Category: News

OPEN HOUSE…It’s Happening Folks!!!

Tennis Talk
By Sherry Benz
For publication 3/21/24

The Tennis Club’s annual Open House is right around the corner, and you don’t want to miss it! Join us on the courts Tuesday, March 26th at 1:00-3:00 PM for an afternoon of exciting activity planned by our Villages Tennis Professional, Brett Foreman. He describes it as “Tennis Olympics with a Carnival Theme.” Not sure if there will be medals or stuffed animals, but you’ll have fun trying! Tennis Anywhere in Los Gatos is providing demos of some of the newest racquets for you to try and they are offering discounts on equipment. Come shod in tennis shoes for “on the court” fun. There will be prizes, games and the traditional strawberry shortcake!!! No reservations required. Questions: Contact Lolivic Shaw (Lolivicshaw02@gmail.com) or Jamie Dickson (runman001@aol.com)

Jump Start kicks off at the Tennis Club Open House. Thanks to our Villager “experts”, Gail & Mike Tuft, Roy Pennington and Peggy Seidel, who are returning to help you learn and improve your strokes. They are some of the best players in our club and have a wealth of information to share with you. Jump Start will meet on successive Tuesday afternoons beginning April 2nd for 10 weeks at 5:00-6:00 PM. Don’t have a racquet? No worry, we have racquets donated by our members and would love to give you one. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn, meet others at your playing level and … all free of cost! Questions: Call Sherry Benz (408-223-6882 or sabenz@sbcglobal.net.)

VTL is in full swing and the competition is fierce, yet friendly. The next matches will be held at 1:30 PM on Saturday, March 23rd, Sunday, March 24th and Thursday, March 28th. It’s fun to watch and the viewing stands has a seat for you!

Open House and Other Fun Stuff

Tennis Talk
By Sherry Benz

They say there is no “free lunch”. But, here is something fun and free for all Villagers. The Tennis Club presents our annual Open House on Tuesday, March 26th from 1:00-3:30 PM at the courts. Our Villages Tennis Professional, Brett Foreman, is planning an exciting afternoon. He describes it as “Tennis Olympics with a Carnival Theme.” Intriguing? Join in to meet the challenges he has created for us, namely drills, skills and thrills. Tennis Anywhere in Los Gatos is providing demos of some of the newest racquets for you to try and they are offering discounts on equipment. Come shod in tennis shoes for “on the court” fun. There will be prizes, games and strawberry shortcake!!! No reservations required. Questions: Call Lolavic Shaw (Lolivicshaw02@gmail.com) or Jamie Dickson (runman001@aol.com)

Jump Start kicks off at the Tennis Club Open House. Whether you are a beginner or just “rusty”, our Villager “experts” are ready to help you learn and improve your strokes. Jump Start will meet on successive Tuesday afternoons beginning April 2nd for 10 weeks at 5:00-6:00 PM. Don’t have a racquet? No worry, we have racquets donated by our members and would love to give you one. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn, meet others at your playing level and … all free of cost! Questions: Call Sherry Benz (408-223-6882 or sabenz@sbcglobal.net.)

Don’t forget … the Prescott tournament is March 16th 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM and the courts will be busy with this fun, round robin event. All registration fees and donations benefit the VMA which provides much needed services to our residents. Questions? Contact Cheryl Diltz (capecod0415@yahoo.com) or Joy Rem (jkr1787@gmail. com). Cheerleaders welcome in the stands!

The VTL (Villages Tennis League) is off to a great start. Thanks to Roy Pennington, Jim Murphy and Peggy Seidel for organizing this program. It has been such fun to be on the courts with lots of different players. If you are interested in being a sub, give Roy Pennington a call (505-410-3449 or rpenn1700@aol.com).

Betty Olsen’s 65/7.0 team is underway. Our next home match is at 10:45 on Friday, March 15th. We sure could use you support

Tiebreak Puzzle Solved

Tennis Talk
by Marty Funcell
The Villages Tennis Club uses the “Coman Tiebreak Procedure” for Set and Match tiebreaks.

In 1985 the Coman Tiebreak was designated an “experimental tiebreak” by the USTA, and in the early 2000s it was adopted for national league play. In 2004 the name was changed from the Balboa to the Coman Tiebreak in memory of Coman, a recently-deceased player who was a strong proponent of the tiebreak.

The Coman tiebreak allows all players to serve on the same side of the net as they did throughout the entire set. Therefore, a player doesn’t suddenly find him/herself serving in a condition that they were not accustomed to during the critical set or match tie-break. 

Also, unlike the “Regular” tiebreak procedure, where players switch sides every 6 points, the Coman tiebreak procedure switches sides every 4 points and facilitates a fairer match since each team plays a more equal number of games on each end of the court.

COMAN SET TIEBREAK

  1. First to win 7 points with at least a 2-point margin wins GAME and SET
  2. The player whose turn it is to serve, shall serve the first point from the DEUCE court.
  3. After the first point, the players change sides and then players change sides after every four points (5,9,13,17, etc…)
  4. Each team shall serve alternately for two consecutive points starting from the ADD court after the first point.

TO BEGIN SERVING THE NEXT SET AFTER THE SET TIEBREAK

  • The tiebreak game is the “service game” of the team that served the first point which means:
  1. The opposing team serves the first point of the next SET.
  2. After the last point of the tiebreaker, the teams switch sides to start the next SET

COMAN MATCH TIEBREAK    The MATCH tiebreak procedure is similar to the SET tiebreak except:

  1. First to win 10 points with at least a 2-point margin.

The Prescott: The Real Scoop

Tennis Talk by Joy Rem

 Our first tennis tournament for our 2024 season is one of our most special, The Prescott Tournament.  It will be held on Saturday, March 16 from 9:00 till 1:00.  The special tournament celebrates Phil Prescott and the amazing contributions he made to our tennis club.  In 1997, he was able to raise over $30,000 from Villagers and then he matched this amount dollar for dollar for a grand total of $60,000 to build courts 5 and 6.  As a member of the tennis club, you are invited to carry on the tradition of honoring Phil and supporting our wonderful Villages Medical Auxiliary (VMA).  Phil was also a long supporter of the VMA.  Your $15 tournament contribution is a tax deductible donation to VMA.

 Please join us in this fun round robin tournament.  There will be yummy food, prizes, and fun tennis.  All levels are encouraged to join as it will be a fun tournament without any pressure.  This is a way of seeing old friends and making new friends.  Spectators are also welcome to join in the fun, but hope you will sign up to play.

 You will be able to sign up on Your Courts or by emailing or calling Joy Rem, jkr1787@gmail.com or 818-620-7642.

The Village Women’s 65 7.0 USTA team played its first home match on Wednesday, February 14.  We fought hard, but came up a little short.  We first split sets, won 1 and lost 1, and the 3rd match on the courts split sets and played a 10 point 3rd set tie-break which alas we lost.  Next home match is Wednesday, February 28.

Arthur Ashe: Tennis ICON

Tennis Talk

By Mary Ringel

February marks Black History Month, an ideal time to honor African American tennis icon Arthur Ashe. Born in Richmond, Virginia, on July 10, 1943, his journey in life was beyond difficult. At the young age of six, he woefully lost his mother due to complications of surgery. Growing up in America’s turbulent 1960s, an era of segregation, he continually battled against restrictions for black athletes. Yet despite devastating obstacles, Ashe rose above life’s circumstances and achieved extraordinary feats during his 49 years.

During his career, Ashe won 45 singles titles, ranking number two in the world at one point. He made history by becoming the first black man to secure singles titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open. He was also the first black player chosen for the United States Davis Cup team.

Unfortunately, in 1980, he suffered a heart attack and soon retired. Tragically, during subsequent heart surgery, he received an HIV-tainted blood transfusion – a fact only uncovered while undergoing brain surgery years later. Despite this devastating setback, Ashe remained undeterred, immersing himself in work, he began crafting his three-volume masterpiece, “A Hard Road to Glory.” Published in 1988, this influential work highlighted the struggles endured by Black athletes in America. While working on this piece and even after its completion, Ashe chose to keep his health condition private. However, true to his humanitarian spirit, he dedicated the remainder of his life to raising awareness about HIV and AIDS. Unfortunately, due to complications related to AIDS, Ashe passed away on February 6th, 1993.

In 1997, the U.S. Open honored him by naming its new court the Arthur Ashe Stadium in recognition of his status as the first African American man to win the U.S. Open Men’s Championship and his exemplary role as a humanitarian that future champions could aspire to.

With too many achievements to detail here, it’s clear that Ashe used his exceptional skills to break down barriers in the world of tennis, setting the stage for future generations of black athletes. His triumphs are irrefutable evidence that talent knows no color or race; it recognizes only dedication and hard work.

The Prescott Info and Signup

Annual Prescott Tennis Tournament
To benefit the
Villages Medical Auxiliary (VMA)
AND

We Want You! (Seeking Volunteers) - InfectionControl.tips

DATE:  Saturday, March 16th

9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

 

          • Each participant plays 24 games
          • Double Double Switch format
          • We will find a partner for you
          • All levels welcome
          • Yummy brunch, water, soft drinks, music and prizes

Suggested Tax deductable donation: $15.00

    1. Charged to your house number
    2. Signup by clicking the Prescott Signup button below.

THIS IS A FUN TOURNAMENT AND IT IS FOR A GOOD CAUSE IN HONOR OF PHIL PRESCOTT, the driving force for courts 5 & 6

 Any questions contact:

Joy Rem, Tournament Chair, jkr1787@gmail.com

Cheryl Diltz, Co Chair,  capecod0415@gmail.com

The Prescott SIGNUP

An Exciting Year of Tennis

An Exciting Year of Tennis – 2024

Tennis Talk by Mary Ringle

Let’s start with the Grand Slams, the most coveted titles in the sport. The Australian Open served us well in January; hopefully, you caught some of the excitement on ESPN. The next Grand Slam will be the French Open (Roland Garros) starting May 20th, on clay courts, followed by Wimbledon’s prestigious grass court tournament in England between July 1st -14th. The Grand Slam season ends with the US Open on August 26th, which wraps up coincidentally on my birthday (September 8th)! What better way could there be to celebrate?

The Masters 1000 series is critical for players who want to move up in rank. Across the calendar year, men and women play nine tournaments that can offer significant ranking points and prize money. The games are hosted on various continents, on various court surfaces minus the grass court.

The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Finals bring together the year’s top eight men’s singles players and doubles teams in a thrilling climax of the season. Known for its high-stakes intensity, this event will determine who will take the coveted number-one ranking for the year. The format has a round-robin play followed by knockout stages. These games are scheduled throughout the year. The ATP 250, ATP 500, ATP Masters 1000, and finally the ATP Finals make tennis a year-round sport.

Similarly, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals brings together the top female players battling to secure their spots. Mirroring the format of the ATP Finals, the WTA Finals are the grand finale of the women’s tennis season.

This year, the Olympic Tennis Tournament will be held on the clay courts at Roland Garros in Paris, beginning with the Paris Olympic Games on the first weekend of the competition. Men’s and women’s singles preliminary matches start on July 27th. The women’s singles final is set to be played on August 3rd, while the men’s singles final is set for August 4th.  Doubles competitions will be held for men, women, and mixed teams between July 27th and August 4th. You won’t want to miss these final matches that determine who will take home the gold.

Let’s not forget the Paralympics Tennis Tournament. Designed to mirror its Olympic counterpart, this tournament brings together athletes with physical impairments or disabilities. Their extraordinary skill and determination result in riveting matches that display triumph over adversity. Wheelchair tennis is played at all four Grand Slam tournaments, including the grass court at Wimbledon.

VTL [Tennis League] is coming back. YAY!

Tennis Talk
by Roy Pennington and Betty Olsen
The Villages Tennis Club is once again offering an organized tennis league for all members. The Villages Tennis League (VTL) spring session will commence in mid-March and continue for about 10 weeks.

Play will be mixed doubles, and matches will primarily be on weekdays during the early afternoons. A few matches will be scheduled on weekends to provide an avenue for those employed to have an opportunity to play. Teams will consist of players of varying skill levels, but matches will be organized such that play will be between players of similar abilities; thus, competitive.

So it is time to find that racquet buried in the back of your closet, lace up the sneakers, and join other Tennis Club members and friends on the courts. Don’t miss out.

Registration is simple and will remain open until late February. Teams will consist of enough players that you will not be asked to play every match. A sub list will also be available for those that are undecided about their playing availability. To register or to obtain additional information contact one of the committee members: Peggy Seidel, Jim Murphy, or Roy Pennington.

On Wednesday, January 17, President Ruth Liu held a transition Tennis Club Board meeting with outgoing and incoming board members to kick off our 2024 year.  Ruth served delicious  pizza since we met at 5:00pm.  Thanks Ruth.
We need the following volunteers to help with our 2024 calendar of events:  Scheduler board member (Akiko and Matt are moving.), chairman for the Bocce Bash/BBQ in June, chairman for Mixer in July, plus volunteers to help with committees.  Get involved

2024 TC Schedule

STOP!!! GET YOUR CALENDAR OUT BEFORE READING. I’M WATCHING !!!

Tennis Talk

By Betty Olsen

Now that we have turned the page (still using a paper calendar) and 2024 looms with blank pages, I am printing the Tennis Club’s 2024 Calendar of Events for you to put these dates NOW in your 2024 calendar.

-Prescott/VMA Tournament/lunch Saturday, March 16 9:00-1:00

-Open House/Jump Start Tuesday, March 26 1:00-4:00

-Rossmoor, April, April 20th, Saturday, Rossmoor 9:00-1:00

-Scholarship Tournament Saturday, April 27 9:00-1:00

-Scholarship Dinner Saturday, April 27 5:30-?

-Golf Tournament/dinner Sunday, May 19 5:00-8:00

-Bocce Bash/BBQ/General Mtg Sunday, June 9 3:00-7:00

-Mixer Tournament/dinner Friday, July 19 5:00-8:00

-Men/Women Doubles Tournament Saturday, Sept. 7 8:30-1:30

-Sunday, Sept. 8 9:00-1:30

-Mixed Doubles Tournament Saturday, Sept. 28 8:30-1:30

-Sunday, Sept. 29 9:00-1:30

-Awards Banquet Sunday, Sept. 29 5:30 to ?

-Rossmoor Tournament/lunch Saturday, October 19 9:00-1:00

-Holly Jolly Party/General Mtg Sunday, Dec. 8 5:00 to  ?

Legends about Legends

View this email in your browser
By Phyllis and John Mueller for Publication 01/05/2024

When you ask old members to write an article, you will get old news and memories from the past! In 2003, a miracle happened to the Tennis Club in the form of a Women’s Senior 3.0 Team  who made it all the way to USTA Nationals in Scottsdale, Arizona. Captain Ruth Stiasny, and her team of 14 made it through the regular season as winners. They then won  the Northern California regionals in Napa and qualified to represent Nor Cal in the Arizona Nationals. 10 members of that team made the trek to Arizona . The four members that did not go were: Lynn Leonard, Jean Peters, Rayna Kelley and Marianne Pellegrini.  Many fans and Villagers followed and had a great time doing “fan support.”

Our accommodations left a bit to be desired but the price was right. We had free breakfast and a great Happy Hour which made up for the sad rooms. All of us ended staying there and the togetherness added to the fun.

As we recall, it was around September of 2003 and was warm. The players had schedules and we watched all games but also had time to play golf and sightsee.  Since they started winning everytime they played, we were is a state of  great excitement.  Our local Tennis Pro and Coach Ken Dehart showed up one day to watch! They worked quite a lot with him before they went to Arizona.  All of a sudden they were in the Semi-Finals and lost for the first time to a team from Monroe, Louisiana who ended up winning the whole Tournament! The Village team then played the other Semi team and won ending  up in 3rd Place!  We were all  ecstatic!

The amazing thing is that out of the 10 players, 9 still live in the Villages and only one, Marilyn Jacobs has moved to the Terraces in Los Gatos. Each player received a Pewter Plate which they proudly display and one turned it into a clock!  We were able to , on short notice, find 5 players for a 2023 photo!

If you run into any of these ladies, remind them that you know what they were doing 20 years ago!