MYRTLEBEACHTENNIS.COM THE HOME OF GRAND STRAND TENNIS FOR EVERYONE
Tennis is in the Cox family
Chip Cox recently won the Boy’s 18 Singles title in the South Carolina State Closed Junior Hardcourt Championships held at the Columbia Tennis Center in Columbia. What is more astonishing about this championship was not the ease at which he won each match but that he played up two age divisions! Cox is only 14 years old and he is competing against players much bigger and stronger than he is. In five years, size won’t matter, but as a teenager size is paramount to enhance an athlete’s ability to execute out-right winners and booming serves.
As the No. 3 seed, Cox won 6-1, 6-0 in the round of 32 and 6-0, 6-2 in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, he won 6-2, 6-2 and then he upset Ashkon Babaee, the No. 2 seed from Columbia
7-5, 6-1 in the semifinals. The finals may have looked like his easiest match with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Randall Heffron, the No. 1 seed from Charleston, but the young Cox said it was a tough match and not indicative to the score. (Heffron defeated Cox last year in this same tournament in the Boy’s 16 finals 7-6, 6-1.)
Evidently, Cox’s game has improved immensely since he used to play beside the tennis court in the sand at Kingston Plantation while his dad, Lonnie Cox, and Greg Livingston used to battle on court with quite contrasting game styles. The elder Cox was as steady as a rock with flat smooth strokes and Livingston was like a tidal wave with his topspin shots. The three year old eventually walked out on court and began his own career hitting with his family including his sister, Stephanie, who was two years older. It should be noted that Stephanie is an accomplished tennis player who played up an age group and won the Girl’s 18 Consolation bracket in the State Junior Hardcourt.
Now the four of them can be found almost every day on the courts at Kingston practicing and perfecting their shots. Chip has developed his tennis skills into an all-around game where he can serve and volley or stay back behind the baseline and hit all day. He hits with two hands off both sides which affords him tremendous power. Stephanie has recently switched her forehand from a Western grip to a Continental grip. “The Continental grip helps me hit a deeper, flatter shot into the baseline corners,” Stephanie said.
Chip’s game has really taken off in the last few years as his athleticism and confidence have grown and he can now defeat Lonnie and Greg — two accomplished 5.0 plus players — and recently bested both of them in a Canadian doubles match 7-6 in the third. “Chip can hit the right shot at the right time,” Lonnie said. “This you can’t teach, he just knows it.”
Lonnie Cox can’t say enough about his two kids. “They are both doing extremely well in school and I am really proud of them.” Their devotion to the sport of tennis is an added plus as the whole family shares in an activity that everyone enjoys. Even Karen, their mom, hits with them sometimes. “We have always tried to make the game fun for them and to always enjoy playing,” spoke the elder Cox.
National Boy’s 18 & 16 Opens
The USTA Boy’s 18 & 16 National Clay Court Championships hosted by the City of Delray Beach in Delray Beach, Florida was completed July 13-20. Players are selected from a variety of National Lists and generally require Section endorsement. This event had 395 total players with one junior from the Grand Strand. His results were:
Billy Kenny played in the Boy’s 18 Singles in the draw of 256 players and finished with a 2-2 record. In the first round he won 6-2, 6-1 over a Missouri Valley player but in the second round the No. 17 seed from Florida stopped him with a 6-2, 6-1 win. In the consolation, Kenny won 6-4, 6-2 over another Missouri Valley player and then lost to another Florida player 6-3, 7-6.
Rain hampered the entire tournament with play being halted several times throughout the day. “It was very frustrating having to wait around so much and my game was a little off,” lamented a dejected Kenny.
National Boy’s 14 Open
The USTA National Clay Court Championships were completed July 13-20 at the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. This Level 1 sanctioned event had 196 total players with one player from the Grand Strand. Players were selected from a variety of National Lists and generally required Section endorsement. Results of our player was:
Harrison Richmond, seeded No. 5, won his first match 6-1, 6-1 over a player from the Eastern states and he won again over a player from the Midwest 6-0, 6-1. In the round of 32, Richmond lost 6-3, 6-1 to the No. 17 seed from Southern California. In the consolation, Richmond won 6-3, 6-3 over a Southern player before dropping a 6-3, 7-6(3) decision to the No. 32 seed from the Southern region.
In the Boy’s 14 Doubles, Richmond and Nick Wood from Knoxville, Tn. were seeded No. 8 as they defeated a Southern/Mid-Atlantic team 6-2, 6-2. Next, they won 6-3, 6-3 over a Northern California team. Then they beat the No. 14 seeded team from the Eastern region 6-2, 6-1. But in the quarterfinals, the Richmond/Wood team lost to the No. 1 seeds from the Missouri Valley/Florida region 6-4, 6-4.
Again, rainy conditions prevailed throughout the tournament and conditions were less than perfect. “All that rain messed up my rhythm and made it tougher to play my style of game,” Richmond said. “I like to be aggressive and move forward, but with a slow court it affected my shots.”
WARM fundraiser
The Fourth Annual Time Warner Cable “Dog Days of Summer” tennis event to benefit the Waccamaw Animal Rescue Mission was held at the Grande Dunes Tennis Club last July 12-13. This “WARM” organization is a local, nonprofit, no kill animal refuge. The title sponsor for this local charity is Time Warner digitalphone. Although it rained Friday, the silent auction was held all day Saturday with 240 items for bid.
Last year this event made $23,794 for the care and well-being of needy animals. This year they were up six percent with a total of $25,297. “I was pleasantly shocked that we did so well with the economy being down,” said event coordinator Gail Fishman. Interested patrons may find out more about this worthy cause by visiting their Web site www.warmfarms.org to view the animals for adoption.
The tennis event played at the Grande Dunes Tennis Club had 150 players competing in men’s and women’s doubles, combo and mixed doubles. Last year they had 118 players. Results of their 17 divisions were:
Men’s 3.0 Doubles: Richard Crumpler/Bill Mabe def. Travis Bary/Michael Hasty 6-1, 6-3 in the finals.
Men’s 3.5 Doubles: Craig Berkey/Bryon Fletcher will play Rick Gould/Russ Widmer in the finals.
Men’s 4.0 Doubles: Jeremy Finger/Ervin Lambert def. Gary Brown/Dennis Hardin 6-1, 7-5 in the finals.
Men’s 4.5 Doubles: Greg Harrelson and Chris Powers won the round robin.
Men’s 7.5 Combo: Jim Bolig/Michael Dawson def. Terry Boyd/Ray Szurley 6-2, 6-3 in the finals.
Senior 3.5 Doubles: Larry Brown/John Semmens def. Carl Miller/James Shelton 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in the finals.
Men’s Open: Perry Allen and Mike Saless won the round robin.
Women’s 3.0 Doubles: Holly Cox/Sloan Derrick def. Rene Smith/Page Tucker 6-4, 6-1 in the finals.
Women’s 3.5 Doubles: Alicia Amick/Sheri Carpenter def. Rosemary Folk/Beth Helms 6-4, 7-5 in the finals.
Women’s 4.0 Doubles: Rita Gray/Veronica Ortiz def. Michael Coker/Milva Masur 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 in the finals.
Women’s 6.5 Doubles: Holly Cox/Shayne Matthews def. Tracy Crane/Allison Heffernan 6-1, 6-3 in the finals.
Women’s 7.5 Doubles: Michael Coker/Heather Pickering def. Kathy Bates/Cyndi A. Moran 6-2, 6-3.
Women’s 8.5 Doubles: Susan Battle/Patty Faigen def. Caroline Ortiz/Veronica Ortiz 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in the finals.
Senior 3.0 Doubles: Gwen Murray and Cindy O’Neill won the round robin.
Mixed 6.0 Doubles: Carrie Amick/Abe Safa def. Doug Mazei/Paula Mazei 6-2, 6-1 in the finals.
Mixed 7.0 Doubles: Natalie Albrecht-Bell/Adrian Albrecht-Bell def. Carolyn Lackey/Tom Lackey 6-2, 6-4 in the finals.
Mixed 8.0 Doubles: Jeri Lindsey/Fritz Gildemeister def. Dorian Hooks/Mike Saless 6-4, 6-4 in the finals.
USTA SC Summer Magazine
Every USTA member in South Carolina received their issue of the June 2008 Summer Magazine last week. Inside you will find pictures of the Grand Strand Senior League Champions which included: the 3.0 Men with captain Donald Ross, the 4.0 Men with captain Jim Bolig, the 4.0 Women with captain Andi Stanford, and the 4.5 Men with captain John Mack. Also, mentioned are notable juniors such as Chip Cox, Wesley Moran, Billy Kenny, John Harrison Richmond, Michael Moran, and Rachel Gresko. And don’t forget to
look for your name in the East Area Report.
Prestwick happenings
Every Monday through Thursday the Will Bull Advanced Junior Clinic will be offered from 8:30 to 10:30 am with your “bull dawg” nose to the grindstone doing drills, conditioning, and point play. And from 10:30 to 11:30 am enjoy a refreshing dip as you are thrown in the pool to sink or dog paddle. This clinic is not for the squeamish as all high school, tournament, and junior varsity players are invited. Costs are $150 for four days with a pizza party every Thursday or $45 per day. For more information or to sign up, call 828.1000.
Last July 18 Prestwick sponsored another “Six at Six” Friday night round-robin doubles for men and women and 24 brave souls showed up. Twelve teams switched partners on six courts as every one had a blast. Refreshments included wings from Wing King and Papa John’s Pizza. An exhibition at 6:00 pm had Greg Harrelson trying to carry Will Bull but, alas, the load was too heavy as the Coastal Carolina Boy’s of Chris Powers and Carlo Checchia prevailed in a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 victory.
The next “Six at Six” Friday night debacle will be held Aug. 15. Call 828.1000 to sign up.
Tennis Tidbit
Did you know that South Carolina won the Men’s and Women’s overall Southern Senior Cup last June in competition with the Southern Nine States? Age groups range from 35 to 75 years old in 10-year increments. South Carolina finished first in the Gil Stacy Awards with Tennessee second, Georgia third, and North Carolina number four. In the Mildred Southern Cup, South Carolina finished on top with Georgia second, North Carolina third, and Tennessee coming in fourth.
DeBordieu Junior Classic
The DeBordieu Junior Classic – SC L3 will be held Aug. 8-10 at the DeBordieu Tennis Club. This Level 3 sanctioned event offers singles for ages 10 to 18. Cost for the event is $38.13 per player. Deadline is Aug.4. Register online at www.gstatennis.com or for more information call DeBordieu Tennis Club at 546.9408.
Dunes Labor Day tourney
The Dunes-Martin’s PGA Tour Super Store Labor Day Tournament will be held Aug. 30 – Sept. 1 at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club. This Level 4 sanctioned event offers singles, doubles and mixed. Cost for the first event is $41.35, second event $20., and third event is $18. per player.
Deadline is Aug. 24. For more information, call 449.0185.
As the No. 3 seed, Cox won 6-1, 6-0 in the round of 32 and 6-0, 6-2 in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, he won 6-2, 6-2 and then he upset Ashkon Babaee, the No. 2 seed from Columbia
7-5, 6-1 in the semifinals. The finals may have looked like his easiest match with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Randall Heffron, the No. 1 seed from Charleston, but the young Cox said it was a tough match and not indicative to the score. (Heffron defeated Cox last year in this same tournament in the Boy’s 16 finals 7-6, 6-1.)
Evidently, Cox’s game has improved immensely since he used to play beside the tennis court in the sand at Kingston Plantation while his dad, Lonnie Cox, and Greg Livingston used to battle on court with quite contrasting game styles. The elder Cox was as steady as a rock with flat smooth strokes and Livingston was like a tidal wave with his topspin shots. The three year old eventually walked out on court and began his own career hitting with his family including his sister, Stephanie, who was two years older. It should be noted that Stephanie is an accomplished tennis player who played up an age group and won the Girl’s 18 Consolation bracket in the State Junior Hardcourt.
Now the four of them can be found almost every day on the courts at Kingston practicing and perfecting their shots. Chip has developed his tennis skills into an all-around game where he can serve and volley or stay back behind the baseline and hit all day. He hits with two hands off both sides which affords him tremendous power. Stephanie has recently switched her forehand from a Western grip to a Continental grip. “The Continental grip helps me hit a deeper, flatter shot into the baseline corners,” Stephanie said.
Chip’s game has really taken off in the last few years as his athleticism and confidence have grown and he can now defeat Lonnie and Greg — two accomplished 5.0 plus players — and recently bested both of them in a Canadian doubles match 7-6 in the third. “Chip can hit the right shot at the right time,” Lonnie said. “This you can’t teach, he just knows it.”
Lonnie Cox can’t say enough about his two kids. “They are both doing extremely well in school and I am really proud of them.” Their devotion to the sport of tennis is an added plus as the whole family shares in an activity that everyone enjoys. Even Karen, their mom, hits with them sometimes. “We have always tried to make the game fun for them and to always enjoy playing,” spoke the elder Cox.
National Boy’s 18 & 16 Opens
The USTA Boy’s 18 & 16 National Clay Court Championships hosted by the City of Delray Beach in Delray Beach, Florida was completed July 13-20. Players are selected from a variety of National Lists and generally require Section endorsement. This event had 395 total players with one junior from the Grand Strand. His results were:
Billy Kenny played in the Boy’s 18 Singles in the draw of 256 players and finished with a 2-2 record. In the first round he won 6-2, 6-1 over a Missouri Valley player but in the second round the No. 17 seed from Florida stopped him with a 6-2, 6-1 win. In the consolation, Kenny won 6-4, 6-2 over another Missouri Valley player and then lost to another Florida player 6-3, 7-6.
Rain hampered the entire tournament with play being halted several times throughout the day. “It was very frustrating having to wait around so much and my game was a little off,” lamented a dejected Kenny.
National Boy’s 14 Open
The USTA National Clay Court Championships were completed July 13-20 at the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. This Level 1 sanctioned event had 196 total players with one player from the Grand Strand. Players were selected from a variety of National Lists and generally required Section endorsement. Results of our player was:
Harrison Richmond, seeded No. 5, won his first match 6-1, 6-1 over a player from the Eastern states and he won again over a player from the Midwest 6-0, 6-1. In the round of 32, Richmond lost 6-3, 6-1 to the No. 17 seed from Southern California. In the consolation, Richmond won 6-3, 6-3 over a Southern player before dropping a 6-3, 7-6(3) decision to the No. 32 seed from the Southern region.
In the Boy’s 14 Doubles, Richmond and Nick Wood from Knoxville, Tn. were seeded No. 8 as they defeated a Southern/Mid-Atlantic team 6-2, 6-2. Next, they won 6-3, 6-3 over a Northern California team. Then they beat the No. 14 seeded team from the Eastern region 6-2, 6-1. But in the quarterfinals, the Richmond/Wood team lost to the No. 1 seeds from the Missouri Valley/Florida region 6-4, 6-4.
Again, rainy conditions prevailed throughout the tournament and conditions were less than perfect. “All that rain messed up my rhythm and made it tougher to play my style of game,” Richmond said. “I like to be aggressive and move forward, but with a slow court it affected my shots.”
WARM fundraiser
The Fourth Annual Time Warner Cable “Dog Days of Summer” tennis event to benefit the Waccamaw Animal Rescue Mission was held at the Grande Dunes Tennis Club last July 12-13. This “WARM” organization is a local, nonprofit, no kill animal refuge. The title sponsor for this local charity is Time Warner digitalphone. Although it rained Friday, the silent auction was held all day Saturday with 240 items for bid.
Last year this event made $23,794 for the care and well-being of needy animals. This year they were up six percent with a total of $25,297. “I was pleasantly shocked that we did so well with the economy being down,” said event coordinator Gail Fishman. Interested patrons may find out more about this worthy cause by visiting their Web site www.warmfarms.org to view the animals for adoption.
The tennis event played at the Grande Dunes Tennis Club had 150 players competing in men’s and women’s doubles, combo and mixed doubles. Last year they had 118 players. Results of their 17 divisions were:
Men’s 3.0 Doubles: Richard Crumpler/Bill Mabe def. Travis Bary/Michael Hasty 6-1, 6-3 in the finals.
Men’s 3.5 Doubles: Craig Berkey/Bryon Fletcher will play Rick Gould/Russ Widmer in the finals.
Men’s 4.0 Doubles: Jeremy Finger/Ervin Lambert def. Gary Brown/Dennis Hardin 6-1, 7-5 in the finals.
Men’s 4.5 Doubles: Greg Harrelson and Chris Powers won the round robin.
Men’s 7.5 Combo: Jim Bolig/Michael Dawson def. Terry Boyd/Ray Szurley 6-2, 6-3 in the finals.
Senior 3.5 Doubles: Larry Brown/John Semmens def. Carl Miller/James Shelton 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in the finals.
Men’s Open: Perry Allen and Mike Saless won the round robin.
Women’s 3.0 Doubles: Holly Cox/Sloan Derrick def. Rene Smith/Page Tucker 6-4, 6-1 in the finals.
Women’s 3.5 Doubles: Alicia Amick/Sheri Carpenter def. Rosemary Folk/Beth Helms 6-4, 7-5 in the finals.
Women’s 4.0 Doubles: Rita Gray/Veronica Ortiz def. Michael Coker/Milva Masur 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 in the finals.
Women’s 6.5 Doubles: Holly Cox/Shayne Matthews def. Tracy Crane/Allison Heffernan 6-1, 6-3 in the finals.
Women’s 7.5 Doubles: Michael Coker/Heather Pickering def. Kathy Bates/Cyndi A. Moran 6-2, 6-3.
Women’s 8.5 Doubles: Susan Battle/Patty Faigen def. Caroline Ortiz/Veronica Ortiz 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in the finals.
Senior 3.0 Doubles: Gwen Murray and Cindy O’Neill won the round robin.
Mixed 6.0 Doubles: Carrie Amick/Abe Safa def. Doug Mazei/Paula Mazei 6-2, 6-1 in the finals.
Mixed 7.0 Doubles: Natalie Albrecht-Bell/Adrian Albrecht-Bell def. Carolyn Lackey/Tom Lackey 6-2, 6-4 in the finals.
Mixed 8.0 Doubles: Jeri Lindsey/Fritz Gildemeister def. Dorian Hooks/Mike Saless 6-4, 6-4 in the finals.
USTA SC Summer Magazine
Every USTA member in South Carolina received their issue of the June 2008 Summer Magazine last week. Inside you will find pictures of the Grand Strand Senior League Champions which included: the 3.0 Men with captain Donald Ross, the 4.0 Men with captain Jim Bolig, the 4.0 Women with captain Andi Stanford, and the 4.5 Men with captain John Mack. Also, mentioned are notable juniors such as Chip Cox, Wesley Moran, Billy Kenny, John Harrison Richmond, Michael Moran, and Rachel Gresko. And don’t forget to
look for your name in the East Area Report.
Prestwick happenings
Every Monday through Thursday the Will Bull Advanced Junior Clinic will be offered from 8:30 to 10:30 am with your “bull dawg” nose to the grindstone doing drills, conditioning, and point play. And from 10:30 to 11:30 am enjoy a refreshing dip as you are thrown in the pool to sink or dog paddle. This clinic is not for the squeamish as all high school, tournament, and junior varsity players are invited. Costs are $150 for four days with a pizza party every Thursday or $45 per day. For more information or to sign up, call 828.1000.
Last July 18 Prestwick sponsored another “Six at Six” Friday night round-robin doubles for men and women and 24 brave souls showed up. Twelve teams switched partners on six courts as every one had a blast. Refreshments included wings from Wing King and Papa John’s Pizza. An exhibition at 6:00 pm had Greg Harrelson trying to carry Will Bull but, alas, the load was too heavy as the Coastal Carolina Boy’s of Chris Powers and Carlo Checchia prevailed in a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 victory.
The next “Six at Six” Friday night debacle will be held Aug. 15. Call 828.1000 to sign up.
Tennis Tidbit
Did you know that South Carolina won the Men’s and Women’s overall Southern Senior Cup last June in competition with the Southern Nine States? Age groups range from 35 to 75 years old in 10-year increments. South Carolina finished first in the Gil Stacy Awards with Tennessee second, Georgia third, and North Carolina number four. In the Mildred Southern Cup, South Carolina finished on top with Georgia second, North Carolina third, and Tennessee coming in fourth.
DeBordieu Junior Classic
The DeBordieu Junior Classic – SC L3 will be held Aug. 8-10 at the DeBordieu Tennis Club. This Level 3 sanctioned event offers singles for ages 10 to 18. Cost for the event is $38.13 per player. Deadline is Aug.4. Register online at www.gstatennis.com or for more information call DeBordieu Tennis Club at 546.9408.
Dunes Labor Day tourney
The Dunes-Martin’s PGA Tour Super Store Labor Day Tournament will be held Aug. 30 – Sept. 1 at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club. This Level 4 sanctioned event offers singles, doubles and mixed. Cost for the first event is $41.35, second event $20., and third event is $18. per player.
Deadline is Aug. 24. For more information, call 449.0185.
Comment
About
Badge
© 2009 Created by MBTC on Ning. Create a Ning Network!
You need to be a member of Myrtle Beach Tennis to add comments!
Join this Ning Network