USTA Leagues Update: Spring and Summer 2012 Playoff Recap

September 26, 2012 | By Deborah-Rose Andrews
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The Manhattan Spring/Summer Playoffs were held over two weekends in July, as the 3.0 Women’s & Men’s, 3.5 Women’s & Men’s, 4.0 Women’s & Men’s, 4.5 Women’s & Men’s, and 5.0 Women all competed. The 5.0 Men’s team received direct entry to the Sectional Championships. The winning teams are listed below by captain:

►3.0 Women: Catherine Skryzpek/Shannon Smith

►3.0 Men: Brad Aspel/Tony Andrade

►3.5 Women: Ashley Rowe/Yao Bailey

►3.5 Men: Obong Akpan

►4.0 Women: Sarah Pomerantz

►4.0 Men: Fred Derman

►4.5 Women: Eileen Melniker

►4.5 Men: Ian Katz

►5.0 Women: Eileen Melniker

►5.0 Men: Michael Doane

The Brooklyn teams compete in a smaller league with a lesser number of teams, and the winners advance directly to Regional Championships.

►3.0 Women: Liz Bednarz

►3.5 Women: Ashley Rowe

►4.0 Men: Jason Hee

The Queens league was plagued by rain this year. There were more than 160 courts rained out this season. A particular cloud hung over the 4.0 Men’s team, captained by Ron Lense/Jeffrey Fairbanks, who had five of their matches rained out. They advanced to the playoffs which were also rained out! Despite having two playoff date rainouts, the playoffs finally finished on Thursday, Aug. 2 with the following teams advancing.

►3.0 Women: Bonnie Aves/Avegale Legaspi

►3.0 Men: James DeSilva/Samm Ticol

►3.5 Women: Yao Bailey/Ariane Qureshi

►3.5 Men: Pete Veloso/Hermie Aguda

►4.0 Women: Elina Kapostina

►4.0 Men: Jin Hwang/Angelo Ragione

This year, we also had a new league, the Staten Island 3.5 Women. Three teams (Layne/Loffreno; Lacqua/Pasko and Hansson) competed during the season. Matches were played at the College of Staten Island, Richmond County Country Club and Tottenville Tennis Club. The team captained by Cindy Lacqua and Michelle Pasko won the league and advanced to the Regional Championship.

The 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 Level teams competed at the Regional Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center the weekend of Aug. 3-4. Each district (Manhattan, Queens, etc.) played the other districts to determine who would represent Metro at the Sectional Championships. The Queens teams were on a roll—winning the 3.0 Women’s, 3.0 Men’s, 3.5 Women’s, 3.5 Men’s and 4.0 Women’s Levels. Manhattan won the 4.0 Men’s Level.
Yao Bailey was the captain/co-captain of two teams that advanced to Regional Championships—the Manhattan Rowe/Bailey team and the Queens Bailey/Qureshi team. Yao’s co-captain in Queens was away, so Yao had to make the difficult decision to captain the Queens team and remove herself from the Manhattan team. To make things more difficult, the 3.5 Women’s Playoffs would be decided in the last match—Queens vs. Manhattan. It was a hard-fought match, and in the end, Yao’s Queens team prevailed for a repeat trip to Sectional Championship, which will be held in Schenectady, N.Y. this year.

The 3.5 and 4.5 Levels competed the weekend of Aug. 10-12 as this issue went into production:

►3.5. Women’s: Bailey/Qureshi

►3.5 Men’s: Veloso/Aguda

►4.5 Women’s: Melniker

►4.5 Men’s: Katz

The 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 Levels will compete the weekend of Aug. 17-19:

►3.0 Women’s: Aves/Legaspi

►3.0 Men’s: DeSilva/Ticol

►4.0 Women’s: Kapostina

►4.0 Men’s: Derman

►5.0 Women’s: Melniker

►5.0 Men’s: Doane

Our Senior Leagues are playing now for places at the Sectional Championships in September.

Metro will once again plan for a Tri-Level League in September/October at the 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 Levels. This league consists of three doubles courts—one court of 3.5 Level players, one court of 4.0 Level players and one court of 4.5 Level players. It’s a great opportunity to play with your friends who have different ratings. Please note that self-rated players may participate, however, only computer-rated players may advance. If you are interested in the Tri-Level League, please e-mail me at debrose@metrotennis.com and put "Tri-Level" in the subject line.

The Mixed-Doubles League will begin in October with the Manhattan-Mixed. The Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens Leagues will begin in January. This League also runs with three courts of mixed-doubles. We have leagues at the 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0 and 10.0 Levels (the 9.0 and 10.0 Levels play in the Manhattan League). Additional details will be posted online at www.metrotennis.com in mid-September.

 


The 4.0 Women’s team, captained by Elina Kapostina, advanced in Queens

 


The 4.0 Men’s team, captained by Fred Derman, were Manhattan Spring/Summer Playoff winners at the 4.0 Level

 


The Men’s 3.5 team, co-captained by Pete Veloso and Hermie Aguda, advanced in Queens

 


The Women’s 3.0 team, captained by Bonnie Aves and Avegale Legaspi, proudly represent Queens

 


The 4.5 Men’s squad, captained by Ian Katz, were Manhattan Spring/Summer Playoff winners at the 4.0 Level

 


The 3.5 Women’s team, captained by Yao Bailey and Ariane Qureshi, were winners at the 3.5 Level in Queens
 


Deborah-Rose Andrews
Centercourt
USTA NTC

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