USPTA Fast Dry & 10S Supply Grand Prix Opens in Delray Beach

Pat Friz, Pete Davis, & Mike Baldwin

Unknown, Kam Kuchta, Arup Dutta,
Joe Bouquin, & Mike Baldwin

The USPTA Florida Fast Dry & 10S Supply Grand Prix Circuit opened the 2013 season this past weekend at the Delray Beach Tennis Center in conjunction with the ATP Champions Tour and ATP World Tour events. Typically a doubles event only for the USPTA Florida Fast Dry & 10S Supply Grand Prix Circuit, this past weekend’s event marked the first time that the Delray Grand Prix held singles events, a feather in the cap of Grand Prix Commissioner, Mike Baldwin of Weston Hills Country Club.

Paulo Barros- Open Singles Champion

Held at the height of the season for many teaching professionals, the 55 entries in Delray (a number that trumps all participation totals from last season) signaled the growing popularity of the Grand Prix Circuit. 

Franco Mata- Open Singles
Finalist

The top three players from the 2012 Open Singles Rankings were among the participants, with No.3 Paulo Barros of Winter Garden claiming the Open Singles title over Franco Mata of Naples, 6-2, 6-3.

Franco Mata & Milos Vasovic
Open Doubles Champions

Mata teamed with Milos Vasovic of Melbourne to take the Open Doubles over Barros and Erik Turnquist of Winter Haven, 6-3, 1-6, 10-5. 

Milos Vasovic-
35 Singles Champion

Speaking of Milos Vasovic, the dominant force of last season’s Men’s 35 Division, he claimed yet another double, when he won the 35 Singles event, defeating Mathieu Soto 6-4, 3-6, 10-7 in the final.

Mario Tabares- 45 Singles Champion

In Men’s 45 Singles, former World No.131 Mario Tabares of Miami dropped just eight games in three matches, taking the final over Bruce Kurtz, 6-1, 6-2. 

Xavier Proulx, Eric Godin,
Mario Tabares, & Michael Aronson

Tabares teamed with Michael Aronson of Boynton Beach to reach the 40 Doubles Final, but fell to Xavier Proulx and Eric Godin of Boca Raton, 3-6, 3-6 in the final.

Greg Neuhart- 50 Singles
& Doubles Champion

Greg Neuhart of Loxahatchee gave notice that he is back on form, taking the Men’s 50 Singles and Doubles. In singles, Neuhart defeated USTA Men’s 50 Singles National Finalist Greg Wheaton 6-7, 6-1, 10-5 in the semis, then downed T. A. Niles, last season’s Grand Prix points leader  by the same score in the final. 

Terry O'Grady, Greg Neuhart,
Patricio Madariaga, & Carlos Triana

Neuhart then teamed with Terry O’Grady of Tampa to win the doubles final over Carlos Triana and Patricio Madariaga of Miami, 6-7, 6-1, 10-5. Are you kidding me! Neuhart over Wheaton in three, then Niles next day in three, and same day taking doubles in three...and the same score in all three! That's HUGE! Almost as huge as Greg is...:)

Joe Bouquin- 60 Singles &
Doubles Champion

Another of the three double-champions in Delray was Joe Bouquin of Delray Beach, who won the Men’s 60 Singles Final 6-0, 6-0 over Bill Davidson of Winter Garden, then partnered with Bob Grossman, also of Delray Beach, to claim the 60 Doubles title, 6-1, 6-4 over Davidson and Bob Howell of Delray Beach.

Julie Farina- Women's 45
Singles Champion

In a round robin draw with three competitors, Julie Farina of Palm Beach Gardens claimed the Women’s 45 Singles over Elizabeth Burger of Delray Beach and Frances O’Sullivan of West Palm Beach, beating the former 6-1, 7-5, and the latter 6-4, 6-4. O'Sullivan captured second, downing Burger 6-4, 6-3.

Frances O'Sullivan

In Women’s 40 Doubles, Burger and Kim Franklin of West Pam Beach took the title, defeating Tanja Gustafson of West Palm Beach and Patti Heidorn of Lake Worth in a thrilling 3-6, 6-4, 10-4 battle.

Pat Friz- Tourney Official

As always, we have to thank the tournament hosts Ivan Baron and his staff at the Delray Tennis Center, who did a tremendous job, Mike Baldwin and his hardworking partner Pete Davis, and Pat Friz the event official for their roles in making the event a success. 

Circuit Sponsors

In addition, there would be no event for the pros to enjoy without the generosity of Circuit Sponsors Fast Dry & 10S Supply, USPTA Florida, Welch Tennis Courts, USTA Florida, Stan Oley Tennis Equipment, The Wimbledon Experience, and Giliberti. 

The next stop for the USPTA Florida Fast Dry & 10S Supply Grand Prix Circuit will at the USPTA National Clay Court Championships to be held at BallenIsles in Palm Beach Gardens, March 22- 24. Players can register by clicking here. You can view additional photos by clicking here.