USTA National Father and Son and Grandfather and Grandson Hard Court Doubles Championships Take Center Stage

Written by: Staff on 6th December 2013

A photo of former ATP World Tour professional Jeff Tarango (right) and his son Jackson Tarango, who are playing in the USTA National Father and Son National Hard Court Championship.

A photo of former ATP World Tour professional Jeff Tarango (right) and his son Jackson Tarango, who are playing in the USTA National Father and Son National Hard Court Championship. |

La Jolla, Calif. – (December 6, 2013) – The USTA National Father and Son and Grandfather and Grandson Hard Court Doubles Championships took center stage on Friday at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club.

A total of 77 teams began play in the Father and Son event, which has been played each year in La Jolla since 1959 and features the top father and son doubles teams in the nation.

Brett and Brian Joelson of Beaverton, Ore. are the top seeds and defending champions. They have won the National Father and Son title nine out of the last ten years.

Peter Smith of Long Beach, Calif., the head men’s tennis coach at the University of Southern California, and his son Riley Smith of Los Alamitos, Calif., are seeded second. They reached the National Father and Son final in 2011, as they defeated the Joelson duo 6-7 (9), 7-6 (5), 7-5, in the semifinals that year.

In the Grandfather and Grandson division, the tops seeds are 81-year-old Lionel Rowe and his 16-year-old grandson, Charlie Rowe, both of Coronado, Calif. Last year, the elder Rowe won the title with Billy Rowe, Carlie’s identical twin brother.

“We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to host the USTA National Father and Son and Grandfather and Grandson tournaments. Tennis is really a sport that anyone in the family can play,” said Tournament Director Bill Kellogg. “The competition in these events has been absolutely spectacular.”

The National Father and Son and Grandfather and Grandson finals are scheduled to be played on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 1 p.m. (PDT)

The women’s singles final of the USTA National 40 Hard Court Championships will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 9 a.m. (PDT). The championship match will feature top-seeded Sophie Woorons-Johnston of Anderson, S.C. versus fourth-seeded Ros Nideffer of San Diego, Calif.

The 40-year-old Woorons-Johnston is a former USTA National 35 champion and earlier this year, represented the United States in the International Tennis Federation Senior World Championships in Turkey. She is the owner of the Brookstone Meadows Tennis Club in Anderson.

The men’s semifinals will also take place on Saturday at 9 a.m. (PDT). Top-seed and two-time defending champion Oren Motevassel of San Jose, Calif., will face fourth-seeded Tony Bujan of Palm Desert, Calif., while second-seeded Julien Heine of Laguna Beach, Calif., takes on fifth-seeded Michael Chang of Anaheim, Calif.

The men’s singles championship will be played on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

For complete tournament draws and results, please go to: http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=125262

The La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club welcomes tennis spectators to view the tournament with free admission. On-site parking is available for a nominal fee.

Recently designated one of the Top 100 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 125th edition of The Pacific Coast Mens’ Doubles Championships in February 2014, and the USTA National Hard Court Championships for Womens’ 50-90 age groups in May 2014.

In honor of the USTA National Hard Court Championship, the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club and its sister property, the La Jolla Shores Hotel, will be offering special room rates to the general public starting at $199 per night.*

To make reservations or for more information, please call 877.346.8842.

About the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, Inc. –

The La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club is a fourth-generation, family-owned and operated company dedicated to the operation of a 14-acre beachside resort. The resort includes three properties, including the exclusive La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, the 128-room La Jolla Shores Hotel and the historic Marine Room restaurant. Resort amenities include 14 championship tennis courts, a nine-hole par-3 golf course, two swimming pools, two additional oceanfront restaurants and cocktail lounges, and one of Southern California’s only private beaches. For more information visit www.LJBTC.com.

*Subject to availability. Rate does not include tax and assessments.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Brett Joelson, Brian Joelson, Charlie Rowe, Lionel Rowe, LJBTC, Oren Motevassel, Peter Smith, Riley Smith, Ros Nideffer, Sophie Woorons-Johnston, Tennis, Tennis News, Tony Bujan, Usta, USTA National 40 Hard Court Championships, USTA National Father and Son and Grandfather and Grandson Hard Court Doubles Championships