Despite some afternoon rain showers delaying play for five of the seven days of play, the 2019 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships concluded on time early Sunday evening after Italians Lorenzo Frigerio and Adelchi Virgili won the doubles title, defeating top-seeds Boris Arias of the Bolivian Davis Cup team and Sekou Bangoura of Bradenton, Fla., 6-4, 6-3 in the final.
Earlier Sunday, Dmitry Popko of Kazakhstan was crowned the singles champion of this 25-year annual Vero Beach tennis tradition, a $25,000 event on the ITF World Tennis Tour, defeating Bangoura 6-1, 7-6 (1) in the singles final. Popko, the No. 8 seed and a member of Kazakhstan’s Davis Cup team, was dominant this week in Vero Beach, putting on a dazzling display of shot-making for the scores of enthusiastic spectators and volunteers and won his seventh ITF event this year, a $3,600 payday, and more significantly, three ATP ranking points.
“This one means a lot because it’s a $25,000 event and also gave me three ATP points and put me in the Top 10 of the ITF rankings,’’ said Popko, 22, ranked 12th before the tournament and just 608th in the ATP, down from a career-high of 178 in 2017. “Now I can play Challenger level tournaments and hopefully I’m going to earn as many ATP points as I can and then see where it’s going to bring me.’’
Popko cancelled his plans to play in next week’s Pensacola ITF stop because he has been accepted into a more prestigious ATP Challenger tournament in Shymkent, located in his adopted Kazakhstan. He sped to the airport to fly half way around the world immediately following the singles final Sunday.
This year Popko has won three ITF tournaments in Turkey and four in Florida, including Naples, Sunrise, Orange Park and Vero Beach. He has won his last three ITF tournaments while winning 15 consecutive matches and 31 of his last 33.
“I’m hungrier now and enjoying the wins,’’ Popko said.
Just as hungry was his opponent, as Bangoura got to No. 213 in 2016, but has since dropped to 400. His ITF ranking of 30th will surely improve after his second final of the year, along with a title in Naples. He was forced to play twice on Sunday because his semifinal against Diego Hidalgo of Ecuador was stopped on Saturday with Bangoura trailing 7-5, 5-3.
Early Sunday morning, Bangoura staved off a match point before capping off his comeback victory, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-1. A few hours later, he was getting hammered by Popko’s titanic forehands and pinpoint two-hand backhand, quickly dropping the first set 6-1.
Bangoura, 27, an accomplished chess player, used his analytical skills on a different squared surface, and began attacking the net, pressuring Popko to come up with the passing shot. Suddenly, the match flip-flopped and Bangoura jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the second set.
“He started to come in more and kind of broke my rhythm,’’ said Popko, who was only truly tested this week in his second-round, three-set victory over young Colombian, Nicolas Mejia. “He adjusted it by himself and made me uncomfortable. I was down 2-5 and had to fight back. I picked up my level and that’s how I went up 6-5.’’
However, Bangoura, again living on the edge, saved two match points and broke Popko’s serve to force a tiebreaker. It was there Bangoura ran out of fuel as Popko, perhaps buoyed by his 45-6 match record this year, reeled off six consecutive points in the tiebreaker before finishing off his fleet-footed opponent with a wicked crosscourt forehand passing shot. Checkmate.
“The tiebreaker was a game of nerves and I think I played better because it had a 1-0 [set lead],’’ Popko said.
Perhaps the most illustrious player to have won this event was Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund, who was ranked No. 513 in 2013 when he took the title. Last year Edmund reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and was ranked a career-high No. 14. Why not Popko?
The USTA reports that ITF events such as the Mardy Fish ITF championships can bring in approximately $500,000 to the local economy and several thousand more for the foundation’s charities, which are geared to getting children involved in healthy activities.
“This tournament didn’t feel like an ITF, it felt like a much bigger tournament because of the great atmosphere,’’ Popko said. “More than 50 people came up to me after to congratulate me.’’
The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships is regarded as one of the best entry-level professional tennis tournaments in the world. Proceeds from the event benefit the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, the non-profit tennis foundation benefiting children, named for Vero Beach native son Mardy Fish, the former top 10 tennis star and the current U.S. Davis Cup captain. Fans can continue to follow news and developments on the tournament on Facebook and on Twitter at @VeroFutures. Future sponsorship and ticket information can be obtained by emailing Tom Fish at Tfish10s@aol.com or Randy Walker at RWalker@NewChapterMedia.com Approximately 3,000 fans annually attend the event, which is seen as one of the best-attended entry-level professional events in the world.
Some of the past competitors at the USTA Vero Beach Futures have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007, competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic and most recently world No. 50 player and teen sensation Denis Shapovalov, who played in Vero Beach in 2016. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Seven former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young, Ryan Harrison and Frances Tiafoe.
Founded in 2007, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) currently supports over 2,200 children in 15 elementary schools, six middle schools and two after school centers in Indian River County, Florida by funding after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily, Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.
Tournament sponsors for 2019 include Presenting Sponsor PNC Bank, Grand Slam Sponsors Boston Barricade, George E. Warren Corporation and the Jake Owen Foundation, Cabana/Box Seat Sponsors John’s Island Real Estate, John Klein, Gene Simonsen, TeamChristopher.com, Dan Holman, Hadleigh Investments, Pene Chambers / Lynn Southerly, Lace and Bob Milligan / Mickey and Rob Stein, William Barhorst, CPA, Michael and Kathleen Pierce, The Pitcher Family, Shirley Becker, Scoreboard Sponsor Fit for Life / Syde Hurdus Foundation Backhand Sponsors Vero Beach Magazine, Rossway Swan, Nalzaro Music, Coastal Van Lines, Diamond Resorts International, Forehand Sponsors Karen and Steve Rubin, Mike and Meg Hickey / Premier Estate Properties, Shaklee / Suzie Sunkel, Indian River Animal Hospital – Charles B. Johnson, DVM, Marjorie Johnson, DVM, MS, DAVP, Serve Sponsors Cravings, Bistro Fourchette, Willem and Marion DeVogel, Foglia Custom Homes Topspin Sponsors Alex MacWilliam Real Estate, Eternal Water, Kit Fields Realtor, Patrick Williams / Tom Collins Insurance, Riverside Café, MinuteMan Press, Center Court Tennis Outfitters, Drop Shot Sponsors Treasure Coast Financial Planning, Inc., Peter and Judith Saidel, Deb Benjamin, Paul & Linda Delaney, Stewart Dunn, Susan Flannery (Aluma Tower), Tom Flannery (Malesardi, Quackenbush, Swift and Company LLC, Jim & Suzi Keegan, Don Moyle, Dee Patberg, Fran Smyrk (Treasure Coast Sotheby’s), Gary & Beth Williams, ABCO Garage Door Company, Inc., Barker Air Conditioning & Heating, Busy Bee Lawn & Garden Center, Coastal Comforts at the Village Shops, Colton, Williams & Reamy, CPAs, Complete Electric, Inc., Complete Restaurant Equipment, LLC, Glacier Clear Pool Service, Jack’s Complete Tree Service, Inc., Jimmy’s Tree Services, Ken’s Pool Service, ML Engineering, Inc., Nozzle Nolen, Inc., O’Haire, Quinn, Casalino, Chartered, Rich Look Lawn Care, Rick’s Custom Care, Statewide Condominium Insurance, Steve Supplee Construction LLC, Summit Construction of Vero Beach, LLC, Sunshine Furniture, White Glove Moving & Storage and Wilco Construction, Inc.
10 AM Sunday Start For Resumption of Rain-Delayed Mardy Fish Tennis At The Boulevard
Play will resume at 10 am Sunday at the $25,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships with the resumption of the second singles semifinal and the start of the second men’s doubles semifinal.
Diego Hidalgo, a member of Ecuador’s Davis Cup team, lead No. 2 seed Sekou Bangoura of Bradenton, Fla., 7-6, 5-3 and was just four points from advancing to the final when lightning and eventually another rain downpour postponed play for the day. The two former University of Florida standouts will continue their match at 10 am Sunday on the Stadium Court. At 10 am on the Grandstand Court, the second doubles semifinal will begin between Felix Corwin of the USA and Matic Spec of Slovenia, both former University of Minnesota standouts, against Italians Lorenzo Frigerio and Adelchi Virgili. After the conclusion of the singles and doubles semifinals, the respective finals will be scheduled based on rest required and requested following the conclusion of the semifinals.
Waiting in the respective finals will be Bangoura and his Bolivian Davis Cupper partner Boris Arias in the doubles final and Dmitry Popko of Kazakhstan in the singles final.
Popko, 22, advanced into his eighth singles final this year on this International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour circuit – or minor league professional tennis tour – with a 6-2, 6-1 victory in just 66 minutes over Paul Oosterbaan of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The Kazakh, ranked No. 608 in the ATP Tour singles rankings, broke the hard-serving Oosterbaan four times and forced 10 break points. While standing five inches shorter than Oosterbaan, Popko was the more physically imposing player, furiously slamming his deep and steady groundstrokes from both his forehand and backhand side, forcing errors from his opponent and pushing him away from his comfort zone. Popko also dominated on his serve, losing only 13 points in the entire match when he was serving.
Seeded No. 8 here this week, Popko found his rhythm as soon as the match started, opening a 3-0 lead with a service break in second game of the match and sealed the first set with another break in the eighth game.
“Today I played one of the best matches during this week,” said Popko, who was born in Russia in St. Petersburg. “I started to play better and better after the first round and I’m now in the final.”
Oosterbaan played well to reach the semifinals and was the more well-rested player without having to play a singles quarterfinal by virtue of gaining a walk-over win over Nicolas Alvarez of Peru. By contrast, Popko won a hard-fought slug fest over No. 1 Pedro Sakamoto of Brazil 6-4, 6-3 Friday night in the quarterfinals, played in front of enthusiastic crowd of several hundred fans at The Boulevard.
“Last year I was forced to miss six months and I have managed to find the rhythm at the beginning of 2019,” said Popko. “I’ve been improving my game to reach the best possible shape, I don’t think I had played this well before the injury.”
The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships is regarded as one of the best entry-level professional tennis tournaments in the world. Approximately 3,000 fans annually attend the event, which is seen as one of the best-attended entry-level professional events in the world.
Some of the past competitors at this tournament have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007, competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic and most recently world No. 50 player and teen sensation Denis Shapovalov, who played in Vero Beach in 2016. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Seven former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young, Ryan Harrison and Frances Tiafoe.
Founded in 2007, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) currently supports over 2,200 children in 15 elementary schools, six middle schools and two after school centers in Indian River County, Florida by funding after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily, Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.
Saturday Schedule Set For Mardy Fish
Play on Saturday at the $25,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships will start at 11 am with a doubles first round match between Diego Hidalgo of Ecuador and Juan Galarza of Argentina against Dragos Ignat of Romania and Maksim Tikhomirov of the USA. This match was postponed twice due to rain and also again Friday night due the late hour after Hidalgo won a three-hour three set quarterfinal against 17-year-old Eliot Spizzirri of Greenwich, Connecticut 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3. The match ended at 10:40 pm.
Hidalgo, a former University of Florida standout and a member of Ecuador’s Davis Cup team, graciously agreed to play his doubles match prior to his singles semifinal match against Sekou Bangoura of Bradenton, Florida. The other singles semifinal match between Paul Oosterbaan of Kalamazoo, Michigan and Dmitry Popko of Uzbekistan will start at Noon Saturday. The Bangoura-Hidalgo semifinal will start at an appropriate time after the conclusion of Hidalgo’s doubles match in the morning.
Oosterbaan advanced in the semifinals without striking a ball, earning a walkover over Nicolas Alvarez of Peru, who injured his ankle in his second round match of Nick Chappell of the USA. Alvarez realized in his warm-up prior to the match would not be able to play against the 6-foot-eight foot American
Popko, a member of Kazakhstan’s Davis Cup team, defeated No. 1 seed Pedro Sakamoto of Brazil 6-4, 6-3 in the feature Friday night match. Bangoura defeated Juan Galarza of Argentina 6-3, 6-4.
Play was delayed two separate times Friday after short rain bursts caused for hours of delays for the clay courts to dry. While rain has wreaked havoc on the latter stages of the tournament, nothing has deterred Dmitry Popko from his rocket-like rise up the ITF rankings in 2019.
Unlike the ATP Tour where there have been only two players with multiple titles this year (Roger Federer and Dominic Thiem), Popko, a Russian native playing for Kazakhstan, has dominated the new ITF World Tour circuit, winning six events in 2019, including three in Turkey, Naples, Sunrise and most recently Orange Park.
Popko was ranked No. 178th on the ATP computer in 2017 before a shoulder injury and change of coaches saw his rank plummet to No. 608. However, Popko is ranked 12th in the ITF. This new tour is designed to help young pros earn enough ranking points to get into the Top 200 so they could compete on the Challenger circuit, which is equivalent to Triple-A baseball, one step below the major leagues.
“I’m hungrier now and enjoying the wins,’’ said Popko, 22, who trains with his coach Ilya Drozdov in Boca Raton. “I don’t think that far into the future, but I just want no injuries and this year, and get to the Challenger level.’’
The quarterfinal between Oosterbaan and fifth-seeded Alvarez was finished before it started as Alvarez, a Peruvian who’s based in Buenos Aires, pulled out with a left ankle sprain. Alvarez, 22, is coming off a run to the finals in a $15,000 ITF event in Cancun and a title in a $25,000 ITF tournament in Palm Coast, where he defeated Bangoura in the final.
“It is upsetting,’’ said Alvarez, a former All-American at Duke, ranked 519th in the ATP and 74th in the ITF. “I hurt it during the second set of [Thursday’s straight-set victory over Nick Chappell].’’
Said Oosterbaan, “I saw he tweaked his ankle yesterday and unfortunately he couldn’t play. He’s a nice guy and it’s tough that’s happened, but it’s nice to get to the next round and not have to play two matches tomorrow.’’
Said Oosterbaan of his semifinal with Popko, “I played Popko before and he’s a pretty tough player. Tennis is trying something new. I can’t be too negative about it. It’s giving chances for players to play abroad but it makes it harder to get into some tournaments like in Turkey. Hopefully, it will work itself out.’’
Bangoura, ranked No. 213th in 2016, has dropped to No. 400, but is ranked 30th in the ITF. He won an ITF in Naples in January where he defeated Sakamoto; reached the semifinals in Bakersfield, Calif., in March and the finals of the aforementioned Palm Coast tournament.
“I’ve had ups and downs,’’ said Bangoura, 27, who trains in Saddlebrook Academy in Tampa. “The experience has been good. I’ve met a lot of people and traveled around the world. I’ve made the finals of three Challengers and got to 200. Almost qualified for the U.S. Open. … It’s a learning experience and hopefully I could get back there.’’
The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships is regarded as one of the best entry-level professional tennis tournaments in the world. Proceeds from the event benefit the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, the non-profit tennis foundation benefiting children, named for Vero Beach native son Mardy Fish, the former top 10 tennis star and the current U.S. Davis Cup captain. The event will be held April 29 – May 5 at The Boulevard tennis club in Vero Beach.
Tournament tickets and sponsorships for the event can be purchased at www.MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org Daily tickets for the April 29-May 5 are $20, with “night session” tickets starting at 5 pm from April 29 – May 4 costing $10. Season tickets for every session of the event are $100. Admission for children 18 and under is free. Fans can follow news and developments on the tournament on Facebook and on Twitter at @VeroFutures. Detailed sponsorship information can be obtained by emailing Tom Fish at Tfish10s@aol.com or Randy Walker at RWalker@NewChapterMedia.com Approximately 3,000 fans annually attend the event, which is seen as one of the best-attended entry-level professional events in the world.
Some of the past competitors at the USTA Vero Beach Futures have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007, competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic and most recently world No. 50 player and teen sensation Denis Shapovalov, who played in Vero Beach in 2016. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Seven former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young, Ryan Harrison and Frances Tiafoe.
Founded in 2007, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) currently supports over 2,200 children in 15 elementary schools, six middle schools and two after school centers in Indian River County, Florida by funding after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily, Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.
The tournament schedule is as follows:
Saturday, May 4
Singles Semifinals, Doubles 11 AM – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm
Sunday, May 5
Singles Final – The Boulevard Tennis Club, TBD
Doubles TBD
Tournament sponsors for 2019 include Presenting Sponsor PNC Bank, Grand Slam Sponsors Boston Barricade, George E. Warren Corporation and the Jake Owen Foundation, Cabana/Box Seat Sponsors John’s Island Real Estate, John Klein, Gene Simonsen, TeamChristopher.com, Dan Holman, Hadleigh Investments, Pene Chambers / Lynn Southerly, Lace and Bob Milligan / Mickey and Rob Stein, William Barhorst, CPA, Michael and Kathleen Pierce, The Pitcher Family, Shirley Becker, Scoreboard Sponsor Fit for Life / Syde Hurdus Foundation Backhand Sponsors Vero Beach Magazine, Rossway Swan, Nalzaro Music, Coastal Van Lines, Diamond Resorts International, Forehand Sponsors Karen and Steve Rubin, Mike and Meg Hickey / Premier Estate Properties, Shaklee / Suzie Sunkel, Indian River Animal Hospital – Charles B. Johnson, DVM, Marjorie Johnson, DVM, MS, DAVP, Serve Sponsors Cravings, Bistro Fourchette, Willem and Marion DeVogel, Foglia Custom Homes Topspin Sponsors Alex MacWilliam Real Estate, Eternal Water, Kit Fields Realtor, Patrick Williams / Tom Collins Insurance, Riverside Café, MinuteMan Press, Center Court Tennis Outfitters, Drop Shot Sponsors Treasure Coast Financial Planning, Inc., Peter and Judith Saidel, Deb Benjamin, Paul & Linda Delaney, Stewart Dunn, Susan Flannery (Aluma Tower), Tom Flannery (Malesardi, Quackenbush, Swift and Company LLC, Jim & Suzi Keegan, Don Moyle, Dee Patberg, Fran Smyrk (Treasure Coast Sotheby’s), Gary & Beth Williams, ABCO Garage Door Company, Inc., Barker Air Conditioning & Heating, Busy Bee Lawn & Garden Center, Coastal Comforts at the Village Shops, Colton, Williams & Reamy, CPAs, Complete Electric, Inc., Complete Restaurant Equipment, LLC, Glacier Clear Pool Service, Jack’s Complete Tree Service, Inc., Jimmy’s Tree Services, Ken’s Pool Service, ML Engineering, Inc., Nozzle Nolen, Inc., O’Haire, Quinn, Casalino, Chartered, Rich Look Lawn Care, Rick’s Custom Care, Statewide Condominium Insurance, Steve Supplee Construction LLC, Summit Construction of Vero Beach, LLC, Sunshine Furniture, White Glove Moving & Storage and Wilco Construction, Inc.
6-8 Oosterbaan Wins, 16-Year-Old Svajda Falls At Mardy Fish Tennis
Friday’s play at the $25,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships kicks off a noon with the last remaining round of 16 match, rained out from Thursday night, between Zimbabwe Davis Cupper Takanyi Garanganga against up-and-coming American Eliot Spizzirri of Greenwich, Connecticut. The singles quarterfinals as well as the continuation of doubles play also highlight Friday’s schedule that can be seen here: https://www.usta.com/content/dam/usta/pdfs/20190429_VeroBeach_M_OP.pdf
One player remaining in the singles draw that has a local connection is 6-foot-8 Paul Oosterbaan of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Vero Beach tennis fans have started to adopt Oosterbaan a bit as their own because he has been training at the nearby Grand Harbor tennis complex with head pro Marco Osorio, the former Davis Cup captain for Mexico who reached No. 268 in singles. Oosterbaan is being housed by tournament hosts, Tom and Sally Fish. Both his parents and grandparents are shopping for homes in Vero Beach.
For all of his 23 years, Oosterbaan has been encouraged and motivated by his 6-11 father, J.P. Oosterbaan, who proudly displays his NCAA National Championship ring, earned as a backup center for the University of Michigan 1989 basketball team where he played with NBA stalwarts such as Glen Rice, Rumeal Robinson and Terry Mills.
Then at 18, Oosterbaan, who grew from 5-11 to 6-6 after his high school sophomore season, won the USTA National Boys’ doubles title in his former hometown of Kalamazoo, Mich., which earned him a wild-card berth into the main draw of the U.S. Open. Oosterbaan and partner Ronnie Schneider lost in the first round to Brian Baker and Rajeev Ram, but that’s where he met 6-11 John Isner, currently the top-ranked American at No. 9 in the world.
“That was the craziest experience,’’ said Oosterbaan after defeating his doubles partner and friend Andrew Watson of Great Britain, 6-4, 6-3 Thursday at The Boulevard tennis club to reach the quarterfinals. “I stayed with John in Tampa for awhile before I found a place and he has helped me out.
“He told me I’m a big guy, too, and it takes some time and not to overthink stuff. Bigger players seem to mature and develop a little slower than others, so just stick with the process. John just turned 34 and is playing the best tennis of his life so there’s a lot of time left.’’
Oosterbaan, who’s ranked 682 on the ATP and No. 348 on the newly formed ITF World Tour rankings, is hoping to join 15 ATP pros who are 6-8 or taller, but the big dream is to join late-bloomers’ Isner and 6-8 Kevin Anderson into the Top 10.
Anderson, 32, has won six ATP title and has reached the finals of Wimbledon last year and the 2017 U.S. Open. Isner — a former Georgia Bulldog as is Oosterbaan — has won 14 titles, including the 2018 Miami Masters 1000. Last year, Isner reached the semifinals of Wimbledon, losing to Anderson, and the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, losing to 6-6 Juan Martin del Potro.
“Big guys are starting to do well and like them, I have to be a big server and take the racket out of my opponent’s hands because in the long rallies I struggle, not being the fastest guy out there,’’ Oosterbaan said.
Oosterbaan, who reached the finals of a $25,000 ITF event in Calgary last year, will play fifth-seeded Nicolas Alvarez of Peru on Friday.
Also reaching the quarterfinals is top-seeded Pedro Sakamoto of Brazil, who took advantage of two consecutive volleying errors by his doubles partner, Dominican Jose Olivares, at 5-5 of the first set before prevailing 7-5, 6-2.
Argentine Juan Galarza, the seventh seed, split sets with wild-card teenage entrant Andrew Dale of Leesburg, Va., before handing the lefty a bagel in the third set. Galarza will play second-seeded Sekou Bangoura, who edged 16-year-old prodigy Zachary Svajda of San Diego, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Bangoura’s ranking has dropped from 213th in 2016 to 400, but the 27-year-old Bradenton resident — an accomplished chess player – outmaneuvered Jamaican qualifier Rowland Phillips, 6-2, 6-3 in a rain-delayed match carried over from Wednesday.
Svajda, who also has been mentored by Isner while hitting with him for five months in Dallas, completed his rain-delayed first-round match from Wednesday with a 6-1, 7-6 (3) victory over 26-year-old Romanian Dragos Constantin Ignat.
“I can’t really return John’s serve yet, so we did a lot of ground-stroke work,’’ said Svajda, who’s just 5-8 but possesses smooth, powerful ground strokes from both sides.
Svajda reached the pre-qualifying finals at the Indian Wells Masters 1000 in March, and thanks to Isner, practiced with the legendary Roger Federer for four consecutive days.
“Like John, Roger told me to play my game, that it’s a long journey and to stay positive,’’ Svajda said.
Dean Goldfine, a former coach of perennial Top tenners Andy Roddick and Todd Martin, now working with the USTA national coaches, is impressed by Svajda.
“He’s got great timing and feel,’’ Goldfine said. “He can generate easy power and defends very well. The next step for him is to take some chances and close out points at the net to make things easier on him. He’s got a great attitude and a lot of potential, but he needs to play more junior matches. It’s too hard now to skip levels.’’
In other matches, unseeded defending champion Juan Benitez of Colombia was sent into retirement 6-2, 7-5 by eighth-seeded Dmitry Popko, a native of Russia who plays for Kazakhstan, but trains in Boca Raton with coach Ilya Drozdov.
“That’s it, I’m done,’’ said Benitez, 23, who’s returning to Baylor University to pursue a career in communications. “It was [fun] at the time but my career could’ve been more; I was a bit unlucky. [Popko] just gets balls back and is solid.’’
Popko has dominated the ITF World Tour circuit this year, winning six tournaments, including three in Turkey, as well as Naples, Sunrise and recently Orange Park. Once ranked 178th in 2017, but now 608 after battling shoulder issues, Popko is ranked 12th in the ITF. This new tour is designed to help young pros earn enough ranking points to get into the Top 200 and compete in the higher Challenger level.
“I’m hungrier now and enjoying the wins,’’ said Popko, 22. “I don’t think that far into the future, but I just want no injuries and this year, get to the Challenger level.’’
In Popko’s afternoon match he outlasted Colombian teen Nicolas Mejia, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in an exquisite display of top-level tennis.
Popko has gotten used to winning as he’s after his seventh ITF World Tour title this year. He was ranked 12th in the new ITF ranking system and will most likely break into the Top 10 if gets past his quarterfinal opponent, top-seeded Pedro Sakamoto of Brazil, who he defeated 6-2, 6-1 in a second-round match of an ITF Futures $15,000 event in Turkey in February 2017.
“He’s always a dangerous player,’’ Sakamoto said. “He’s very solid.’’
Once ranked 178th in 2017, a shoulder injury and a coaching change saw him drop to 608 and relegated Popko from the Challenger Tour to the lower ITF minor league. He won three ITF tournaments in Turkey, as well as one in Naples, Sunrise and recently Orange Park.
Back with his boyhood coach Drozdov, believes all the winning breeds confidence and helped him pull out his late-afternoon match before the rains postponed the rest of the evening matches.
“That was a high-quality match,’’ said Popko, who plays for Kazakhstan but trains in Boca Raton. “I had to step up in the third set and I did. I have confidence and it also helped.’’
Mejia, who had an outstanding junior career, said he lost his concentration briefly in the third set, and it cost him.
“He’s one of the toughest players in the Futures; he’s won like 65 matches this year,’’ Mejia said. “I thought a little focus in the game I was broken at 3-2 him in the third set. I’m getting better and have to keep grinding. These are the kind of matches you live for and the type I have to win in order to get to the next level.’’
Popko has dominated the ITF World Tour circuit this year, winning six tournaments, including three in Turkey, as well as Naples, Sunrise and recently Orange Park. Once ranked 178th in 2017, but now 608 after battling shoulder issues, Popko is ranked 12th in the ITF. This new tour is designed to help young pros earn enough ranking points to get into the Top 200 and compete in the higher Challenger level.
“I’m hungrier now and enjoying the wins,’’ said Popko, 22. “I don’t think that far into the future, but I just want no injuries and this year, get to the Challenger level.’’
The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships is regarded as one of the best entry-level professional tennis tournaments in the world. Proceeds from the event benefit the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, the non-profit tennis foundation benefiting children, named for Vero Beach native son Mardy Fish, the former top 10 tennis star and the current U.S. Davis Cup captain. The event will be held April 29 – May 5 at The Boulevard tennis club in Vero Beach.
Tournament tickets and sponsorships for the event can be purchased at www.MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org Daily tickets for the April 29-May 5 are $20, with “night session” tickets starting at 5 pm from April 29 – May 4 costing $10. Season tickets for every session of the event are $100. Admission for children 18 and under is free. Fans can follow news and developments on the tournament on Facebook and on Twitter at @VeroFutures. Detailed sponsorship information can be obtained by emailing Tom Fish at Tfish10s@aol.com or Randy Walker at RWalker@NewChapterMedia.com Approximately 3,000 fans annually attend the event, which is seen as one of the best-attended entry-level professional events in the world.
Some of the past competitors at the USTA Vero Beach Futures have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007, competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic and most recently world No. 50 player and teen sensation Denis Shapovalov, who played in Vero Beach in 2016. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Seven former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young, Ryan Harrison and Frances Tiafoe.
Founded in 2007, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) currently supports over 2,200 children in 15 elementary schools, six middle schools and two after school centers in Indian River County, Florida by funding after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily, Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.
The tournament schedule is as follows:
Friday, May 3
Main Draw Singles & Doubles – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Saturday, May 4
Singles Semifinals, Doubles TBD – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm
Sunday, May 5
Singles Final – The Boulevard Tennis Club, 1 pm
Doubles TBD
Tournament sponsors for 2019 include Presenting Sponsor PNC Bank, Grand Slam Sponsors Boston Barricade, George E. Warren Corporation and the Jake Owen Foundation, Cabana/Box Seat Sponsors John’s Island Real Estate, John Klein, Gene Simonsen, TeamChristopher.com, Dan Holman, Hadleigh Investments, Pene Chambers / Lynn Southerly, Lace and Bob Milligan / Mickey and Rob Stein, William Barhorst, CPA, Michael and Kathleen Pierce, The Pitcher Family, Shirley Becker, Scoreboard Sponsor Fit for Life / Syde Hurdus Foundation Backhand Sponsors Vero Beach Magazine, Rossway Swan, Nalzaro Music, Coastal Van Lines, Diamond Resorts International, Forehand Sponsors Karen and Steve Rubin, Mike and Meg Hickey / Premier Estate Properties, Shaklee / Suzie Sunkel, Indian River Animal Hospital – Charles B. Johnson, DVM, Marjorie Johnson, DVM, MS, DAVP, Serve Sponsors Cravings, Bistro Fourchette, Willem and Marion DeVogel, Foglia Custom Homes Topspin Sponsors Alex MacWilliam Real Estate, Eternal Water, Kit Fields Realtor, Patrick Williams / Tom Collins Insurance, Riverside Café, MinuteMan Press, Center Court Tennis Outfitters, Drop Shot Sponsors Treasure Coast Financial Planning, Inc., Peter and Judith Saidel, Deb Benjamin, Paul & Linda Delaney, Stewart Dunn, Susan Flannery (Aluma Tower), Tom Flannery (Malesardi, Quackenbush, Swift and Company LLC, Jim & Suzi Keegan, Don Moyle, Dee Patberg, Fran Smyrk (Treasure Coast Sotheby’s), Gary & Beth Williams, ABCO Garage Door Company, Inc., Barker Air Conditioning & Heating, Busy Bee Lawn & Garden Center, Coastal Comforts at the Village Shops, Colton, Williams & Reamy, CPAs, Complete Electric, Inc., Complete Restaurant Equipment, LLC, Glacier Clear Pool Service, Jack’s Complete Tree Service, Inc., Jimmy’s Tree Services, Ken’s Pool Service, ML Engineering, Inc., Nozzle Nolen, Inc., O’Haire, Quinn, Casalino, Chartered, Rich Look Lawn Care, Rick’s Custom Care, Statewide Condominium Insurance, Steve Supplee Construction LLC, Summit Construction of Vero Beach, LLC, Sunshine Furniture, White Glove Moving & Storage and Wilco Construction, Inc.
Some Players Advance, Some Wait To Finish Due To Rain At Mardy Fish Tennis – 10 AM Start Thursday
Rain washed away most of the afternoon and evening play Wednesday at the $25,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championship causing tournament officials to start play at 10 am on Thursday – two hours earlier than previously planned – in an effort to get back on schedule. The full schedule of play for Thursday can be found here: https://www.usta.com/content/dam/usta/pdfs/20190429_VeroBeach_M_OP.pdf
After a three-hour rain delay Wednesday, Paul Oosterbaan needed just two more points to advance into the second round before the hard rains returned. It took just three minutes for the 6-foot-8 Oosterbaan to seal the deal with one of his trademark booming serves as he finished off Great Britain’s Jack Findel-Hawkins 6-2, 7-6 (3) under the lights at The Boulevard tennis club.
“It’s nice to walk away with a win but it was tough waiting around for awhile but I’m excited to move on to tomorrow,’’ said Oosterbaan, who left the University of Georgia after his sophomore season to pursue a professional tennis career. “I tried not to think about leading 5-1 in the tiebreaker and just think about the point coming up we had to play. Luckily, I won my service point.’’
Oosterbaan, 23, ranked No. 682, has been training across the street from The Boulevard at Grand Harbor club. Despite facing a hostile crowd Tuesday night he and partner Andrew Watson edged Vero Beach locals Chase Perez-Blanco and Andrew Butz, 6-2, 4-6 (10-8).
“It was a fun night, big crowd, and a great atmosphere to play in.’’
It had to be far worse for Findel-Hawkins, 24, who waited three hours just to lose.
“I played a scratchy match anyway,’’ the 678th-ranked Findel-Hawkins said.
When Nicolas Mejia of Colombia made it through qualifiers and reached the quarterfinals of the Mardy Fish tournament last year he was still a junior. He ran into eventual Fish champion Juan Benitez in the quarters. A year later Mejia returns a 19-year-old man beginning his professional career.
Mejia, who trains in Bradenton with IMG, used some of that experience during a three-hour rain delay after splitting sets (and 1-1 in the third) against Japan’s Naoki Nakagawa. Serving at 5-3, Mejia was broken but broke right back and converted match point by having to hit two feathery drop shots during the final rally.
“I’m really lucky I travel with a lot of friends at IMG,’’ said Mejia, who won the Grade 1 Eddie Herr Junior Championships last year while reaching the semifinals of Junior Wimbledon, the quarterfinals of the Junior French Open and the round of 16 at the Junior U.S. Open. “We are lucky to have each other. It’s really fun.’’
Still waiting to play his first-round match Wednesday night was Benitez, who has since returned to Baylor University to pursue his degree in communications. Benitez, 23, ranked 608, has decided the gypsy-like existence is no longer right for him.
While Benitez has won at least three Future events, he has never played in the main draw of a ‘major league’ ATP-sanctioned event.
“It’s time to live a more stable lifestyle. It’s been fun traveling to 15 to 20 countries, but I want to get my degree and settle down. I have so many stories,’’ said Benitez of Colombia.
Also anxious to play his first-round match was 16-year-old Zachary Svajda, the youngest competitor in the tournament. The rain pushed back his match against fellow qualifier Dragos Constantin Ignat of Romania. Ignat, 26, manages a tennis club in East Hampton, N.Y., and is trying to get his career back on track after a litany of injuries, including shoulder surgery and severe migraines accompanied by vertigo.
Svajda, whose father is from the Czech Republic, eschews most junior tournaments, and prefers to play on the ITF circuit. He did post a big junior win in Carson, Calif., earlier this year.
Although the Dominican Republic is well known for churning out Major League All-Star baseball players, several athletes from the idyllic Caribbean island prefer a fuzzy yellow ball to the stitched cowhide variety.
Dominican Jose Olivares swung a formidable racket rather than a baseball bat as he bounced back from a first-set thrashing to vanquish hard-hitting qualifier Baker Newman 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the second round.
Fellow Dominican, 580th-ranked Nick Hardt, 18, was unable to finish off his rain-delayed match with with 320th-ranked Maksim Tikhomirov of Philadelphia. Another downpour came at 8:25 p.m. All the doubles matches were postponed until Thursday.
Olivares’ reward for his first-round victory in the 25th-running of this newly dubbed $25,000 ITF World Tennis Tour event was a second-round meeting with top-seeded Pedro Sakamoto, who happens to be his doubles partner this week. Sakamoto, a Brazilian with a Japanese mother and Hawaiian grandfather, cruised past Isaac Stoute of Great Britain, 6-4, 6-2 on Stadium Court.
“I played baseball when I was about 12, but my uncle taught me tennis, so I preferred that and basketball over baseball,’’ smiled the 22-year-old Olivares, now ranked 670th. “[Sakamoto] is a good player but I’m confident in me. I will concentrate on the doubles and then talk to my coach about strategy against him and concentrate on that tomorrow.’’
Olivares’ coach Gustavo Granitto, who trains his disciple in South Florida (Pembroke Pines), said young Dominicans are riding the wave left by countryman Victor Estrella Burgos, who was the first Dominican to play in a Grand Slam at age 34 when he reached the third round of the U.S. Open in 2014. He was also the first to crack the Top 100 and reached a career-high 43 in 2015, while winning three ATP titles, all in Ecuador.
“They saw Estrella and they wanted to follow,’’ Granitto said. “They know their stuff and are working hard.’’
Newman, 23, has honed his strokes in Miami where he was a five-time state champion for Gulliver Academy before a standout career at Vanderbilt University. However, Newman and his older brother Spencer, play Davis Cup for the Bahamas, the birthplace of their father, Eric.
Sakamoto, 25, is enjoying a breakthrough season, having reached the finals of a $15,000 ITF event in Naples in January, winning a $15,000 ITF in Argentina last month as well as another finals berth in an ATP Challenger in Mexico. He appreciates being the top seed but also isn’t thrilled to have a target on his back.
“It’s a pleasure but everybody is against you and wants to beat the top seed,’’ said 382nd-ranked Sakamoto, who’s proficient in Portuguese, Spanish and English, but not Japanese. “All tournaments are hard, and everyone is playing good, so I have to look at each match and keep working for it.’’
A few weeks ago Sakamoto ousted 100th-ranked Alexander Bublik and earlier this year took out Carlos Berlocq, who was ranked 37th in 2012.
“I’ve been struggling in Futures and Challengers for the past 5-6 years, but this year has been quite different,’’ he said. “I started well in the U.S., reaching a final of a $15,000. I don’t know what happened, but I’ve been playing better and better, and now I’m enjoying tennis more this year. My main goal this year is to play in qualifying of Grand Slams. That’s the first step, and after that work hard to get into the Top 100.’’
The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships is regarded as one of the best entry-level professional tennis tournaments in the world. Proceeds from the event benefit the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, the non-profit tennis foundation benefiting children, named for Vero Beach native son Mardy Fish, the former top 10 tennis star and the current U.S. Davis Cup captain. The event will be held April 29 – May 5 at The Boulevard tennis club in Vero Beach.
Tournament tickets and sponsorships for the event can be purchased at www.MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org Daily tickets for the April 29-May 5 are $20, with “night session” tickets starting at 5 pm from April 29 – May 4 costing $10. Season tickets for every session of the event are $100. Admission for children 18 and under is free. Fans can follow news and developments on the tournament on Facebook and on Twitter at @VeroFutures. Detailed sponsorship information can be obtained by emailing Tom Fish at Tfish10s@aol.com or Randy Walker at RWalker@NewChapterMedia.com Approximately 3,000 fans annually attend the event, which is seen as one of the best-attended entry-level professional events in the world.
Some of the past competitors at the USTA Vero Beach Futures have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007, competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic and most recently world No. 50 player and teen sensation Denis Shapovalov, who played in Vero Beach in 2016. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Seven former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young, Ryan Harrison and Frances Tiafoe.
Founded in 2007, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishFoundation.com and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) currently supports over 2,200 children in 15 elementary schools, six middle schools and two after school centers in Indian River County, Florida by funding after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily, Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.
The tournament schedule is as follows:
Thursday, May 2
Main Draw Singles & Doubles – The Boulevard Tennis Club, 10 AM, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Friday, May 3
Main Draw Singles & Doubles – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Saturday, May 4
Singles Semifinals, Doubles TBD – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm
Sunday, May 5
Singles Final – The Boulevard Tennis Club, 1 pm
Doubles TBD
Tournament sponsors for 2019 include Presenting Sponsor PNC Bank, Grand Slam Sponsors Boston Barricade, George E. Warren Corporation and the Jake Owen Foundation, Cabana/Box Seat Sponsors John’s Island Real Estate, John Klein, Gene Simonsen, TeamChristopher.com, Dan Holman, Hadleigh Investments, Pene Chambers / Lynn Southerly, Lace and Bob Milligan / Mickey and Rob Stein, William Barhorst, CPA, Michael and Kathleen Pierce, The Pitcher Family, Shirley Becker, Scoreboard Sponsor Fit for Life / Syde Hurdus Foundation Backhand Sponsors Vero Beach Magazine, Rossway Swan, Nalzaro Music, Coastal Van Lines, Diamond Resorts International, Forehand Sponsors Karen and Steve Rubin, Mike and Meg Hickey / Premier Estate Properties, Shaklee / Suzie Sunkel, Indian River Animal Hospital – Charles B. Johnson, DVM, Marjorie Johnson, DVM, MS, DAVP, Serve Sponsors Cravings, Bistro Fourchette, Willem and Marion DeVogel, Foglia Custom Homes Topspin Sponsors Alex MacWilliam Real Estate, Eternal Water, Kit Fields Realtor, Patrick Williams / Tom Collins Insurance, Riverside Café, MinuteMan Press, Center Court Tennis Outfitters, Drop Shot Sponsors Treasure Coast Financial Planning, Inc., Peter and Judith Saidel, Deb Benjamin, Paul & Linda Delaney, Stewart Dunn, Susan Flannery (Aluma Tower), Tom Flannery (Malesardi, Quackenbush, Swift and Company LLC, Jim & Suzi Keegan, Don Moyle, Dee Patberg, Fran Smyrk (Treasure Coast Sotheby’s), Gary & Beth Williams, ABCO Garage Door Company, Inc., Barker Air Conditioning & Heating, Busy Bee Lawn & Garden Center, Coastal Comforts at the Village Shops, Colton, Williams & Reamy, CPAs, Complete Electric, Inc., Complete Restaurant Equipment, LLC, Glacier Clear Pool Service, Jack’s Complete Tree Service, Inc., Jimmy’s Tree Services, Ken’s Pool Service, ML Engineering, Inc., Nozzle Nolen, Inc., O’Haire, Quinn, Casalino, Chartered, Rich Look Lawn Care, Rick’s Custom Care, Statewide Condominium Insurance, Steve Supplee Construction LLC, Summit Construction of Vero Beach, LLC, Sunshine Furniture, White Glove Moving & Storage and Wilco Construction, Inc.
