Houston Teams Win WTT Rec League Regional Titles

Written by: Staff on 21st February 2011

Houston Teams Win WTT Rec League Regional Titles

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Two recreational tennis teams from the Houston area won regional championship titles this weekend at the World TeamTennis Rec League National Qualifier at the Copperfield Racquet & Health Club in Houston, Texas.

The Championship teams won a spot in the WTT National Finals to be held November 4-6 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif. The Houston tournament was the first of eight national qualifying events of the year for the WTT Rec League. Championship teams from all eight National Qualifying events, along with Corporate League teams, advance to the WTT National Finals.

4.0 DIVISION: The J.O.C.s of Houston, led by captain Julie Diep, dominated the 4.0 Division with a 4-0 round robin record. The J.O.C.s outscored opponents 134-62, including a 32-15 victory over the second place Fist of Furry. Members of J.O.C.s are Julie Diep (captain), Houston, Texas; Rob Vargas, Sugarland, Texas; Odion Dibua, Houston, Texas; and Sheryl de Asis, Pearland, Texas. This will be the first trip to the National Finals for The J.O.C.s.

Fist of Furry members are Michael Tran (captain), Trey Dugas, Patrick Baer, Renish Halani, Nancy Nguyen, Rebecca Lee, all of Houston; and Jessica Nguyen, Pasadena, Texas.

4.5 DIVISION: In the 4.5 Division, Love Breakers of Houston posted two close wins over Old School, also from Houston, to win the title. Love Breakers edged Old School, 31-27 and 31-28, to advance to their first WTT National Finals. Members of Love Breakers are Odion Dibua, Houston, Texas; Piasha VanTho (captain), Houston, Texas; Huy Nguyen, Houston, Texas; Alain Tran, Richmond, Texas; Joseph Mai, Pearland, Texas; Dena Day, Sugarland, Texas; and Keri Bassett, Houston, Texas.

Members of Old School are Myer Ballesteros, Humble, Texas; Andres Ballesteros, Humble, Texas; Lori Carruth, Houston, Texas; and Allen Teague (captain), Houston, Texas.

All National Qualifier matches are played using the WTT format, a fun, fast-paced co-ed team format that encourages equal contributions from both genders. A team has a minimum of four players, two men and two women. The WTT format uses five or six no-ad sets: men’s and women’s doubles, men’s and women’s singles and one or two sets of mixed doubles.

The next WTT Rec League Qualifiers are set for March 4-6 at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach, Fla., and April 29-May 1 at the Darling Tennis Center in Las Vegas, Nev.