UPCOMING TENNIS EVENTS IN GREATER FORT MYERS-NAPLES

There's a lot coming up folks, and it starts tomorrow! I'm sure there must be more out there, but this is what I've got for now. In chronological order, events coming up include:

Wednesday & Saturday Dec. 18 & 21

Mediterra Events

Mike Baldwin

New Director of Tennis Mike Baldwin, whom you may know as the Chairperson of the USPTA Grand Prix, is firing up the tennis at Mediterra. This coming Wednesday, Mediterra, an award winning tennis facility, will be hosting the Naples Pro League. Similar to the extremely popular Southwest Florida Pro League, the top Collier County pros will be competing for “pride and prize money,” according to Mike. Pro League matches will begin at 5pm and 6:30pm, and food and drinks will be available on site for spectators.

Alejandro Falla

As good as the local pros are, I suspect that the pros Mike has coming in for the ATP Pro Exhibition on Saturday, December 21 (next Saturday!), among the top hundred in the world in singles and doubles, will provide a different level of tennis entertainment. Among the pros that will be on hand are Santiago Giraldo (No.69 in singles), Alejandro Falla (No.99 in singles, and with ties to local community), Juan-Sebastian Cabal (No.44 in doubles), Robert Farah (No.48 in doubles), and others.

I hate to give up lessons, but how could I possibly miss this! Action begins at 10:30am and ends at noon. Gale wanna go watch the pros is Naples? How about you Lil? This really is a can’t-miss opportunity, so hope to see you there. You can find out more by calling 239-254-3039.

Friday, Jan. 3

Southwest Florida Team Tennis (SWFTT)

Armor Persons & T. A. down
Pat Glaunert & Oliver Stenger in SWFTT match

With 10 teams in its second year of play, the Southwest Florida Team Tennis League (SWFTT) is in full swing, with its next match on Friday, January 3, 2014. Last season’s Inaugural Champs, Beachview, has the early season lead with 15 points; The Strand is second with 13 points and The Hideaway sits in third with 12. Click here for everything SWFTT, including Team Rosters, Standings, Schedule, etc. Roster spots are still open for players rated 4.0 and above. Call (239-671-5646) or email (flatsfishr@aol.com) Blake Matherly for more info.

Tuesday - Sunday, Jan. 7 - 12

Super Seniors Coming to SW Florida

Jeff Timmer

The Annual West Coast Swing of the USTA Florida Super Senior Grand Prix is just about around the corner, and this old man is going to make his super senior debut at the West Coast Super Senior Grand Prix at Colonial (Designated), January 7 - 12. Director of Tennis Jeff Timmer, his staff and the members at Colonial will host the initial Grand Prix event for the eighth consecutive year.

Steve Shortridge

Colonial’s own Steve Shortridge posted a big win last year in the opening tourney, winning the 60 Singles event. Pelican Preserve’s Bob Green also had a good run, making it to the Final before falling to Steve in straight sets. We hope that Fred Drilling, the top-ranked player in USTA Florida’s Men’s 70 Singles ranking, who reached the final of all five Grand Prix events he played last season, winning two, will seek to defend his Colonial win next month.

In all, there are seven Super Senior Grand Prix events scheduled for Southwest Florida. Tournaments will be played in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota and St. Pete. I’ll see what condition I’m in after the first and go from there.

Friday, Jan. 10

Southwest Florida Pro League (SWFPL)
Your favorite local pros swing back into action in the SWFPL at Heritage Palms the second week of January. After four regular season events, the standings are ProGraphx in the lead with 25 points, Boston Retirement Advisors with 23, Harborside Dental with 20, and Johnny Malloy’s with 17.5. 

Paul D'Amico

Paul D'Amico (Director of Tennis) and his staff at The Landings did a terrific job as usual at the last stop of 2013, on Friday the 13th, and I expect Mike and Carolyn at Heritage Palms will do the same in the first matches of 2014. Matches usually start at 4pm and 5:30pm, but there’s no definitive schedule to report yet.

Sunday, Jan. 12

The Landings Event

Kimberly Jones & Paul D'Amico

Speaking of Paul D'Amico and his staff, as they have done since his arrival at The Landings two years ago, Paul D’Amico, Director of Tennis, continues to bring quality events to our community. In conjunction with the Landings Tennis Association’s 2014 kickoff tennis event, The Landings will host a Babolat-sponsored exhibition featuring four former Wimbledon participants, including a Wimbledon Champ!

Russell & Gourlay defeat Navratilova & Stove
in Final at Wimbledon in 1977

Joanne Russell, Wimbledon Doubles Champion with Helen Gourlay in 1977, and a former WTA top-25 player, will join The Landings own Kimberly Jones, another former WTA top-25 and Wimbledon participant, as the second woman on court. 

Mikael Pernfors

Michael Pernfors, a former ATP top-10 player, French Open Finalist and two-time NCAA Champion; and Tobias Svantesson, who reached as high No.64 in doubles and No.89 in singles on the ATP Tour, will complete the foursome. 

I had the pleasure of playing doubles with Tobias in the Florida Cup a few years ago, and he was still good enough to carry me, so you don’t want to miss this event. The exhibition will be from 1 - 2:30pm, and I hope to see you there.

Friday - Sunday, Jan. 17 -19

Three Oaks Illini Shootout

Pat Glaunert

Two other key additions to our tennis community, Pat Glaunert (Director of tennis) and Angie Guillette (Director of Events & Programming) are up to their usual tricks, bringing another mega event to the Barbara Manzo Tennis Center at Three Oaks Park, January 17-20. 

Angie Guillette

The Fighting Illini Invitational, featuring men’s tennis teams from the University of Illinois, University of South Florida, and University of Florida, will be another tremendous opportunity for our community to participate in an inspirational tennis event.

Coach Brad Dancer

In addition to terrific tennis, the University of Illinois Men’s Head Tennis Coach Brad Dancer, has donated a one-hour private lesson to be taken during this time. In addition, the University of Illinois Men’s Team will donate a ninety-minute "play Division I college tennis" session with one local participant and three Illini team members. These donations are for an auction to help raise money for the tornado victims in Washington, Illinois, about an hour away from the team’s campus. Stay tuned for more details about the auction as the event grows closer.

Miscellaneous

These last two tidbits don't have anything to do with upcoming events, but I wanted to get them in. 

USTA Mixed Champs

Andy Rundle & Terri Destoppelaire

I had intended to mention a while back that we had some repeat champions in our midst, as Terri Destoppelaire and Andy Rundle defended their NTRP State Closed 7.5 Mixed Doubles title in Boca Raton in late October. Congrats are definitely in order! Sorry I was late in acknowledging the accomplishment folks.

Voodoo Justice

And last and maybe even least, I got an email from the creator of the video below, asking if it was in poor taste. I’d love to let him know what you think. Check it out and make a comment on the blog or send me an email with your opinion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqF9dbbMa3s. Game, set, match...T. A.