Mississippi Shines at Combo Sectionals!
USTA Southern
5685 Spalding Drive
Peachtree Corners, GA 30092
Telephone: 770.368.8200
Fax: 770.368.9091
E-mail: info@sta.usta.com
2017 18 & Over, 40 & Over Champions Decided at
Combo Doubles Southern Sectional Championships
NORTH CAROLINA LEADS NINE STATES
MOBILE, ALA. – March 12, 2018 – USTA Southern crowned 18 champions at the 2017 18 & Over and 40 & Over Combo Doubles Southern Sectional Championships, played March 9-11.
North Carolina had an outstanding tournament with eight champions and three finalists, far outdistancing other states. Alabama and Mississippi finished with three champions and two finalists. In two 18 & Over Women’s levels, teams from one state faced off in the finals. In the 2.5 level, Metairie, La. defeated New Orleans. In the 8.5 level, Huntersville, N.C. defeated Asheville.
The annual championships were played at the Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center (tournament headquarters) and Cottage Hill/Medal of Honor Park.
There were 159 men’s and women’s teams with more than 1,500 players from nine states. More information can be found on the tournament’s website, www.SouthernChampionships.com. This is the 2017 tournament because teams qualified in local and state championships played last fall.
Champions and finalists were:
|
Level |
Winner & Captains/Co-captains |
Finalist & Captains/Co-captains |
Score in Final |
|
18 & Over |
Southaven, Miss. (B) |
N/A |
6-0 in |
|
18 & Over |
Jackson, Miss. |
Little Rock, Ark. (A) |
3-0 |
|
18 & Over |
Jackson, Miss. |
Dalton, Ga. (A) |
3-0 |
|
18 & Over |
Huntersville, N.C. |
Mobile, Ala. |
3-0 |
|
18 & Over |
Wilmington, N.C. |
N/A |
4-0 in |
|
18 & Over |
Metairie, La. (A) |
New Orleans (B) |
2-1 |
|
18 & Over |
Little Rock, Ark. |
Vestavia, Ala. |
2-1 |
|
18 & Over |
Mooresville, N.C. |
Louisville, Ky. |
2-1 |
|
18 & Over |
Chattanooga, Tenn. |
Hattiesburg, Miss. |
3-0 |
|
18 & Over Women’s 8.5 |
Huntersville, N.C. (A) |
Asheville, N.C. (B) |
2-1 |
|
18 & Over Women’s 9.5 |
Birmingham, Ala. (A) |
Winston-Salem, N.C. |
2-1 |
|
40 & Over |
Pelham, Ala. (A) |
Brandon, Miss. |
2-1 |
|
40 & Over |
Memphis, Tenn. |
Duncan, S.C. |
2-1 |
|
40 & Over |
Auburn, Ala. |
Raleigh, N.C. |
3-0 |
|
40 & Over |
Cary, N.C. (B) |
Memphis, Tenn. (B) |
2-1 |
|
40 & Over |
Charlotte, N.C. |
Youngsville, La. |
2-1 |
|
40 & Over |
Fayetteville, N.C. |
Valdosta, Ga. |
3-0 |
|
40 & Over |
Charlotte, N.C. Arlene Conger |
Bossier City, La. Sheila Pernici |
3-0 |
A team match consisted of three courts. Most teams played four team matches, with the top two teams in each level facing off in a final. Two levels played a round robin without a final. In Combo Doubles, the two teammates on court must have a combined National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) rating that does not exceed the level in which the team competes. In many levels, one state was given two entrants, with one team labeled “A” and the other team labeled “B.”
USTA Southern Director of Adult Tennis Chris Walling said, “Mobile did an outstanding job at giving our players a first-class experience. Although we experienced weather difficulties and long days, we were able to get the championship completed without interruption. We received numerous praises for how the championship was handled and for all the amenities that players were treated to throughout the weekend. That is what we strive to do!”
The teams, which represented various clubs, parks, recreational departments and organizations, earned the right to represent one of nine states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
The leagues were established to provide adult recreational tennis players with the opportunity to compete against players of similar ability levels. Players participate on teams in a league format, which is administered by USTA Southern. The league groups players by using six NTRP levels, ranging from 2.5 (entry) to 5.5 (advanced). Combo Doubles is open to any USTA member 18 years of age or older. It features an 18 & Over, a 40 & Over and a 55 & Over division.
Team photos are available on request. Email Ron Cioffi at cioffi@sta.usta.com.
The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level – from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. It owns and operates the US Open, the largest annually attended sporting event in the world, and launched the Emirates Airline US Open Series linking seven summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns about 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S., and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic games. A not-for-profit organization with more than 655,000 members, it invests 100 percent of its proceeds in growing the game. It is divided into 17 sections, of which USTA Southern is the largest. The 160,000+ USTA members living in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee make up USTA Southern, and account for nearly 25 percent of the total USTA membership. A professional staff housed in Peachtree Corners, Ga., carries out USTA Southern’s daily operations, but policy is formed and much of the organization’s work is executed via a board and committee structure of more than 200 volunteers. For more information about the types of programs and services offered by USTA Southern, visit www.southerntennis.com.
Media Contact:
Ron Cioffi, USTA Southern
770-368-8200 x112
