Virginia Hard Court Championships 2007

The Virginia State Hardcourt Championships End with a Bang, but Quietly

8/13/07

It started off way too- too hot but finished off nicely....yet not many were there to notice. Oh well. You missed a good show.

The subheading for last year's story about this tournament was all about how packed the gazebos were. I hope I didn't run you off, worried about seating.

Last year, I also wrote about mosquitoes. Big mistake. I know people don't like mosquitoes. There really weren't many this year. So I hope you weren't avoiding those.

And last year, there was some rain, which sent players to the steamy indoor courts. This year, the rain stayed away.

Unfortunately, you did too. And I can't figure out exactly why.

Although SunTrust bowed out as the title sponsor, Raintree did its best to try to make up for the loss and to accommodate players. Eddie Parker, the tournament director, thoughtfully adapted a new format that would have placed non-seeded players in a qualifying draw the weekend prior to the main draw. That was supposed to let more local players get through a couple matches before getting knocked out by Greek semi-pros attending Virginia universities or Israeli born former tour players.

In a weird result, less players participated, rather than more.

And of those who did sign up to play -- some didn't bother to show up anyway. You might think that, if someone didn't have a ride to the semifinals, he might know about it and plan for it prior to thirty minutes before match time.

All in all, it just made for kind of a surreal state championship. People you would expect to be there, were there, but just as many weren't. John Royster was sitting in the big chair in the men's and women's singles finals, as well as in the men's doubles, but he was noticeably absent from the women's doubles final.

The ball boys and girls were missing from the women's doubles final too.

"It's really not that big a deal," said one spectator in the gazebo who was enjoying the women's doubles final on Sunday afternoon. "See, the men are used to having their wives or mothers picking up after them so they are the ones who need the ball kids.

"And women are organized enough to keep track of their own scores, without having to require a chair umpire to do it for them."

Granted, the women's doubles final started during the men's singles final, and the men's doubles final followed the men's singles final on the same court. And there was only one chair umpire, who couldn't be everywhere.

Billie Jean King might have been horrified, but the players took everything in stride.

"Truly and honestly, I just came here to play some tennis," remarked Julie Kaczmarek, who played with Kirsten Elim in the Women's Doubles Final against Rachel Gale and Chrissie Seredni. "I'm just thinking about how my parents are getting to town for my wedding."

Julie is getting married this weekend to Kevin Ogbourne. "She has 14 million things on her mind," said Kevin, as he watched his fiance play against Rachel, who she partnered with to win the event last year. For this year's tourney, Rachel teamed up with 19 year old Chrissie Seredni of Glen Allen, who currently plays on the women's pro tour.

How does a person mentally prepare to play a former partner?

"I try to inspire the person I'm playing with," answered Rachel. "I don't focus on my opponent, I focus on my partner, and on trying to help them play the best they can play."

Kirsten Elim recently moved back to Richmond after being away for six years due to her husband's job. Marc Elim is a stockbroker with AG Edwards. He played in the tournament, and lost to Kyle Parker in the round of 16.

"Kyle played very well for someone his age," said Marc, who was a football player during his school days. "He didn't go for something extra if I had a game point. He played smart."

left: Marc Elim

Parker was looking forward to having a good run at this tournament. He won all four of his matches at the Intersectionals in Shreveport earlier in the Summer, then reached the round of 16 at Super Nationals in Florida. He had just lost in the consolation draw at the Super Nationals in Michigan before driving all night with his dad to get back in time for this tournament.

His first round match was hardly worth getting excited about; his opponent retired due to dizziness at 6-0, 2-0. Kyle's second round against Elim didn't last so long either. In the quarters, Parker faced the #3 seed Milo Johnson, a rising sophomore at UVA. Johnson won 7-5, 6-2.

But there was still another Godwin player set to command the Godwin train. Parker's classmate Kevin McMillen, who plays just behind Parker on the Godwin team, surprised by beating Phil Thacker in three sets in Saturday's quarterfinals.

Kevin McMillen, a rising junior at Mills Godwin, made it to the semifinals

"I was able to play some good tennis when I needed to," said Kevin.

"I feel like I'm at the top of my game right now. Although my results at Super Nationals haven't been that great.

"It's good to play in a tournament like this to keep my game in tune."

"He likes to win," said Phil Thacker, who hits with McMillen (a Raintree member) now and then. "He's a competitor, like we all are."

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by Sara James