| Tweet |
By Dennis Malick
Those April flowers better stay behind the fence for a while because this is serious season in USTA Leagues.
Forget the early frozen courts, roster jockeying, last-minute ringer recruiting. It’s time when the schedule (purposely) pits top teams against each other to determine which are advancing to South Carolina State Championships in May.
Unlike previous years, HHI and the ‘cross-the-bridge Coastal Carolina Tennis Association each will be sending champions to States that again this year will be played here with Sea Pines Racquet Club as headquarters site. With any seeding luck, they will only meet in the finals.
While all that scrapping is going on, the David M. Carmines Memorial Weekend will wedge in its tennis segment April 3-5 at Chaplin Public Tennis Center. The USTA-sanctioned tournament will have play in men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles in rated and age divisions, as well as junior age divisions of 8 through 18 years.
One item not on the ’09 schedule is busing. Each year buses from one club or another have trekked to women’s pro tour events on Amelia Island and/or Daniel Island. Not this year. The Amelia event with a new sponsor has moved to Ponte Vedra, Fla., a bit far for a one-day round trip for our tennis spectators. Plenty of HHI area fans still will be heading to Family Circle Cup in Charleston … just not in busloads.
We don’t know at deadline time what local teams, if any, might be competing in the National Super Senior Championships Apr. 24-29 in Phoenix. Having birthed the Super Senior format 14 years ago, HHI teams carry a special incentive to get to Nationals. Competing will be Fall 2008 state champions that won Southern Sectionals in March. For information on winners from the 17 sections competing in Phoenix, go to usta.com.
While those teams are at Nationals, the rest of the local seniors will concentrate on the “BillyBob” Doubles Championships Apr. 24-26 at South Beach Racquet Club. The 25th annual will stick with its combined-age format in men’s and women’s doubles as well as mixed doubles — 80 & older, 100 & older, 120 & older, 140 & older and 150 & older levels. USTA rating restrictions apply as well and are listed on entry forms available at HHI area clubs.
The BillyBob is noted for its special logo shirts just for entering and a Friday evening cookout that goes on while matches provide the entertainment. For information, call Tournament Director Michael O’Keefe at (843) 671-2215.
Adding to that weekend activity is the April 26 Special Olympics Team Color Tennis Competition at Port Royal Racquet Club. Athletes from our area compete in tennis skill games and matches. Volunteers are always welcome. To join in, contact Myron Meister at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
One last thing before getting out of the month will be registering for the third annual Banana Open Junior Challenge that will be played May 1-3 at Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center. Novice and tournament level boys’ and girls’ singles and doubles will be included.
The spinoff of the adult Banana Open in June again will benefit the Charles P. Darby Children’s Research Center at Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. For information, call Palmetto Dunes at (843) 785-1152.
TAKE A TIP FROM — Gavin Cox on learning from the pros if you are heading to Family Circle Cup.
“Move around to the different courts,” says the longtime teaching pro and director of Lowcountry Sports Network. “Sometimes watching the name players doesn’t mean you will see the best tennis.”
“Watch the players footwork. Look for the split-step and see how they move forward as well as to the sides. Watch which foot the players land on after hitting their first serve vs. their second serve. Watch for their patterns of play. When do they change the direction of the ball. Look for the players tendencies, especially on the big points and break points. Did the player who lost the first set change tactics or did she stay with a game plan?
“When watching the doubles matches see if the players are communicating, using hand signals or just talking. Who is the stronger player? The add-court player or the deuce-court player? How do they use the lob and when do they go for their returns? And especially, are they having FUN???”
