Happy New Year everyone…the first tournament of the year for me anyway is this week in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. (Venus has a place for sale if you are interested).

2019 marks a renewed cooperation between the ITF and USTA, resulting in ITF Grade 1 status for some of our Super Category 2 tournaments and Grade A status for all USTA National tournaments in the 35-85 age divisions, plus mixed. In return the USTA will not require IPIN holders to have a USTA membership in order to play in ITF sanctioned tournaments held in the USA.

Click here to see the draws and results.

As usual, there are a fair number of Canadians here this tournament but not a lot of other foreign players. Below are Irwin Tobias and Adrienne Simmons (who has caused 2 upsets so far).

The tournament is being held at the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center in Palm Beach Gardens, just down the street from BallenIsles. There are 18 lovely clay courts here and the facility will be even better next year after a big clubhouse renovation is started and completed. The women’s 40-80 clay courts will be held her in April.

I am playing in a very strong 60s division, led by Diane Barker. Wendy McColskey, Bunny Allare and Kathy Vick are also playing along with Kim Dean, Kathy Foulk, Janet Mosley and Frances O’Sullivan to name a few. All eight seeds reached the quarters without drama.

The 50s lost the 3 and 4 seeds yesterday as Adrienne Simmons (a Georgia based Canadian) beat the #4 seed Daniela Esswein and Alice Stubbs took out #3 seeded Melanie Crampton, both in three sets. Jenny Klitch and Yvette Kruger though the top 2 seeds, cruised into the semis today

The four seeds in the 70s advanced to the semis today with Molly Hahn to face Sue Kimball and Brenda Winstead to face Toni Novack.

In the 80s, Canadian Inge Weber the top seed and Burnett Herrick, the second seed, reached the semis.

In the 50s, Corey Reese and Simmons beat the #2 seeds convincingly to reach the semis.

Lisa Hoffstein/Sally Zasloff took out #5 seeded Peggy Machoian/Joan Oelschlager in the 60 doubles; the remaining 7 seeds advanced.

Hahn/Kimball and Ellen Goodman/Winstead the top 70s seeds, advanced to the semis.