Draws are here (must have USTA membership to view)

Julie Thu, #1 in the USA and World 50 singles rankings, thrashed her opposition in Palm Beach Gardens this week, beating Tisha Kilburn of Canada in the final. She dropped two games this week (as Bunnie Jackson slyly commented…losing a game…that’s how it starts..). She also won the doubles with Heather Waters over Mo Bertsch/Vincenza Massaro.

Jenny Rens, playing her first ever clay singles event and first clay court tournament battled past tough competition to win the singles, winning three consecutive three-set matches, over Charlotte Hartsock (four hours), last year’s runner-up at the world championships (Stina Mosvold of Sweden) and Simone Vasconcellos of Brazil in a truly international field. Yesterday she and Vicki Buholz won the doubles. Shelly Works won the bronze when Mosvold had to retired 0-4 down with an injury and Buholz finished fifth with a straight set win over Susan Love.

I won the 70s in about two hours over Bunnie Jackson (unseeded)…62 75 (rallying from 2-4 0-30 and 3-5 0-30 before figuring out the final winning strategy for today anyway). Tina Karwasky rallied from 3-5 down in both sets against Wendy McColskey to win 76 75. Bunnie and I won the doubles yesterday.

Sue Kimball won the 80 singles over Carolann Castell 61 64 to cap off a good week and teamed up with Betty Wachob to win the doubles with Castell/Lee Delfausse finishing second. Char Hillebrand finished third when Delfausse defaulted true to injury.

The 40 doubles was won by Tara Pressley/Julie Axelrod over Erika Takeuchi/Brandi Bratek.

After photos and chatting with friends I went home and Jenny, Vicki, Christina Kaus, Lori Robertson, Shelly Works and Monica Salazar all came over ostensibly to watch the women’s final at the Miami Open but also to hang out…Shelly won the Yahtzee game (I finished 7th…out of 7), and generally had a nice evening.