Ever since he was about two or three years old, Spencer Whitaker has loved smacking balls around.

“I actually started hitting a balloon around the house with a table-tennis paddle,” said Whitaker. “Maybe a year after that, I started hitting tennis balls over at Ridgetop with my Dad for fun to see how I liked it.”

Now 12 years old, Whitaker enjoyed the game so much that he has continued to play and become one of the best at his age in the country. He captured the U.S. Tennis Association’s National Selection Open for 12-and-unders Feb. 15-17 in Greensboro, N.C.

Whitaker was seeded second in the field of 32 and beat No. 5 seed Shawn Berdia of Potomac, Md., 6-1, 6-0 in the final. The sixth-grader at St. Michael’s School didn’t drop a set in the tournament and raised his current national ranking in the age group to No. 8.

“He would just follow me out to the neighborhood pool [Ridgetop] and we’d hit balls on the same side of the net,” said his father, Scott, who is an accomplished 4.5 player that has played on several teams around town.

“From the very beginning, he had an incredible attention span and interest. We would go out there for an hour and a half at a time, just knocking balls around. He’s always been willing to put in the work and he never goofs off in practice.

“He’s always been real focused and taken it seriously. It’s more than just determination with him.”

An example of Whitaker’s workaholic attitude came when he attended one of the USTA’s development camps last summer and received the “coachability” award as determined by all of the camp’s instructors.

“That was for being the most attentive and hardest-working kid at the camp,” said his Dad.

The younger Whitaker said his interest in tennis became even keener from watching Spanish star Rafael Nadal play on TV.

“One day I wanted to be just like him,” said Whitaker. “I like the way he fights for every ball and he really works hard.”

Whitaker has worked with three local pros, starting with Pat Anderson, then Damian Sancilio and most recently with Romain Ambert, the head pro at Westwood Racquet Club, where the Whitakers are now members.

“You can tell who’s going to be good [at an early age] and who’s not,” said Anderson. “The thing about him is he loves it but he gets it. He’s one of those kids who gets it, and to this day, he still gets it. He knows how to play tennis. You can’t teach that.

“He’s the same nice kid he was when he was eight, begging you to hit with him, that he is now. His work ethic is just unreal. It’s crazy how good the kid is. It’s not a fluke either. His father deserves a ton of the credit for how good he is.”

Added Sancilio, “The story of Spencer Whitaker is a group effort. Pat started working with him. I’ve been working with him once a week since he was five. He’s about the only kid I’ve ever taught that never had a bad lesson. He’s all in.

“Now he works with Romain at Westwood. I know he likes working with Romain. He’s not a real tall kid but he’s very fast and he’s so focused. He practices very hard. He doesn’t beat himself up in matches. He’s a very driven player.”

All of that helped him win the National Selection Open in Greensboro, where he had the added pressure of being seeded second.

“There was a lot of pressure because I’ve never been in a situation where I was supposed to get far in the draw,” said Whitaker. “I just tried to look at the draw and not worry about where my seed was. Just approach every match thinking if I don’t play my best, the other guy is going to beat me.”

Whitaker’s closest match came in the semis, where he defeated No. 4 seed Daniel Labrador of Tampa, Fla., 6-3, 6-4.

“Daniel plays the same type of game that I do, so we really had the same plan to beat each other,” he said. “It was very tough to find a way to win that match. After that, we became good friends and we’re going to play doubles later on this year.”

Whitaker’s next big national tournament could be the Easter Bowl in April in Palm Springs, Calif.

“After I won [tournament in Greensboro], I really felt that I had the confidence to say that I can really do this. That I can be at the top of the ranking list and I can beat these guys if I really want to. I hope I get to play in the Easter Bowl.”

Meanwhile, several other Richmonders made their mark at various tournaments around the country that same weekend.

In the National Selection Open boys 16-and-unders in San Antonio, Tex., William Howells ousted No. 8 seed Luke Ross in the first round 6-4, 6-1, then dropped a close second-rounder that went to 7-6 in the third.

Howells, who played No. 2 singles for Collegiate last year as an eighth-grader, is currently training at the Nick Saviano Tennis Academy in Florida this school year.

There was also a Regional Closed tournament the same weekend, involving players from the Mid-Atlantic, Middle States, Eastern and New England sections. Five local players made the trek north for those events.

Nina Sorkin reached the quarterfinals of the girls 16-and-unders in Bogota, N.J. Sorkin upset the No. 6 seed in the second round before losing to the second seed in the quarters. Sorkin is a freshman at Deep Run High School and is expected to play near the top of the Wildcats’ lineup this spring.

Chase Bernstine finished sixth overall in boys 16-under singles in Rocky Hill, Conn. He got to the quarterfinals of the main draw before losing to the second seed and feeding into the consolations. Bernstine and his partner lost in the doubles final.

Danny Polk, a senior at Hanover High School (where he plays No.1 singles) lost in the first round of the main draw and the consolations of the 18-unders but wound up third in doubles with his partner Matthew Phelps of Maryland.

In that same tournament, Bryce DePew lost in the first round of the main draw and consolations of the 16-unders.

In Port Chester, N.Y., where another Regional Closed event was held, Ryan Bernstine was beaten in the first round of the main draw but reached the consolation final in the 14-under boys. He teamed with his partner, Andrew Leung, to claim the doubles title.

The Spring Season of the USTA Jr. Team Tennis League is approaching quickly! The 10 and Under league will begin Saturday, April 26th, (contact Sheri at shericrowell@comcast.net). The 12U, 14U and 18U leagues will begin Sunday, April 27th, (contact Kelley Glen at jttrichmond@gmail.com). Register your team TODAY!  The deadline for registration is March 28th. We look forward to a GREAT Spring Season!

The college tennis spring season has been moving full speed ahead since mid-January – even if spring hasn’t exactly sprung yet – and several Richmonders are at the forefront of their teams’ efforts so far.

Former Collegiate star Max Schnur has helped Columbia University get off to a 10-1 start and rise as high as No. 20 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division I rankings before the Lions dropped back to 27^th in the most recent list.

Schnur is 5-3 playing mostly No. 4 singles for the Lions and 4-2 at doubles with Ashok Narayana at the No. 1 spot. The duo is ranked No. 16 nationally in doubles. Columbia’s only loss was to 16^th ranked Georgia 4-2 in Athens.

Another Ivy League scholar is Emily Hahn, who is playing as high as No. 2 singles for the Princeton Tigers with an 8-2 record in dual matches. Hahn, a sophomore, played one year at Douglas Freeman High School before going to the Nick Saviano Tennis Academy in Florida.

Princeton was 8-3 – with a five-match winning streak – heading into a tough, three-game road trip that includes Ohio State and Miami.

Meanwhile, Mary Washington has jumped out to a 7-2 start, thanks in part to Tyler Carey (Cosby) and Evan Charles (Deep Run), a pair of juniors at the top of the Eagles’ singles lineup. Carey currently plays No. 1 singles and Charles No. 2.

The Richmonders also form the No. 1 doubles tandem. Charles has played some at No. 1 singles, too. The Eagles are ranked 17^th in the latest ITA Division III poll and knocked off No. 7 Cal Lutheran 6-3 last week before losing close matches to  No. 16 Pomona-Pitzer 5-4 and No. 13 Redlands 5-4 during their West Coast swing.

In Blacksburg, former Deep Run standout Hunter Koontz has more than done his part to help Virginia Tech start off 7-4. Playing No. 3 singles for the Hokies, the junior is 8-2, and 5-1 at No. 1 doubles with partner Andreas Bjerrehus.

The Hokies are 1-1 in ACC matches, having beaten Boston College and narrowly dropping a 4-3 decision to sixth-ranked Notre Dame on Feb. 28 in South Bend. Tech will be on the road for its next four matches, including a West Coast swing to Washington and Boise State.

Former Mills Godwin standout Michael Holt has led Washington and Lee to a 7-1 record and No. 22 Division III national ranking. The sophomore has played at the top of the singles lineup (Nos. 1 and 2) while teaming with Taylor Shamshiri at No. 1 doubles.

The Generals only loss was to fifth-ranked Johns Hopkins 9-0. In its other seven matches, W&L hasn’t lost a point.

Three local players are members of the Hampden-Sydney College squad. Juniors Zach King (Mills Godwin) and Pete Dooley (Deep Run) were joined this spring by Trent Singleton (Douglas Freeman). King plays No. 3 singles and Singleton No. 5.

The duo teams up at No. 2 doubles for the Tigers, who have dropped two of their first three matches.

Freshman Connor Brewer (Collegiate) is playing No. 4 singles and No. 1 doubles for Villanova this spring. The Wildcats are 2-4 and dropped their season opener to the University of Richmond 5-2 at the Country Club of Virginia on Jan. 31 in a homecoming for Brewer.

Brewer contributed straight-set victories in Villanova’s 7-2 triumph over Whittier on March 3 in California and the Wildcats’ 5-4 decision over Vanguard (Calif.) on March 7.

Former Steward School standout Mary Taylor Tepper is in her final season of eligibility at the University of the South (Sewanee). Tepper plays No. 4 singles and No. 3 doubles for the Tigers, who are 3-1 and ranked 15^th in Division III in the early going.

Barney Sankar (Deep Run) is playing No. 6 singles and No. 2 doubles for Longwood, which has struggled (1-9) so far this season, and Logan Eldridge, another Deep Run alum, plays No. 2 singles and No. 2 doubles for Christopher Newport University, which is 2-6.

The VCU Women’s team plays Marshall at 11am on March 30th. After the match kids can enjoy an afternoon of fun tennis drills, games, prizes and pizza with the VCU team! This event is open to all- for more information email email Yana Carollo at ysokolen@vcu.edu

Albert Hill Middle School has five tennis courts on Patterson at N. Thompson. Courts are only one block from the school and are used by many. A crew of three (Shima Grover, Tina Carter and Rachel Rhoney) under the direction of Tom Magner were busy at work on a sunny winter Saturday. The makeover was not an “extreme makeover”, but four of five nets needed to be replaced. The crew installed four used nets donated by Eddie Parker of Raintree Swim and Racquet. Tom liberally lubricated rusty cranks and taught the crew how to remove old nets and install new ones. Thank you Eddie for donating nets and to Tom for lending his expertise and donating net straps and ties. Now that the courts are ready, tennis can begin!

Lobs & Lessons wrote and received a USTA Diversity & Inclusion Signature Program Grant and was awarded $1,000 from USTA/Mid-Atlantic Tennis and Education Foundation. The purpose of the grant is to expand the 2013 middle school pilot program with Richmond Public Schools (RPS). Thanks to the USTA funding, all middle schools received a USTA coaches workshop along with tennis racquets and green tennis balls for the 2014 season. The RPS Middle School Tennis program is a partnership between Lobs & Lessons and RPS, and is supported by RPS Middle School Renaissance. Program coordination is a combined effort of Rachel Rhoney (Lobs & Lessons), Stefanie Ramsey (RPS) and Bryan Schubring (RPS Renaissance). For a second year, all nine schools will participate. In addition, RTA is a 2014 Lobs & Lessons Program sponsor, which specially supports the Middle School Tennis program.

Success is a partnership and there are ways for everyone to get involved. If you have used nets, windscreens, net posts and other equipment, please think of donating them.  Used equipment may not be in good shape to you, but the chances are that they are in better shape than some on public courts and better than those missing from public courts.

The realignment of the Virginia High School League this year — based on the number of students who attend a particular school — has brought changes to all of the sports, and that includes tennis, which got under way last week.

The new setup now means that not all schools in the Richmond area will be competing for the same championship as in the past, when the Central Region was composed of all the big schools that led to the Group AAA title.

Schools are grouped from 6A to 2A in the Richmond area now, with 6A being the largest and 2A the smallest.

But one rivalry will remain, since Deep Run and Mills Godwin are both in the 5A division and will be competing for the state championship in that group. However, only one of them will advance past the regional level to the state tournament.

Godwin has dominated the girls’ highest division, winning eight of the past 12 titles and beating Deep Run in the final last spring. Deep Run and Godwin are also the perennial boys’ champions, although neither qualified for the state tournament in 2013.

That left the door open for Douglas Freeman on the boys’ side, and the Rebels will be a factor again this season.

The Godwin and Deep Run girls met March 20 in a season-opening match at Deep Run, with the Wildcats pulling out a 5-4 victory. But the Eagles were missing one of their top six players in junior Elizabeth Dudley, who is out with a high ankle sprain.

The teams split the six singles matches, with Deep Run claiming two of the three doubles to clinch it.

“I think we looked really good,” said Deep Run coach Maria Sorkin. “Our doubles are coming along. That’s how we won the match. Our third doubles won their match to win it. But it was definitely a close match.”

The rematch will be April 29 at Godwin, and “it will be tough when [Dudley] comes back.”

Godwin coach Mark Seidenberg is hoping to have Dudley, as well as senior Sophie Linnell (knee surgery), back the next time the teams meet.

A third meeting could come in the Conference 11 tournament, and another in the regionals. But only one team will qualify for the state tournament, rather than two as had been the case under the previous arrangement.

“We could have to play them in the semifinals of the conference tournament,” said Sorkin. “So, one of us might not even make it to the regionals. I don’t think it’s fair to do it like this, but that’s the way it’s been set up.”

The Eagles edged the Wildcats 5-3 in last spring’s Group AAA championship match. It was their fifth meeting of the season.

“You’ve got to play the way they ask you to,” Seidenberg said of the new format. “It would be nice if we had an opportunity again. I think we’re two of the better teams in the state, and it would be pretty neat to see what would happen in the state final again.”

Deep Run features freshman Nina Sorkin at the top, pushing former No. 1 Caroline Mosberg to No. 2. The next four are subject to change, but for the time being Emily Sheppard is No. 3, followed by Abby Mainwaring, Caroline Zukowsky and Maggie Noonan.

“We have some girls that have really worked hard on their games,” said coach Sorkin. “We try to have challenge matches every couple of weeks and see who’s actually working harder on their games. Surprisingly, some of them are playing year round now.”

Junior Keerthana Shankar has moved into the top spot for Godwin, with freshman Anna Sidhu taking over at No. 2. Senior Jackie Dillon is No. 3, followed by sophomore Morgan Fuqua, freshman Anna Brodzik and junior Ara McCarty.

When Dudley and Linnell return, the bottom third of the lineup will likely undergo some changes.

“Deep Run played really well,” said Seidenberg. “They’re obviously really, really strong up top. We got one game in the first two singles. I thought our girls played really good doubles. It came down to No. 3 doubles and they just played better than we did.”

After winning three straight state titles, Deep Run went through a rebuilding year with a young team and wasn’t a factor in 2013. That experience may have helped the Wildcats improve enough this spring to challenge Douglas Freeman and Godwin.

Deep Run edged Freeman 5-4 Thursday after knocking off Godwin 6-3 in the opener on March 20.

“We’re hoping to build off last season,” said coach Beth Berry, who was an assistant last season to Salman Parvaiz. “Since that was a growing season for us, we were a pretty young team, we can build on that experience.”

The Wildcats have also benefitted from having three new players, who moved into the area in the past year. That includes brothers Grant and Chad Ring, and sophomore Rahul Jilakara, who plays No. 2 singles. Grant (a senior) is No. 3 and Chad (a junior) No. 6.

Junior Nick Sorkin, Nina’s brother, is at the top of the lineup, while junior Grant Rabalais is No. 4 and sophomore Chris Bone No. 5.

Among the private schools, St. Christopher’s appears to have the edge on rival Collegiate, having already beaten the Cougars 6-3 on March 24. The Saints also defeated perennially strong Cape Henry Collegiate 5-4 in their opener.

Carter Hayes has taken over the No. 1 spot for St. Christopher’s, while Andrew Reed steps into that role at Collegiate.

Even though she’s only a freshman, Nina Sorkin appears to be the class of the area this spring. Shankar, Godwin’s top player, didn’t win a game in their matchup. The only player who would have challenged her, Alyssa Hahn of Douglas Freeman, is playing lacrosse not tennis.

On the boys side, Shyam Venkatasubramanian, a senior at Henrico, and perhaps newcomer Casper Cosmo (exchange student from Sweden) of James River, look like the top players, although Hayes and Justin Cerny of Trinity Episcopal are also candidates.

A drum roll please!!  The 5^th annual Midlothian Athletic Club Wheelchair Tennis Open is the second stop in the Truong Wheelchair Tennis Grand Prix circuit and headed to be the best MAC Wheelchair Open ever.  Two presenting sponsors are lined up (VCU-Bertier Foundation and Data Technologies), RTA is committed, a fundraiser organized by John Heath netted $1,455 to provide a $30 entry fee reduction and travel grants to allow everybody who wants to enter to participate and Midlothian Athletic Club decided to make available four outdoor and two indoor courts.

The icing on the cake will be volunteers.  Visit the Sign Up Genius and sign up here.  You get to see players up close and personal if you are ball runners.  If you can come out to watch, the players can use a cheering section.  You are sure to be impressed by the pace and grace of wheelchair tennis.  See you there!

Want to get new ideas for working with 10 and under kids? This workshop will teach skills and provide resources to do just that! See the flyer below for all of the information and register online at CoachYouthTennis.com today.

The City of Richmond, Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities and the Richmond Tennis Association are pleased to offer an summer internship starting in May 2014.

This intern will teach tennis at one or more of the public parks, assist at some weekend events organized by the Richmond Tennis Association, attend staff meetings with the DPRCF, attend RTA board meetings and become familiar with the roles played by DPRCF and RTA to promote tennis in public parks.

See full job description here.

The Young Aces Open will celebrate its fifth anniversary on April 23 at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Mary and Frances Youth Center – and its goals remain the same as they did when the popular event started in 2010.

A partnership between the Mary and Frances Youth Center, Richmond Tennis Association and Richmond Public Schools, the one-day tournament was initiated to introduce students to QuickStart Tennis, which uses modified courts, foam balls and smaller racquets.

More than 150 fourth and fifth-graders from 26 schools in Richmond are expected for the affair, which features a round-robin, mixed-doubles format involving three boys and three girls from each school competing for points.

At the end of the day, medals and trophies are awarded to the top three schools. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and takes place on the Cary Street Field, where courts will be set up on VCU’s field- hockey venue.

“Tennis can help create opportunities for youth throughout their lives,” said Tina Carter, director of the Mary and Frances Youth Center. “Whether they play for fun, to stay healthy or it becomes part of their educational path.”

Ultimately, the hope is that enough elementary kids will embrace the sport so that tennis will become a sport in the city’s middle schools.

One indication of that interest level comes from Ajaye Peebles, a former participant in the Young Aces Open.

“A couple of weeks ago, we caught up with Ajaye, who is an eighth-grader at Brown Middle School,” said Rachel Rhoney, assistant director at Mary and Frances Youth Center. “Ajaye was in our Lobs and Lessons after-school program, and he also participated in the first two Young Aces Open.”

Peebles was recalled fondly as one who encouraged others and led by example.

“When he spoke,” said Carter, “he could settle everyone down. He had such a calm demeanor and people listened to him.”

Peebles is scheduled to be a special guest for this year’s Young Aces Open and a co-announcer during the tournament.

Peebles told Rhoney in an interview at Brown Middle School, “Tennis helps you get off the streets. It’s something to do and it’s really fun.”

Added Rhoney, “Tennis is still something that he plays with his siblings and friends, and he realizes the impact it can have on his life moving forward and what it can do for others as well.”

Carter and Rhoney have seen the Young Aces Open grow in statute from its previous renditions.

“I think we’ve been very fortunate from the inception of this event to have the support of VCU and Richmond Public Schools,” said Carter. “What has made it so successful is the PE [physical education] teachers [at each school] love this event.”

Along those lines, the Mary and Frances Youth Center offers training to PE teachers regarding the QuickStart rules of the game and makes sure they all have equipment. This year’s session was held at Linwood Holton Elementary School.

“It was mostly a refresher course for those guys,” said Kelley Glen, who helped organize the workshop for the RTA. “They were trained four or five years ago, so we were trying to get them more excited about the Young Aces Open.”

Shannon Scarvey, who works for the USTA, conducted the training session, which was held on April 4.

“We also, as part of the $100,000 grant from the USTA, refreshed their tennis equipment,” said Glen. “There were 17 different schools represented and at least two of them were brand new, so they really benefited from the training.

“There were also a couple of schools with no equipment and we were able to supply them with some. It was very beneficial for everybody who came in more ways than one. It let them get their minds back on tennis and focus on what’s important.

“That it’s not necessarily winning but definitely in having a good time and showing good sportsmanship.”

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the tournament, as well as the 10^th anniversary of Lobs and Lessons, the Young Aces Open has added a Zumba warm-up and a yoga cool down from Project Yoga, as well as new activity stations.

One of the activity stations will have a serving cage supplied by the U.S. Tennis Association. Speed and accuracy will be measured. Other stations will include a water relay, team-building exercises, trivia games and an obstacle course.

“We’re just trying to do a number of things to enhance the experience and give the kids different opportunities,” said Carter.

Another new activity will involve the PE teachers, who will play exhibition matches on the QuickStart courts under QuickStart rules.

“They will be modeling good behavior for the kids, we hope,” said Carter, laughing.

Down the road, Carter would like to see the Young Aces Open expand to other counties in the area, such as Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover. Henrico and Hanover counties already have middle school teams but Chesterfield doesn’t.

“There has been some exciting conversation around expanding, in future years, to allow eight youths to come from each school, and also to expand to some of the counties,” said Carter. “I’d love to see other counties have Young Aces Open in their counties so that it becomes a regional effort.

“That would be our dream goal, and to work with the RTA to make it happen.”

In past years, VCU’s Center for Sport Leadership has been involved in the planning and coordinating of the event but they will not be doing it this time. Instead, it will be a collective effort by the community and VCU, headed by Carter and Rhoney.

“We don’t mind,” said Carter. “We love it. This is our favorite signature event of the year.”

The Young Aces Open is presented by USTA/Mid-Atlantic-Virginia Tennis. Sponsors include AlphaGraphics-West End, Martin’s Grocery Stores, Lobs and Lessons, Allen, Allen, Allen and Allen law firm, Richmond Raiders, Escape Creative and the RTA.

The event is supported by Richmond Public Schools, VCU Outdoor Adventure Program, VCU AmeriCorps, VCU Majors Club and U-Turn.

The Richmond Junior Tennis Circuit (RJTC) is designed to make competitive play more accessible for our juniors. These tournaments are for non-ranked juniors playing bantam or intermediate tennis or looking to start playing L7 or L8 tournaments. These one-day tournaments will be held on Saturdays at clubs throughout the Richmond area. More information can be found here.

2014 RICHMOND JUNIOR CIRCUIT Entry Form

Max Schnur and Emily Hahn have more than a few things in common.

They grew up during their formative years across the street from each other in a far West End Richmond neighborhood. They developed into excellent tennis players and received admittance to prestigious Ivy League colleges, where they are members of their respective teams.

Now you can add one more shared event in their lives – Ivy League champions.

On April 20, Schnur played a role in leading Columbia to a 4-0 victory over Princeton that clinched the Ivy title for the men’s team. Columbia finished the regular season with a 7-0 record in conference play for the first time since 2000.

That same Easter Sunday, Hahn helped Princeton defeat Columbia 6-1 to complete a 7-0 season in league play for the Tigers and give them the women’s Ivy championship. It marked the first Ivy title for Princeton since 2010.

Since the Ivy League doesn’t hold a post-season tournament, the regular-season crown serves as the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Columbia (20-1), which is ranked 18^th by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association and has won 18 consecutive matches, will travel to Nashville, Tenn., to face East Tennessee State (14-8) in the opening round of the men’s Division I championships on May 9.

Meanwhile, Princeton (18-5), which is ranked 50th and the winner of 10 straight, will travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to meet Arizona State (18-7) in the women’s first round on May 9.

Four teams compete at these regional sites, with the survivors advancing to the Sweet 16 that starts on May 15 at the University of Georgia in Athens.

Columbia had finished runner-up to Harvard the past two years – Schnur’s first two years there – but this season was exceptional. Their only loss came at Georgia 4-2, when the Bulldogs were ranked No. 3 in the country.

“We have four people in my class in the starting lineup,” said Schnur, who is majoring in political science with a minor in business management. “So I think now, we’re an older and more experienced team. Plus we got a lot stronger in our doubles lineup.”

Schnur and his classmate, Ashok Narayana, are Columbia’s No. 1 doubles team and ranked 11th in the latest ITA poll.

“Overall, our team matured and we got a little bit hungrier after losing and being second two years in a row. We sort of developed this hunger and this toughness, and we weren’t going to let anyone take anything from us.”

Schnur has moved around the singles lineup this season, playing anywhere from No. 2 through No. 5, compiling a 12-3 record.

“I started off pretty solidly at four, played a little bit at five and then at the end of the year, I was playing two and three,” said the junior, who was in the No. 3 spot in the clinching match against Princeton.

“Part [of moving up in the lineup] is just sticking with and doing the right stuff, the little things, every day. As the season went along, and I had a few good wins over spring break, I just started to be very confident in my game.

“As well as just playing next to my teammates and knowing those guys had worked so hard, and we’re all so tough that none of us was going to give in. That was really helpful to me.”

In the match against Princeton, Schnur and Narayana secured the doubles point with an 8-5 victory at No. 1. Schnur had not finished his singles when the Lions clinched by winning three other singles matches.

Schnur and Narayana, who teamed to capture the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships last fall, have qualified for the doubles portion of the NCAA tournament, which begins after the team competition. They are 11-2 this spring.

“We’re really excited for that opportunity,” said Schnur. “We missed out the last few years, and this year, it’s a very strong field. We’ve had enough good results that we really feel like we can beat any team, and we have a legitimate shot at this thing.”

The Princeton women started slowly, going 8-5 through their first 13 matches before going on their 10-match roll. A 4-3 win over Florida International to end a spring-break trip to Florida lit the fuse before a 4-3 squeaker over three-time defending champion Yale on April 4 really set the tone.

Like Schnur, Hahn has moved around the singles lineup, enjoying the most success at No. 2, where she is 3-1. The sophomore has also played at Nos. 3 and 4 for the Tigers. Her overall singles record is 8-10 for the season. In the last match, Hahn played No. 3.

In other news of local players, former Steward School standout Mary Taylor Tepper won both her singles (No. 4) and doubles (No. 2) matches to help Sewanee defeat Berry 8-1 in the final of the Southern Athletic Association women’s tournament in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Sewanee (20-3) is ranked No. 19 in Division III and bound for the NCAA tournament. This is Tepper’s final year at Sewanee.

Led by Tyler Carey (Cosby) at No. 1 singles and Evan Charles (Deep Run) at No. 4, No. 16 Mary Washington captured its 15^th straight Capital Athletic Conference men’s tournament title with a 7-2 triumph over Salisbury. UMW is 20-5 and qualified for the NCAA tournament.

Sophomore Michael Holt (Mills Godwin) won his doubles match as No. 24 Washington and Lee’s men’s team claimed its fifth straight Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship with a 5-0 victory over Virginia Wesleyan in Amherst.

The Generals are 17-4 heading into the NCAA tournament, which begins on May 9.

Freshman Kelly Stewart (Grove Christian School) went 15-2 – mostly at No. 3 singles – and 15-4 at No. 3 doubles to help Flagler (Fla.) College to a 16-4 record this season. The Division II school is ranked 24^th in the latest women’s ITA poll and qualified for the NCAAs.

Liam Sullivan (Trinity) was named to the All-Southern Conference freshman team after compiling a 6-2 record in league play (9-7 overall) at No. 5 singles for the Samford (Ala.) Bulldogs, who finished with an 8-10 record.

Congratulations to Julie Ogborne for winning the 35s singles at the National SWTA Championships at Belle Haven Country Club in Alexandria, VA on April 25-27. Ogborne teamed up with Rachel Gale to win the 35s doubles title as well.  In the championship final, Gale and Ogborne defeated Janice Kiernan and Heidi Steiber 7-5, 6-1.

The Family division of the Davenport & Company Richmond Tennis Championships took place May 3-4 at Byrd Park. This event brings together a relaxed, fun environment along with strong competition on the courts. Teams of all ages and abilities compete to be the Richmond City Champion. This year the Butterworth family won both the Father-Son (Ed and Hatcher) and the Mother-Daughter (Leslie and Audrey), while Kevin and Julie Ogborne claimed their 3rd Husband-Wife Championship.

FAMILY DIVISION RESULTS

Julie and Kevin Ogborne with Hugh Waters, tournament director

Husband/Wife Division
Winner: Julie/Kevin Ogborne
Runner Up: Eileen/Chuck Snow
Consolations Winner: Lindsey/Philip Hein

Mother/Daughter Division
Winner: Leslie/Audrey Butterworth
Runner Up: Sofia/Olivia Wright
Consolations Winner: Bruce/Brucie Mish
Consolations RU: Christine/Sabrina Defilippo

Mother/Son Division
Winner: Elizabeth/Baxter Carter
Runner Up: Sherri/Jordan Hutchinson

Father/Daughter Division
Winner: Walter Parker/Emerald Fleming
Runner Up: Chuck/Allison Wandling
Consolations Winner: Matthew/Gracie Caplice
Consolations RU: Joe/Gabriella Defilippo

Father/Son Division
Winner: Ed/Hatcher Butterworth
Runner Up: Chuck/Chuck Jr Snow
Consolations Winner: Joseph/Will Voelzke
Consolations RU: Thomas/Jacob Webb

Excitement built as the 10:00 start hour approached.  It didn’t stop as the clock ticked past ten and shortly afterward the doors were opened.  The little delay did not dampen the enthusiasm of the twenty-five students who stood in crisp air in anticipation of the competition to come.

Students were broken out into four groups, red, blue, green or yellow.  Three five year olds had a marvelous time playing tennis related games at three different stations, but the kids in the older groups played four point games non-stop for the rest of the morning.

The winners from the various color courts played a round robin to determine the Linwood Holton spring Play Day Champion.  Champion Devin Naoroz and finalist Julien Raffnot are pictured with their trophies.  Congratulations Devin and Julien!!”

Devin Naoroz and Julien Ruffanot

The 2014 Midlothian Athletic Club Wheelchair Tennis Open was the best ever in terms of volunteer support and donor participation. Thirteen players from NY, NJ, MD, VA, WVA and NC participated in the fifth MAC Wheelchair Tennis Open.

The weather was perfect and competition was fierce. The youngest player in the draw was Nate Melnyk from New York, a fourteen year old. Nate was matched up in first round play against Valeria Reyes-Chian who is also a high school student. Valeria has been playing wheelchair tennis since she was eight years old under watchful eyes of Brenda Gilmore, her coach and the executive director of Prince George (MD) Tennis and Education Foundation. Valeria prevailed 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8). Nate and Valeria are two of an elite group of wheelchair tennis players who have played on their high school tennis teams with able bodied players. In the consolation bracket, Nate played Terry Hurst from Fredericksburg and won the match 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (11-9) before bowing out of singles when he lost to Dave Beauregard of Wilmington, NC 6-2, 6-3. Nate teamed up with Chris Lamps, one of two local players, to win the B/C doubles division. This was a good tournament for Nate who spent a total of nine hours on the courts over the weekend.

Chris Lamps

Chris Lamps of Richmond advanced to the division B final after winning the opening match against David Beauregard 6-2, 6-1. Chris played a long match against Larry Souler of Easton, MD in the final to earn the championship 6-3, 4-6, 10-5.
In division A, Bruce Patton, another local player, fought hard to reach the final. Bruce has been playing more tournaments in the past twelve months. His practice paid off in the first round match against Pat Burns of Bel Air, MD which Bruce won 6-3, 6-2. Bruce played Paddy Donaghey of West Virginia next and lost a closely contested match 6-3, 6-3. In the consolation semifinal, Bruce met Felix Suero of Kendall Park, NJ and yielded to Felix 7-6 (6-3), 6-3. Todd Cox of Wilmington, NC claimed the division A crown after downing Paddy Donaghey 7-5, 6-3 in the final.

Bruce Patton

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors, Truong Rehabilitation Center, VCU-Bertier Foundation, Richmond Tennis Association and Virginia Tennis Association. We were able to provide all meals on site and appreciate the food donations provided by Einstein Bros. Bagels at Stony Point, the Chick-fil-A Chesterfield Plaza store and SaladWorks of Short Pump. We received donations from a record number of area businesses. We appreciate the contributions made by Argyle Cupcakes and Frozen Yogurt, Benny’s Barbecue, Bell Greek Cuisine, Costco Chesterfield, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Double Tree by Hilton, Edible Arrangements, Fantastic Sam’s, Fox and Hound Sports Tavern/Bailey’s Sports Grille, the Fresh Market, Gearhart Chocolates, Kroger at Gayton Crossing, Plaid Racquet, Olive Oil Tap Room, Richmond Raiders, Sassy Bee, Snead’s Nursery and Florist, Sushi O, US Tennis Association and Vinnie’s Italian Grill.

Play Days welcome players of all ages and ability. Participants will attempt to SERVE, RALLY and SCORE, while results are not documented.

Play Days are a way for kids to play tennis in a non-elimination, fun, competitive environment. Players participate at their level against opponents of similar skills. The emphasis is placed on participation, effort and sportsmanship, as opposed to highlighting the achievements of any one player. Players are grouped by age and ability, and game modifications allow each child to experience success.

Richmond Play Day Circuit Events

May 31 5:00-8:00 pm
June 20 9:30-12:30 pm
July 11 9:30-12:30 pm

All events take place at Three Chopt Recreation Club

To register for these events please click here

View Play Day Circuit Flyer

Play Days are a wonderful way to get ready for that next step of playing USTA Jr. Team Tennis and USTA Junior Tournaments.  For more information about the benefits of becoming a USTA member, click here. While membership is not required to participate in USTA Play Days, any child new to the USTA, and 10 years old or younger, can sign up FREE for a first year membership!

In cooperation with USTA / Mid Atlantic, Bon Air Swim and Racquet Club held a Tennis Carnival April 26th to celebrate youth tennis and kick off their summer tennis program for 2014.  Five local elementary schools were invited.

The weather was perfect for the thirty two young players. The on court instructional program was supervised by Bon Air’s Director of Tennis, Doug Wright USPTA, Staff Professional Davis Toombs and volunteers. Carnival games,
prizes, cotton candy, hot dogs, and peanuts were all part of the experience.

Special thanks to Morgan Abrams of USTA / Mid Atlantic, Kelly Glen USTA / Virginia, Babolat Racquet Sports, and Sandra Mason VP Tennis Chairperson at Bon Air.

Andrea Nicholson is an adorable five year old from Washington, DC.  Her parents and grandparents made the two plus hour trek on I-95 so that Andrea could play in the May 2014 Battery Park Junior Open.  The drive was uneventful, and the family arrived in Richmond in good time.  Then car trouble stranded the family on West Broad Street.  The parents phoned the tournament desk to withdraw Andrea from the tournament. RTA Board Member Bill Carli just happened to be visiting the tournament to promote the Davenport Championship he is directing.  Bill quickly changed hats and became a car service.  Bill found the family, brought Andrea and her mother, Jane, to the Park.  Andrea played her match in the co-ed 8U division of the tournament.  Although Andrea was two years younger than other competitors in the 8U division, she was the runner up in the division.  Congratulations Andrea!

After drenching rains in 2013 the tournament was finally blessed with perfect weather. Eighty-eight players competed in championship and satellite divisions.  Unusually large number of players from outside the metropolitan Richmond area participated in the event.  The tournament provided an opportunity for Richmond area players to test their skills against players from northern Virginia and Maryland.

The winners and runners up are listed below.  Congratulations to all who took part in the first Battery Park Junior Open of the year. Photo gallery of tournament