It was quite a week at the historic Balboa Tennis Club for the defending champion United States Maureen Connolly Cup (Women’s 55s) team which played in the 2012 International Tennis Federation Seniors World Team Championships.
Earlier in the week the top-seeded U.S. team, led by singles players Diane Barker of Daniel Island, S.C., and Susan Wright of Grand Junction, Colo., rolled over Sweden and Canada in group play without the loss of a set.
On Thursday, they blanked South Africa 3-0 in the semifinals, again without the loss of a set, to advance to Friday’s final against second-seeded Great Britain, who had shutout France 3-0 in their semifinal match.
On a nearly picture-perfect day, the Americans proved to be too tough as they swept the two singles matches to edge Great Britain 2-1 and successfully defend their Maureen Connolly Cup title.
In the opening match, Wright defeated Great Britain’s Sally Freeman, 6-1, 6-0, and Barker followed with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Frances Candy to clinch the title for the U.S.
Great Britain won the doubles point as Pat Wire and Anne Clark defeated Carolyn Nichols of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. and Leslie Airola Murveit of Portola Valley, Calif., 6-0, 3-6, 6-2.
“It was good, a little nerve-racking. It’s always easy when Susan (Wright) gets her match first. It takes some pressure off me, so kudos to Susan for that,” Barker said after her title-clinching victory.
According to Barker, who only lost four games in her four singles matches, the key to her team’s success in San Diego this week was winning the singles and establishing an early lead in each match.
“You always want to win the singles. A lot of times it comes down to the doubles and then you’re not sure who to put in and who should play, so you’ve got to get the singles,” she said.
In other action at the 2012 ITF Seniors World Championships, the U.S. Fred Perry Cup (Men’s 50s) advanced to the final by defeating Italy 3-0 in the semifinals at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club.
Val Wilder of Tyler, Texas overcame a slow start in the opening singles match and defeated Italy’s Paolo Frasson, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Mike Fedderly of Palm Desert, Calif. eased past Giovanni Lelli Mami of Italy, 6-2, 6-2. Mike Tammen of Portland, Ore. and Peter Markes of Austin, Texas wrapped up the victory with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Italians Lelli Mami and Marco Armellini.
The defending champion U.S. Fred Perry Cup team will face France in the final on Saturday at 9:15 a.m. at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club.
The 32nd annual international team event, which is the senior equivalent of the Davis Cup and Fed Cup competitions, features 10 age divisions. The age divisions and the trophies they are playing for are as
follows:
Men’s 35 – Italia Cup Women’s 35 – Suzanne Lenglen Cup
Men’s 40 – Tony Trabert Cup Women’s 40 – Young Cup
Men’s 45 – Dubler Cup Women’s 45 – Margaret Court Cup
Men’s 50 – Fred Perry Cup Women’s 50 – Maria Esther Bueno Cup
Men’s 55 – Austria Cup Women’s 55 – Maureen Connolly Cup
The cup competitions are being played at the following locations:
Austria Cup and Maureen Connolly Cup – Balboa Tennis Club, 2221 Morley Field Drive, San Diego
Tony Trabert Cup and Young Cup – Barnes Tennis Center, 4490 West Point Loma Boulevard, San Diego
Italia Cup and Suzanne Lenglen Cup – La Costa Resort and Spa, 2100 Costa Del Mar Road, Carlsbad
Dubler Cup – Morgan Run Club & Resort, 5690 Cancha de Golf, Rancho Santa Fe
Maria Esther Bueno Cup – San Diego Tennis & Racquet Club, 4848 Tecolote Road, San Diego
Margaret Court Cup and Fred Perry Cup – La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, 2000 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla
and La Jolla Tennis Club, 7632 Draper Avenue, La Jolla
For up to date scores and results from the 2012 ITF Seniors World Team Championships, go to:
www.itftennis.com/seniors
The United States team is the defending champion in the Young Cup, Margaret Court Cup, Maria Esther Bueno Cup, Maureen Connolly Cup and Fred Perry Cup.
Tournament admission to watch the matches is free and open to the public. On-site parking is available at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club for a nominal fee. There is no charge to park at other tournament venues.
Recently designated one of the Top 50 Tennis Resorts in the world by Tennis Resorts Online, the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club’s reputation as a top tennis destination started in 1942 when it attracted its first major tournament, the Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship. The club will be hosting the 123rd edition of The Pacific Coast Mens’ Doubles Championships in March 2012, and the USTA National Hard Court Championships for Women’s 50-90 age groups in May 2012.
2012 ITF Seniors World Team Championships
San Diego, Calif.
Surface: Hard Court
Friday’s Results
Italia Cup (Men’s 35)
At La Costa Resort and Spa
Spain def. Great Britain, 2-1
France def. Estonia, 2-0
Canada def. Finland, 2-0
United States def. Argentina, 2-0
Dominican Republic def. Australia, 3-0
Sweden def. Switzerland, 2-1
Costa Rica def. Latvia, 2-0
Norway def. Turkey, 2-1
Suzanne Lenglen Cup (Women’s 35)
At La Costa Resort and Spa
Great Britain def. France, 2-1
United States def. Spain, 2-0
Estonia def. Switzerland, 2-1
Argentina def. South Africa, 3-0
Canada def. Mexico, 3-0
Brazil def. Turkey, 2-0
Tony Trabert Cup (Men’s 40)
At Barnes Tennis Center
Costa Rica def. Ireland, 2-1
Mexico def. Canada, 2-1
Austria def. Great Britain, 2-1
Australia def. Latvia, 2-1
France def. Netherlands, 2-0
United States def. Spain, 3-0
New Zealand def. Turkey, 3-0
Young Cup (Women’s 40)
At Barnes Tennis Center
Germany def. Mexico, 3-0
United States def. Spain, 2-1
Ireland def. Turkey, 2-1
Canada def. South Africa, 3-0
Margaret Court Cup (Women’s 45)
At La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club
Australia def. Sweden, 2-1
Mexico def. Turkey, 2-1
Argentina def. Poland, 2-0
Netherlands def. Canada, 2-1
Dubler Cup (Men’s 45)
At Morgan Run Club & Resort
Italy def. United States, 2-0
Spain def. Netherlands, 2-0
Sweden def. South Africa, 2-1
Switzerland def. Argentina, 2-1
Australia def. Ireland, 2-1
Mexico def. Turkey, 3-0
Germany def. Belgium, 3-0
France def. Great Britain, 2-0
Canada def. Latvia, 2-1
Fred Perry Cup (Men’s 50)
At La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club
Finland def. South Africa, 2-1
Canada def. New Zealand, 3-0
Germany def. Austria, 2-1
United States def. Italy, 3-0
France def. Spain, 2-1
Great Britain def. Australia, 2-1
Mexico def. Poland, 2-1
Switzerland def. Ireland, 3-0
Turkey def. Costa Rica, 3-0
Japan def. Argentina, 3-0
Maria Esther Bueno Cup (Women’s 50)
At San Diego Tennis & Racquet Club
Australia def. Netherlands, 3-0
United States def. Great Britain, 2-1
Mexico def. Turkey, 3-0
Canada def. South Africa, 3-0
France def. Germany, 2-1
Spain def. Argentina, 2-1
Austria Cup (Men’s 55)
At Balboa Tennis Club
Australia def. Netherlands, 3-0
United States def. Great Britain, 3-0
Mexico def. Germany, 2-1
France def. Canada, 3-0
Ireland def. Switzerland, 2-1
South Africa def. Costa Rica, 2-1
Sweden def. Japan, 2-1
Moldova def. Turkey, 3-0
Maureen Connolly Cup (Women’s 55)
At Balboa Tennis Club
Championship – United States def. Great Britain, 2-1
3rd / 4th Place – France def. South Africa, 2-1
Australia def. Netherlands, 2-1
Germany def. Sweden, 3-0
Argentina def. Spain, 3-0
Canada def. Ireland, 3-0