Local USTA Information for Pensacola, Fl.

Local USTA News
March 2009 By Scott Harrison

The week of March 2 to 8 was a good one for two area players at the USTA Women's 35-85 Clay Court Championships held at the Houston Racquet Club. Retsy Wilson from Pensacola in the 65's and Myke Loomis from Destin in the 45's journeyed to Texas and faired quite well.

Wilson, who plays out of The Club in Gulf Breeze, teamed with California's Terri Eggers and after winning their first round match, upset the #2 seeds 6-2 in the third in the quarterfinals. They lost the semifinal match 6-3,6-3 and the 3rd place play-off as well but it was a very good first time pairing. Wilson also had a pretty good run in singles winning her first round match and losing 6-2,7-6 in the second round to the #4 seed. She then won three back draw matches and lost in the quarterfinals of the back draw.

Loomis, who is Director of Tennis at Hidden Dunes in Destin, was the 7th seed. She beat the 2nd seed 5 and 3 in the quarterfinals and the 4th seed 4-6,7-5,7-6 in 4 hours and 45 minutes in the semifinals. She lost to top seeded and #1 in the world, Fran Chandler from Tennessee 6-4,6-2 in the finals. Loomis also finished third in the doubles.
During the same week Pensacola's Craig Broome traveled to St. Petersburg for the Raymond James Super Senior Grand Prix - USTA Cat. II Men's Tournament. Broome won his first round then ran into the #1 player in the world in the 60's, Larry Turville, and faired well but lost 6-0,6-4. Broome and his partner, Hugh Burris from Texas were the top seeds but were upset in the semis. They won third place however to salvage a good win.
On the junior side, the Spring Sectionals were also held at various sites around Florida last week. All the singles draws were 32 with 16 doubles draws. Gulf Breeze teammates Jackie Kasler and Jennifer Pfeifler and Washington High player, Will Neuner, were the only area players to qualify for these tough Sectional tourneys.

Kasler was the #1 seed at Plantation in the Girls 18 singles but was upset in the quarterfinals 6-1,6-3 by 5th seeded Chichi Scholl of Pompano Beach. Kasler and Bianca Sanon of Plantation were the top seeds in doubles. They were upset in the finals 8-5 by the 3rd seeded Alina Jerjomina of Ft. Lauderdale and Scholl.

Meanwhile #3 seed Pfeifler was ripping thru the draw at Weston to win the tournament. She topped 4th seeded Deborah Suarez 6-4,6-4 in the finals. Pfeifler was seeded #4 with Shea Brodsky of Miami Beach in the doubles. They fell 8-5 in the semifinals to top seeded Natalia Maynetto of Naples and Nicole Robinson of West Palm Beach.

Washington's Neuner also played in Weston although at a different facility. He had a rougher go in the tourney losing all three of his matches.