Draws are here. (Need an account with USTA to access draws).

Today was a Florida Chamber of Commerce type of day, sunny, light breeze, mid-70s (around 24 Celsius). It was a great day to play tennis at the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center.

I played my first match of 2025, in the Women’s 70s (!) and beat Donna Drosner. I played well and had a great warm up first with Jenny Klitch. The seeds all advanced to the semis, to be played on Thursday, Becky Timmis and I play one semi and Pat Purcell will take on Kathy Foulk.

The singles match of the day was between Daniela Esswein, a semifinalist last year, and Shelly Works, her doubles partner. The match lasted around 2.5 hours with Shelly eking out the second set tiebreak 12-10 (she won the first set 63). Works plays Susan Boyer, the defending champion next…they once played a 6.5 hour match (after which they both had doubles matches and Susan’s went three sets). Erin Boynton plays Christina Kaus in the other semi of the 60s.

The 50s had only one match today, the tournament begins in earnest for the 50s tomorrow with the round of 16. Susan Wright is the top seed.

In doubles, Wright/Kaus had a tussle with Sandra Allen/Susan Corey, trailing 5-3 in the first before winning it 7-5 and then leading 6-5 40-0 before winning the set 7-5 on their fourth match point. Allen/Corey had big serves and hit very hard!

Kathy Foulk/Betsy Savitt won their doubles in three sets over Lou Armstrong/Susan Wareing, 62 in the third. Pat Purcell/Jan Cochran won their match 4,1 over Debbie Burgess/Drosner.

There was only one 80s match, won by Betty Wachob, who was frolicking in the snow in the Panhandle a week ago.

There was a luncheon…sandwiches, chips and soup, for the players today.