2000 Ektelon 33rd National
Doubles Championships

Merritt Athletic Club/Security
Baltimore, Maryland: October 04-08

dailies

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10/07: Old Hat

All eight of yesterday's winners in the Men's and Women's Open semi-finals extended current appointments to the U.S. National Team for another year, with no new prospects advancing from the field for the first time.

In the Women's Open a playoff between four doubles world champions was arranged to include current title-holders Kersten Hallander and Kim Russell against '94 winners Laura Fenton and Jackie Paraiso. Russell won last year's event with another partner, and Fenton/Paraiso hope to go one win further to trade in their '99 silver medal for a gold.

For the men, both sets of finalists repeated advances into the 2000 final to set up a rematch of last year's barn-burner. Defending champions Ruben Gonzalez, 49, and Mike Guidry, 30, will try to hold off 28-year-old Adam Karp and 35+ World Senior Singles champion Andy Roberts for a second consecutive year.

10/07: It's a Southpaw Problem

The close of his men's Open semi-final was the type of instant replay that Todd O'Neil wishes he could forget. After losing a 9-6 lead in the tiebreaker, he and opposing-lefty Mike Guidry began a sidewall glass battle that ended with an avoidable that handed the top-seeds the match. At 9-9, O'Neil appeared to have been nicked by the ball after Guidry held up his forehand and let the ball pass. Referee Rich Clay awarded the avoidable, and point 10, to Guidry and Gonzalez, but was overturned in a split decision by line judges on appeal.

Back at 9-9, Guidry rolled out a forehand reverse pinch to reach match point advantage, then proceeded to trap O'Neil in exactly the same position on another forehand setup. Backing up to clear the forehand lane, Guidry once again found his "personal space" invaded as O'Neil attempted to cover the shot, and this time there was no question. Avoidable ... game over.

10/06: Marathon Man

Last year, Dave Azuma played twelve full matches in three divisions, winning each in straight games, for a total of 24 hard-fought games on his way to an astounding weekend. At the time, he was one of only two athletes to have worked their way through full, single-elimination rounds to earn not just one or two -- but three -- gold medals to end the century. [Who was the other marathon-er?]

In '99, Azuma re-teamed with Stan Wright to successfully defend their 40+ title and win the division for the third consecutive year. Again in familiar company, Azuma earned his first Mixed 45+ title with long-time southpaw partner Elaine Dexter, following up the pairs' string of Mixed 40+ wins between 1994-97. Azuma capped his triple-crown in '99 with a win in the Men's 45+ with Mark Baron (a first in the division for Baron, who won the Mixed 35+ with Malia Bailey in '96 and '97).

Now Azuma seems ready to repeat as he advanced in three divisions, once again, at the close of play on Friday. After a short breaking-in period with former pro tour regular Jerry Hilecher as his new partner in the 40's and advancing in straight games, he did the same with regular pals Baron and Dexter in the 45's. Holding to his record of last year, no one has yet to take a game from the Oregonian.

Tomorrow's lineup for the endurance champ is certain to include semi-final matches in both the Men's 40+ and 45+, and the possibility of a tough advance through the quarters and semis of a sizable Mixed 45+ field. He and Baron will start the day against tournament director Van Dubolsky and Leo Marsocci at 11:00 in the 45s, then Azuma and Dexter will start what they hope will be back to back matches in the Mixed -- the first against Kathryn St. Juste and Brian McDermott at 1:00 pm. To close out a long day, he and Hilecher will face Bobby Haab and Bill Lyman at 5:45. Then dinner ...

So, who was the other athlete -- who even surpassed Azuma's game count to take three golds in 1999? It was Terri Graham, who played eleven matches, and 26 games, on the way to her gold medals in Women's 30+, 35+ (with Chris Evon) and Mixed 35+ (with Bill Lyman) here in Baltimore last year.

And while Graham is still in the running with both her return partners in the Women's and Mixed 35+ divisions, her loss with Evon (to Malia Bailey and Cheryl Gudinas in yesterday's Women's Open quarterfinal) put her out of the running for a repeat hat-trick.

Semifinal Line-up in Open

Men's and Women's Open division finalists (winners of the following rounds) will be appointed to the U.S. National Team for a one-year term.

• Women's Open Semifinals
  1:00 pm -- Hallander/Russell vs. Bailey/Gudinas
  3:15 pm -- Fenton/Paraiso vs. Lyons/Pfahler
• Men's Open Semifinals
  2:00 pm -- Bronfeld/Locker vs. Karp/Roberts
  4:30 pm -- Gonzalez/Guidry vs. O'Neil/Robinson

10/05: World Champions Abound

Number two seeded Kersten Hallander and Kim Russell are working backwards. They started at the top, just six weeks ago, with a win at the IRF World Championships, in both the individual and team rounds. Prior to that they had only played once, many years ago, and they're continuing to work their way back up to speed. Now making a bid for a national crown as a team, the two hope to live up Russell's billing as the defending champ (she won last year with Robin Levine).

Challenging them will be another new pairing, made up of junior world doubles champions Rhonda Rajsich and Kristen Walsh. Both hold three crowns apiece with other partners, beginning with Rajsich in 1991 in the Girl's 12 and under, and Walsh in 1995 in the Mixed 12-. They seem ready and able to make their break into "the majors."

Bumped up into the #1 slot on the basis of their "surviving team status," '99 silver medalists Laura Fenton and Jackie Paraiso also hold the 1994 world title, and Paraiso owns three more -- two with sister Joy and another with Malia Bailey.

Bailey and Cheryl Gudinas were also at the recent World Championships -- Gudinas coming away as the world singles champion, and Bailey on the coaching staff. But Bailey is a world champion in her own right with wins in '92 with Robin Levine and in '84 with Carol French (in addition to her '90 with Paraiso).

10/05: "We came to Play"

Contrary to earlier reports, Jonathan Dunn, 27, and Greg Solis, 25, aren't a new pairing -- they've played together for seven years. Just not here. Just not lately.

Last year, Dunn and Tommy Medina went one round in the Men's 25+. But Dunn took the gold in the Mixed A division with Janel Tisinger, and later found himself on the cover of RACQUETBALL. In an early round of his third event, the Mixed 25+, he and partner Mae Chin Varon challenged the division's high-profile winners, Jeff and Cindy Conine, and were captured in the photo that later appeared on the cover of the November/December issue.

This year, Dunn had to move up and brought Solis in for the Open. They weren't terribly nervous about going up against three time national champions Doug Ganim and Dan Obremski in yesterday's round.

"We've played this calibre of player in California, so the game level wasn't an issue" But the game plan? "Cover" agreed Dunn and Solis. They decided, going in, that the only way to stay in the match would be to cover the court. "We knew that they like to pinch" said Solis "so we had to be on top of all their shots."

Solis was on top of plenty, as he brought his team to match point by chasing down a ball that had picked up speed as it spun off the left backwall glass. Practically out of reach, he finally dove after the shot as it passed him in front court and managed to touch it just enough to sneak in a backhand reverse pinch. Ganim and Obremski were stunned by the save, and went back to receive serve for the match.

A bit over-excited by their advantage, Dunn followed up with a screaming forehand toe-ball for the side out. Solis took his turn with two equally big backhand skips to let the veterans back into the game at 8-10. Ganim rolled out a backhand to reach 9-10, then held up on the next rally to let a shot down the middle nick Dunn on the shirt. The point was scored to tie the match at 10-10, but Dunn won his appeal for a second opinion on the contact. Line judges disagreed, and the rally was replayed.

It didn't take long for Ganim and Obremski to re-gain that 10th point down the middle, after Solis dove for a shot and found himself on the floor in front of both his opponents. Ganim stopped short on his forehand, and Obremski his backhand to earn the avoidable and bring it back to match point.

But Solis wasn't ready to give up just yet, as he calmly buried a backhand return of serve to get back in the box, then followed up with another backhand winner off a ceiling setup to advance he and Dunn into the quarterfinal. The two will go up against #2 seeded Adam Karp and Andy Roberts on Friday.

10/04: They're Back ...

This year's Men's Open draw is filled with contenders who are in familiar territory -- above and beyond defending champions Ruben Gonzalez and Mike Guidry. In the #2 spot, Adam Karp and Andy Roberts hold three national doubles titles, but each with another partner. Roberts won the 1984 national doubles with Tim Anthony, and Karp earned two titles with Bill Sell in 1995 and 1997.

Former teammates Jim Floyd and Tim Hansen won the 1990 championship, but are well-separated in this draw. Floyd and Tucson partner Jeff Bell will go up against Missouri's Josh Tucker and Chris Wright in the top half today, while Hansen and Jason Thoerner face Michael Bronfeld and Mike Locker.

In 1996, lefty Todd O'Neil and the towering Derek Robinson earned their national doubles crown. Later Robinson turned pro, and only recently re-gained his amateur status to take another stab at a national team spot with O'Neil from their #4 seed position. They'll be challenged by Rich Baer and current age group athlete of the year Jimmy Lowe for their quarterfinal berth this afternoon.

In the #3 spot are current national team member and silver medalist in singles, Doug Eagle, and former team member and top touring pro Drew Kachtik. Eagle and Kachtik took second in 1998, to three-time national champs Doug Ganim and Dan Obremski, but fell a little earlier last year, with a semi-final loss to Karp and Roberts.

In the #7 spot after a startling first-round loss as defending champs last year, Ganim and Obremski narrowly escaped a re-match against the same youngsters who managed that '99 upset -- former junior team members Mike Harmon and Matt Gehling. The newly-paired Jonathan Dunn and Greg Solis pulled out an 11-10 tiebreaker win over Harmon/Gehling to de-rail the grudge match. Dunn and pick-up partner Solis will make their own upset bid this evening at 5:00 pm.

Ladies Up

Early competion in the women's open team qualifier begins today with the round of 16. Of the top four seeds, only the #4 team of Lisa Hjelm and Kari McDonough will play in this round, with a challenge by Kentucky's Marsha Berry and Peggy Stephens.

Last year's silver medalists Jackie Paraiso and Laura Fenton, seeded #1, will advance with a bye, along with current World Champions Kersten Hallander and Kim Russell in the #2 spot and the #3 team of Malia Bailey and Cheryl Gudinas.

1996 open- and nine-time age division champions Mary Lyons and Susan Pfahler will bring experience to the round, while junior team members Rhonda Rajsich and Kristen Walsh will pair-up for the first time to make a bid for team spots.

Birthdays this Week

Congratulate this group of birthday "boys and girls" for their celebrations this week: October 1: Kenneth Weinstein -- October 2: Jack Ross -- October 3: Doug Eagle, Keith Overton, Howard Walker. October 5: Ronald DeHays, Andy Kulback, Michael Prokay, Jesse Thornton, Tom Wood! October 6: Renee Kilpatrick, Beth Racine, Renee Saucier, Bill Welaj. -- October 7: Chico Georgie, Gil Joiner, Fran Mifsud, Steven Pace, Jim Snowden. -- October 8: Kelly Goddard

Bookends

Of the over 650 players in this year's event, C. Allen Shepherd is our elder statesman at 85, and Travis Woodbury just turned 16 last month!