Approximately 30 USTA Mixed Doubles Winter League teams converged on the 'new' Midlothian Tennis Club courts June 15-17th to determine who would move on to Sectional-- and possibly National-- level play.

District match play participation is an exciting event for qualifying local players.  Several Richmond area teams played in the event, but only one team emerged as the District Champion of its division level.

In the 9.0 Division, Raintree (Dooley) and Raintree (Thacker) battled each other and a  Northern Virginia team for the chance to go to Sectionals.  It was NOVA who finished with the title.

In the 8.0 Division, Courtside West (Smith), nearly made it to the final day of play, but was one individual match short of winning the flight.  Joining Courtside West in the "almost made it" category were Raintree (Moody) and Burkwood (Shiflett).

Three 7.0 teams, Robious (Steele), Burkwood (Gentry) and Burkwood (Whitlow) faced the usual unbelievably tough competition from Northern Virginia.  "We got the Swingers (last year's champs) in our first round match," said Bob Steele, captain of the Robious team.  Steele's team - "The Titans" - had a fantastic record with 26 individual match wins and only 1 individual match loss during its regular season.  However, Richmond's best was not enough in any flight and all three Richmond teams were home by Saturday, leaving three NOVA teams and one VA Beach team in Sunday's Playoff. 

At least "home" for the Richmond teams wasn't that far of a drive, and the Titans celebrated --yet again-- with another party.

In the 6.0 Division,  three Richmond teams hoped to move on, and incredibly, they were all from the same club.  Robious (Johns), Robious (Talamo) and Robious (Thomas) pulled off an amazing feat of clinching all the district playoff spots allocated to Richmond teams, but it was Robious (Johns) that is now District Champion.  The team also had a stellar regular season record with 20 individual match wins, just one individual match loss -- and only four total dropped sets!  Congratulations to team members:  Ronnie Johnson, Dean and Alicia Barnett, Bob and Kirsten Sell, William Cameron, Gail Stewart-Allen, Selena Heah, Shaun Burroughs, Michaele Bergan, Harold Gold and Captain Wilton Johns.

Go Get 'Em at Sectionals!

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Bo Webb, Director of Tennis at MTC, said the tournament went very well. He credited the USTA officials and staff for their organization and knowledge.  The club's responsibilities included preparing the courts and keeping them playable for every match, as well as various customer service issues.   MTC had 15 member-volunteers available throughout the weekend. 

The club's facilities drew praise from players, although some wished they could have exchanged the clay courts for hard surface.   "I'm a hard court player, my team plays on hard courts during the mixed doubles season.   It's torture to have to play on clay in a championship level match," one player confided. 

"The courts and the facilities are very nice," said a player from the Double Whammies 7.0 team in Northern Virginia.   "Not just the club, but the people are super as well.  It's very refreshing, how they are going out of their way to try to make the tournament a nice experience for us."

Brenda Howland, from the 8.0 team of Burkwood (Shiflett) complemented the "wonderful food" and the fact that "if I needed my racquet strung right away, I could have it back in an hour."

And, she was very pleased with match scheduling, which pretty much stayed on schedule throughout the busy weekend.  "That was excellent!"

The Midlothian Tennis Club facilities offer plenty of shade and leveled viewing areas.

USTA officials monitored play on all courts.

Bob Steele wore his favorite shirt with the Titans Logo.  The script reads:  "We're mostly about tennis."  Team members presented him with the shirt as a reward for his captain duties.

from left:  USTA representatives Kate Fenstermacher, Caroline Downs, Alice Buckner and Michelle Wood coordinated court assignments and served as player assistants during the three day event.

 

USTA officials on site kept score reporting up-to-date using "all the technology available to us!"

 

Teams took advantage of many shaded areas to set up "camp".

MTC made sure players would have everything close, including food. Players could purchase a lunch on site.

Midlothian Tennis Club is a private club owned by player-investors. Board members Mark Gooch, Jeannie Langnau, Buzz Van Ness and Hamid Ghorashi relax near one of  the club's 12 outdoor clay and 4 outdoor hard courts.

Players could seek refuge from the stresses of the day at the Massage tent.

At the Boathouse, the best secret this side of the River (and a Tournament Sponsor!),  players and fans grab dinner and a drink by the lake at sunset....... A perfect place to end a day of tennis!