There were a lot of upsets at the Spring Grandes Dames, but in the end the top seeds prevailed in every event except the 70 doubles…and the top seeds there reached the final only to lose in three sets in the final.
Trish Riddel dominated the 30s at the Spring Grandes Dames in Heathrow, FL, winning the singles and doubles (with Mary Dailey) in convincing fashion.
Dailey doubled as well, taking the 40 doubles title with Diane Fishburne…who also doubled by cruising to the 50 singles title. Dailey/Fishburne beat Sue Rasmussen/Robin Keener in the doubles final 64 63.
Renata Marcinkowska returned to tournament play after nearly a year away and won the 40 singles over Stacey Williams. Williams celebrated her birthday Saturday though by scoring her first ever win over Robin Keener, always a tough competitor. Keener responded by double bageling Suzanne Siegler in the 3/4 playoff, not an easy task given Siegler’s steadiness.
Donna Drosner/Debbie Burgess won the 50 doubles title, though unseeded, and Drosner was a singles finalist. Drosner upset 2nd seeded Frances O’Sullivan in 3 sets, as well as Mary Morgan, also in 3 sets, to reach the singles final. Nancy Szen upset Debbie Burgess in the semis before falling to Fishburne in the semis.
Brenda Carter won the 60 singles and doubles (with Trish Faulkner), and has yet to lose a 60s match in the USA. She beat Betty Wachob in the final in 3 sets in a repeat of the BallenIsles final. Wachob beat Judy Louie in the semis for the 2nd straight tournament. Louie placed third with a 64 64 win over Jan Dennis. Carter/Faulkner beat Louie/Wachob in the doubles final.
Dori deVries won the 70s singles over a very tough field. She went 3 sets with Lyn Tietz in the quarters, and had a tough 2nd set with Roz King in the semis before finding her stride against Boots Van Nostrand in the final (62 64). King was trailing her doubles partner, Mary Boswell 46 35 when Boswell retired, in the quarters. Nancy Reed lobbed Kathy Langer in the quarters, beating her in 3 sets before falling 1,3 to Boots in the semis. Reed rebounded to oust King in the 3/4 75 in the third, a hard fought win. Kathy Langer/Lyn Tietz won the 70 doubles the hard way, beating the 2 top seeds, Boswell/King and deVries Gunderson, to earn their win. For all results, click here.