Lisbon, Portugal
The top seeded USA Alice Marble Cup team (W60) advanced to the final with a 2/1 win over 5th seeded Argentina. USA won both singles (Carolyn Nichols 61 61 and Diane Barker 62 60) but fell in doubles (Susan Wright and Robin Harris) to an exceptional Argentine doubles pairing featuring Betty Villaverde. It was a really good match. We play Great Britain tomorrow. The #2, 3 & 4 seeds all had a bye today.
The top seeded USA Von Cramm Cup team (M60) advanced to the semis against Australia, winning both singles against Great Britain behind wins by Danny Waldman and Mark Vines.
The USA Maria Bueno Cup team, seeded #1, edged Great Britain today 3/0. Julie Cass won in straightforward fashion over Katie Shaw but Debbie Spence, playing #1 against Teresa Caitlin, GBR barely got over the finish line first, winning 36 63 76 (2). The doubles was won by the USA by default. They face #3 France tomorrow. France had a rest day today.
The 7th seeded USA Fred Perry Cup team (M50), lost 2/1 to Italy. Eoin Collins lost a close and tough match at #1 singles 64 in the third; Dana Gill at #2 fell in straight sets and Willie Alumbaugh/Greg Paukstis won the doubles point in a match tiebreak.
The Austria Cup (M55) lost to a very strong Austrian team, dropping both singles points. Stu Saiki fell at #2 singles and Bill Moss lost to a very tall guy who hit amazing, heavy forehands and great drop shots.
Immediately after the finish of her doubles match, the strings in both of Susan’s racquets broke…the one on the left without every being hit. She’s recently moved to Florida and had them strung at the USTA National Tennis Center…on one the knot clearly broke. So we had to go back to our apartment, get string, and get a racquet strung so she has something to hit with tomorrow. (Fortunately I had some Babolat gut on me, though of a different gage.)
We taste tested another Pasteis de Nata (Portuguese cream tart) at the tennis center today…so far the ones we stumbled across the first day are still in first place, though these weren’t bad and are backed on site.
We have the gala dinner tonight. I’ll report on that tomorrow as it will be late when we get back.
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