L-R Murray and Noella Schledel
('B' Mixed Doubles Finalists)
Claire Scott and Greg Vivian
('B' Mixed Doubles Champions)
L-R Bob Tamblyn and Krista Plociennik
('A' Mixed Doubles Champions)
Claire Scott and Greg Vivian
('B' Mixed Doubles Champions)
L-R Bob Tamblyn and Krista Plociennik
('A' Mixed Doubles Champions)
Johanna Billings and Richard Bast
('A' Mixed Doubles Finalists)
The STRATFORD TENNIS CLUB has begun play in its 2011 CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT. This past weekend, the Mixed Doubles events were held. 18 teams began play on Saturday. Teams winning their first round match continued in the 'A' division, while those who lost their first round were entered in the 'B' division. After 4 rounds of play on Saturday and Sunday the finals were rained out Sunday night forcing a Monday final for both divisions.
The 'A' Championship final was contested by the top two seeds. 2007 champions Johanna Billings and Richard Bast , who were the losing finalists last season, marched to the final without losing a set, despite being pressed in the semifinals by Marta Andekovic and Nathan Duh. Their opponents in this years final were Krista Plociennik , (who won the title last year with Max Besworth as her partner), and Bob Tamblyn ( a 5 time mixed doubles champion). Plociennik and Tamblyn also did not lose a set on their way to the final and easily handled teen phenoms Sonja Andrekovic and John Fischer in their semifinal.
The match started with a great game where eventually Plociennik and Tamblyn broke Bast's serve and started a run that Billings and Bast could not stop. Tamblyn controlled play the whole set, leading to an easy 6 - 0 win. The second set saw Billings and Bast get back in the match. The teams traded games until the ninth game when Plociennik and Tamblyn broke Bast's serve to take a 5 - 4 lead. Tamblyn won his service game to seal the second set and the championship.
The 'B' final had Claire Scott and Greg Vivian vie for their second 'B' title in the last three years. Scott and Vivian were upset in the first round by 14 year olds Andrekovic and Fischer, regulating them to the 'B' division. After edging Vienna Wilson and Travis Hiller in the semifinals they were ready to compete for the 'B' championship. Their opponents were Noella Schiedel and Murray Schiedel. The Schiedels lost a marathon match to Annette Garneau and Todd Chisholm (6 - 4 , 4 - 6 , 6 - 4) to drop to the 'B' division. After a tough semifinal against Nancy Chung and Morgan Davis, the Schiedels secured their place in the final.
The final began with a long first game, where Scott and Vivian were able to break Murray's serve and get on a run. The Schiedels fell behind 5 - 0 but were able to win the next three games to put the pressure back on Scott and Vivian. Scott and Vivian dug in and were able to take the ninth game and win the first set 6 - 3. The second set went back and forth before Scott and Vivian got another service break to clinch the second set 6 - 4 and take the 2011 'B' championship.
The Club Championship Tournament continues with singles play through the week and the Men's and Ladies Doubles events this weekend.
