 singles title to win her first singles gold ball. She beat Australia’s Wanda Howes in the final 2/0 retired (pulled muscle). However, the reason for the retirement harked back to Wanda’s previous marathon matches…an 06 75 75 win over defending champion Vicki Buholz (after trailing 60 and 3/0 then 5/2 in the second set) and a 46 62 76 (9) win over Judy Newman (after holding off 5 or 6 match points), which on the hard courts (in addition to doubles with Judy) took a toll. Keller meanwhile went 3 sets with Lindsey Montero in the quarters, avenging her loss to Montero last year (intersectionals) but dispatched #5 seed Christina Kaus in the semis in straight sets. Kaus upset #2 seed Fran Chandler in the quarters (leading 65 in the first when Chandler took a nasty fall…but still managed to win the first set…before Kaus won the final set 64 64. Kaus beat Newman to place third 76 1/0 retired (holding off 5 sets points at 4/5). Shelly Works beat Montero to place 5th.
After the singles final there was a tribute to Christie Foreman who passed away from pancreatic cancer last year after a short fight with the deadly disease. Her husband Pancho was there and Erika Smith gave a really moving speech.
Photos below…some I took, some Fred Sidhu shared and some were from NWTO. Thanks to all contributors.
Keller/Buholz beat Kaus/Lori Robertson in the final in straight sets. Kaus/Robertson upset #1 seeds/defending champions Elly Hammargren/Christine Paulson in the quarters. Gayle Prejean/Howes won the 3/4 playoff by default over Erika Smith/Newman. Works/Rainy Miller took fifth in doubles.
Amanda Parson Siegel continued her fine play (she was a star in the team event in Mexico City two weeks earlier), beating her doubles partner Dina McBride in the final 63 75. Neither lost a set en route to the final. Kathy Archibald took the bronze over Christine Anzac and Leora Grimshaw was 5th.
Amanda/Dina won the doubles over unseeded Valerie Tan/Darice Carnaje 64 60 but the match of the doubles tournament was Amanda/Dina vs the Bartelt sisters, Paige and Christen…Paige was the star of the match but the top seeds prevailed 64 in the third. The Bartelts won the bronze by default over the #2 seeds (Saunders/Jong, who were injured in the semis).
Tina Karwasky won the 70 singles for the third straight year, beating Andrea Barnes in a tight match 75 76. Betsy Kuhle, playing in La Jolla for the first time in the tournament, and watched closely by her brother Lornie, took third in singles over Sherri Bronson. Ginny Beneke took 5th, but in the consolation semis won a barnburner against Kathy Heinze…they split sets then Ginny won the match tiebreak 17-15!.
Kuhle/Barnes won a three-setter against Karwasky/Jan Kirkland to take gold in the 70 doubles while Narelle Pettee/Masako Beppu won the bronze over Bronson/Heinze. Joan Avedian/Camilla Sutherland won the consolation (5th).
Carolann Castell dominated the 80s, beating Charleen Hillebrand in the semis and Cathy Anderson in the final in straight sets. Brooks Byrd won the bronze by default; Terri Eggers placed 5th.
In doubles, Roz King and Suella Steel beat Castell/Heather Fiscallini in three sets to win the gold; Andi Polisky/Anderson took bronze over Byrd/Sue McCandless in three sets.