World Individual Championships, Friday-Sunday, Conclusion
I’m typing this on my flight (#3 of 4) to California. I wasn’t online the last three
days of the tournament, so here’s a summary of the semis and finals.
On Friday the semis were played in most divisions and the
75s finals. Nancy Reed, USA
and Margaret Robinson, Australia,
won the 75 doubles final. Louise Russ/Mary Boswell were semifinalists in the 75
doubles and Mary lost in the semis to Muffy Grieves from Canada, whom she beat in the Cup (if she hadn’t
the USA would have lost the Queens’ Cup).
Tony Franco upset his doubles partner, Graydon Nichols in
the semis of the men’s 80s, beating him in three sets, combining deep shots
with some wicked drop shots (and that sneaky speed of foot). However they did
win their doubles semis later in the day to reach the final there. Jason
Morton, USA, the #4 player
on the USA Gardnar Mulloy Cup team beat #2 seed, Clem Hopp, USA in straight
sets, his 2nd straight upset. He’d beaten #4 seeded Trevisan from Italy the day
before to reach the semis. The defending champions, from Australia,
Corbett and his partner, beat Hopp/Morton to reach the final against
Franco/Nichols. On Saturday Franco/Nichols won the doubles over the Aussies,
avenging their 2007 loss. The Americans have now won three of the past 4 world
doubles titles in the 80s. On Sunday Morton scored his third straight upset,
beating Franco in three sets, coming back strongly after losing the first set
to win the world championships. This was a great comeback from Jason, who has
overcome lymphoma and the side effects of his treatments for it and also a knee
replacement.
In the men’s 75s, Jack Vredevelt, in his first world
championship, won a world title, the men’s 75 doubles, combining with Chuck
McCabe, USA to beat Chuck
Nelson/Saul Snyder, USA.
It was also Snyder’s first world championship final. Snyder played well in Turkey,
even taking a set off of Lorne Main in the quarters of the singles.
King Van Nostrand also had a tremendous comeback from his
third or 4th knee replacement, beating Bodo Nietsche in the semis
and Haas in the final (in four hours, 67 76 62) to win the world championship
in the men’s 70s. Later the same day as the final, he combined with Fred
Farzanagan, a fellow Floridian to beat the California team of Bob Duesler/Jim Nelson,
the second seeds, in three sets. Van Nostrand/Farzanegan again dropped the
first set, but after the sun set and the artificial lights went on (which were
not bright at all and were very low), they played better and won the final set
61.
Jimmy Parker/Ken
Robinson concluded an outstanding doubles season, winning the world doubles
title in the 65s. over fellow Americans and Britannia Cup teammates Fred
Drilling/Joe Bachmann…in fact all four players were dressed alike in their
burgundy USA
shirts and white shorts. Drilling lost in the semis of singles.
Phil Landauer/Tom Smith were finalists in the 55 doubles,
falling on Sunday, as did Mark Vines/Ross Persons.
Mark also reached the semis of singles, losing a close 2 setter.
In the women’s 40s, Mary Dailey, USA, Lucie Zelinka, Austria
reached the final, losing there to Olga S from Russia and Leslie O’Halloran
from Ireland, the same duo that took out Carolyn Nichols/Vesna McKenna in the
semis. Vesna and I played Aussie formation once on my serve to O’Halloran on
the ad side. Leslie is a lefty and hits hard…the day we played them, her hard
hit shots were all going in. On that point, I served to her backhand and she
hit her backhand down the middle so hard that neither Vesna nor I…neither of
which were far from the ball, came close to touching it. Carol Clay and Carol
Wood were watching on and started laughing. They were just too good that day.
Renata Marcinkowska
lost early in 40 singles but won the 35 doubles despite a pulled calf…and there
were a lot of pulled calf muscles going around, including Renata and Jimmy Parker.
The USA
dominated the women’s 45s. Susan Boyer took out two seeds before falling in 3
hours to the #2 seed, Koutna. Koutna then played Mariana Hollman who beat her
in straight sets, rallying from 1-5 down in the 2nd set to win it
76. Fran Chandler reached the semis
but lost in four hours to Christine French from Gr. Britain. French, who is in
remarkable shape apparently…she was cramping against Fran but came back strong
the next day. Hollman rallied though (and rallied is the right term, apparently
at the end the rallies were endless and the balls were very high over the net
during the rallies), from a set and 14 to win the match, showing great endurance
and mental fortitude to win. She then went out and won the doubles with Myke
Loomis over Boyer/Chandler, in a match which also ended under the lights.
Loomis/Hollman rallied from 35 15-40 on Chandler’s
serve to win the first set then won the 2nd 63. Loomis was killing
the ball with her backhand, playing beautifully.
USA
also had a strong showing in the women’s 50s, with 2 teams in the doubles semis
and three players in the singles semis. Ros Balodis of Australia spoiled the
all-American party though, since she beat Phyllis
Blackwell, qf, Carolyn Nichols, semis and Diane Fishburne,
final, in straight sets, rallying from 35 in the 2nd set against
Fishburne to win 75 75. Fishburne beat Wright 61 61 in the semis.
Blackwell/Fishburne had a great 2nd set against Kaye Nealon/Balodis
in the semis but the Aussie pair refused to miss or let a ball go past them
often enough for the Americans to win a set. The points though were fantastic,
aggressiveness and defense on full display during each point. The Aussies won
the final over Wright/Marianne Robertson 61 64. The Americans pulled a
Houdiniesque escape in the semis against Lyn Mortimer,
Australia, Heidi
Eisterlerner, Germany.
The Americans were up 51 in the third, only to drop 5 straight games. Heidi
then served for the match at 65 40-0…only to be broken. Susan and Marianne won
76 in the third!
In the 60s, Betty Wachob/Brenda Carter reached the semis,
losing to the So African pair of Petra Kruger/Karin Boschoff.
Charleen Hillebrand won the 65 doubles and was a finalist in
65 singles, losing to Heide Orth in the final.
Dori deVries reached the 70 singles and doubles final,
losing to Jeanine Lieffrig in the final of both. She played with Roz King in the doubles. King and Carol Wood both
reached the singles semis. King played a good 2nd set against
Lieffrig though. Wood and Kathy Langer reached the doubles quarters, eking out
a three set win in the quarters.
With over 1700 matches, the referees and ITF staff and
volunteers worked tirelessly for over 2 weeks to make the team and individual
championships great.