Magnus Johnson of Naples, Fla. withstood a first set blitz and a second set rope-a-dope and hung on to win the final by the narrowest of margins of the pre-qualifying tournament for the $25,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships Friday night at The Boulevard tennis club.
Johnson, 18, won this 32-player wild card feed-in tournament by beating a player more than twice his age and with more than three times the tennis experience, 43-year-old Christian Vinck of Germany by a 4-6, 6-1, 10-8 scoreline, the narrowest margin of victory – two points – in the decisive 10-point match tiebreaker, played in lieu of a third set. The tournament victory qualifies Johnson to play in the 32-player qualifying tournament for this International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour event that is played Monday and Tuesday next week, leading into the main draw of this U.S. Tennis Association Competitive Pathway event.
“It was an awesome experience for me to be a part of the pre-qualifying event for this tournament, knowing it is a prestigious one and I’m happy to receive a wild card and go all the way,” said Johnson. “I was excited for having the opportunity to compete against Christian. He is very experienced and knows what he has to do on the court. I knew it was going to be a difficult task and it is awesome to beat a player who accomplished that much.”
For a player of Vinck’s age and level of professional tennis experience to be playing in this pre-qualifying tournament for what is the tennis equivalent of minor league baseball is an anomaly. One month before Johnson was born in August of 2000, Vinck was narrowly losing a third-round match to world No. 8 Thomas Enqvist on Centre Court at Wimbledon, the grandest stage in tennis. Three years prior to that, Vinck was registering perhaps the signature win of his career over all-time great Andre Agassi in the final of the Challenger-level tournament in Agassi’s hometown of Las Vegas, in front of his family and then wife Brooke Shields. While Johnson is an up-and-coming prospect, verbally committing this week to play college tennis at the University of Central Florida next year, Vinck was in Vero Beach on vacation. While he ended his full-time career as a pro tennis player in 2003, he continued to compete in club and team events in Germany, and an occasional minor league pro event, to continue to quench his competitive fire while he excelled in his career in international management consulting. He has competed and won matches in the qualifying rounds in this Vero Beach event the last three years as it was timed perfectly around his Spring vacation.
Johnson, the No. 1 seed, lost only six games in five matches entered the final against, Vinck, the No. 2 seed, but quickly found himself in unknown territory for the week down 5-2 in the first set, with a crowd of nearly 200 fans eagerly watching. Vinck held on to win the first set 6-4, but the hot and humid conditions, and his 43-year old body, became to take a toll in the second set. After falling down two service breaks, Vinck conserved his energy and played a game of “rope-a-dope,” barely running for balls and going for quick winners to save energy for the decisive 10-point match tiebreaker, played in lieu of a third set in this specially-created prequalifying tournament. After Johnson won the second set 6-1, Vinck, with reserve energy saved up, started full throttle in the tiebreaker. Johnson lead most of the tiebreaker, but Vinck stayed close and worked to tie the score at 7-7. Johnson won the next two points to reach double-match point at 9-7. After Vinck slammed a backhand winner to narrow the gap to 9-8, Johnson calmly stood at the service line and launched a powerful serve down the middle, causing Vinck to miss a backhand return to close out the tournament victory.
“It was a difficult match overall for me,” said Johnson, who was fighting a cold during the week. “I was trying to fight and do the best I could. He wanted to preserve the best he had for the match tie-breaker once I moved in front in the second set. I’m happy for being able to keep my level high, especially after he started to give his best again in the deciding part of the match.”
After two days of rest back home, Johnson will compete in the first round of the qualifying tournament on Monday. Johnson will have to win two matches in the 32-player qualifying tournament to be among eight qualifiers into the main draw of the event that starts on Tuesday.
A main draw doubles “wild card” tournament was also held in conjunction with this pre-qualifying singles event with the winning team earning a main draw doubles invitation into the tournament. This was won by brothers Quinn and Hayden Snyder of Delran, N.J., who defeated Juan Mateus of Edmond, Okla., and Chris Rosensteel of East Windsor, N.J. 4-2, 0-4, 10-5 in the final in the “fast four” scoring format. James and Joseph van Diense of Vero Beach were defeated in the semifinals, losing to the Snyder brothers in three tiebreakers 4-3(3), 3-4(5), 10-8.
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 Ttfish10s@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:
Sunday, April 28
Kick-off Party – The Boulevard Tennis Club, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Monday, April 29
Qualifying Tournament Begins – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Tuesday, April 30
Qualifying Tournament Ends, Main Draw Beings – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Wednesday, May 1
Main Draw Singles & Doubles – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Thursday, May 2
Main Draw Singles & Doubles – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 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 Final – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm
Sunday, May 5
Singles Final – The Boulevard Tennis Club, 1 pm
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.
Vero Beach Champions
43-Year-Old Vinck To Play 18-Year-Old Johnson In Mardy Fish Pre-Qualifying Final Friday
In July of 2000, Christian Vinck of Germany was experiencing perhaps the high point of his professional tennis career, playing a five-set match against a top ten player on Centre Court at Wimbledon. A month later, Magnus Johnson was born.
Friday these two tennis players will meet in the pre-qualifying tournament final of the $25,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships at The Boulevard tennis club in Vero Beach.
The winner of this 4 p.m. singles final between the 18-year-old Johnson, the No. 1 seed, and the 43-year-old Vinck, the No. 2 seed, will earn a “wild card” or tournament entry into the qualifying rounds of this International Tennis Federation World Tennis Tour that is part of the U.S. Tennis Association’s Competitive Pathway.
For Vinck, playing against much younger players is now common to him. Following his five-set loss to No. 8 seed Thomas Enqvist of Sweden on Wimbledon’s Centre Court in 2000, Vinck played three more years of professional tennis, but turned tennis from a job to a hobby. He became a businessman and a management consultant but continued to play competitive tennis when he could, in team and club matches in Germany while also playing in the qualifying rounds of lower-level pro tournaments like the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships.
“It happens all the time that I play against the players who weren’t even born yet when I competed on the biggest tennis stages,” said Vinck Thursday following a 6-2, 6-1 win over another 18-year-old Tommi Carnevale-Miino of Italy in the semifinals. “I’m practicing with the youngsters and play team tennis and in the open events. It is nothing new for me.”
Johnson advanced into the final in torrid fashion, losing only six games in four matches on Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday, Johnson beat Jack Vance of Las Vegas 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals and Chris Rosensteel of East Windsor, N.J. 6-2, 6-0 in the semifinal. A resident of Naples, Florida, Johnson is one of the top junior players in the United States and earlier this week, verbally committed to play college tennis next year at the University of Central Florida with head coach John Roddick, the older brother of 2003 U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick.
“I’m excited,” said Johnson of his future at UCF.” They have an excellent program and a young team and I think they are doing a lot of great things out there. John Roddick had some good stories about working with his brother Andy, that’s always fun to hear.”
The most talked about and dramatic match at The Boulevard Thursday was the quarterfinal between Vinck and former Michigan State All-American John Mullane, as both players engaged in a hotly contested match, featuring verbal barbs, contested calls and Mullane suffering severe cramps at the end of the match, preventing him from serving overhead or moving. Vinck led 6-0, 4-1 before Mullane’s go-for-broke style began to payoff and he was able to square the second set at 5-5. Tensions ran high as close line-calls were challenged, causing a screaming match between to the highly-competitive athletes. As Mullane fought back into the match, he began to deteriorate physically, showing signs of cramping and he began to ask fans and fellow players for bananas to help prevent the cramping. With Vinck leading 6-5 in the second set, Mullane’s cramping became so bad that he was unable to walk and was forced to serve the last game underhanded from six feet behind the baseline. Vinck was then able to easily break’s Mullane’s serve to win the match.
“When you see an injured player who is cramping on the other side of the net, you think it is good for your game but you don’t want anybody to have pain, especially since I know how it feels,” said Vinck.
Earlier in the day in the quarterfinals, James van Deinse of the Vero Beach Tennis Club and the tennis coach at Vero Beach High School, was narrowly defeated by Rosensteel 4-6, 6-4, (13-11 in the match tiebreaker.) Van Deinse fought out of a triple-match-point deficit at 6-9 in the decisive match tiebreaker and held a match point at 11-10 before falling. On Wednesday night, Van Deinse won what he described as “the best ever win in a tournament” in upsetting former top 100 ATP doubles player and No. 3 seed Brian Battistone 6-3, 7-5.
Friday’s schedule will also feature doubles quarterfinal, semifinal and final matches starting at 3 pm, before the 4 pm singles final. Van Deinse and his younger brother Joseph will compete at 3 pm in the doubles quarterfinals. The doubles semifinals will be played at about 5 pm and the doubles final at about 7 pm. Doubles matches feature “Fast 4” matches – first to four games with no-ad scoring, a tiebreaker at 3-3 and a 10-point match tiebreaker for a third set.
Friday Schedule
3 pm – Doubles Quarterfinals
James and Joseph van Deinse vs. Olavo Neto / Vitor Jordao
John Mullane /. Jericho Grollman vs. Juan Mateus / Chris Rosensteel
4 pm – Singles Final
Christian Vinck vs. Magnus Johnson
Approx. 4:30 pm – Doubles Semifinals
John Mullane / Jericho Grollman /// Juan Mateus / Chris Rosensteel WINNER vs. Hayden and Quinn Snyder
James and Joseph van Deinse /// Olavo Neto / Vitor Jordao WINNER vs. Colin Tavares / Gabriel Diaz
Approx. 6:30 pm – Doubles Final
THURSDAY RESULTS
Quarterfinals
Chris Rosensteel (East Windsor, NJ) def. James Van Deinse (Vero Beach, FL) 4-6, 6-4, (13-11)
Christian Vinck (Germany) def. John Mullane (White Lake, Mich.) 6-0, 7-5
Magnus Johnson (Naples, Fla..) def. Jack Vance (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-1, 6-2
Tommi Carnevale-Miino (Italy) def. Juan Mateus (Edmond, Okla.) 6-2, 7-6 (4)
Semifinals
Magnus Johnson def. Chris Rosensteel 6-2, 6-0
Christian Vinck def. Tommi Carnevale-Miino 6-1, 6-2
Doubles Quarterfinals
Quinn Snyder and Hayden Snyder def. Ernani Neto / Thiago Negrao 4-0, 3-4(6), 10-7
Colin Tavares and Diaz def. Jack Vance and Jaime Vance 4-0, 4-2
Doubles First Round
Colin Tavares / Gabriel Diaz def. Bernardo Costa / Gui Jasmin 4-2, 4-2
John Mullane and Jericho Grollman def. Mike Hickey and Andrew Harper 4-0, 4-0
WEDNESDAY RESULTS
FIRST ROUND SINGLES
John Mullane (White Lake, Mich) def. Peyton Hickman (Bay Minette, Ala.) 6-0, 6-0
Jack Vance (Las Vegas) def. Ryan Isjett (Perry, Ga.) 6-1, 6-0
Brian Battistone (Las Vegas) def. Gabriel Diaz (Rockledge, Fla.) 6-3, 6-2
Viju George (Boca Raton, Fla.) def. Charlie Dossetter (Great Britain) 6-4, 6-1
Tommi Carnevale-Miino (Italy) def. Lazar Markovic (Locust Valley, N.Y.) 6-2, 6-3
Juan Mateus (Edmond, Okla.) def. Jaime Vance (Las Vegas) 6-4, 6-1
Kyle Johnson (Charlotte, N.C.) def. Masaki Posey (Union City, Ga.) 6-4, 2-6, 10-7
Daniel Botti (Hilton Head, SC) def. Jericho Grollman (Orlando, Fla.) 6-4, 1-6, 10-6
Magnus Johnson (Naples, Fla.) def. Eric Oncins (Montverde, Fla.) 6-1, 6-0
Bernado Costa (Montverde, Fla.) def. Joseph van Deinse (Vero Beach, Fla.) 6-2, 6-2
Christian Vinck (Germany) def. Vitor Jordao (Montverde, Fla.) 6-0, 6-2
Colin Tavares (Titusville, Fla.) def. Olavo Neto (Montvedre, Fla.) 6-3, 6-4
Bruno Nunes (Monteverde, Fla.) def. Bill Lachlan (Winter Park, Fla.) W/O
Quinn Snyder (Delran, N.J.) def. Thiago Negrao (Montverde, Fla.) 6-0, 6-1
Chris Rosensteel (East Windsor, N.J.) def. Brian Boggs (Columbus, Ga.) 6-0, 6-2
James van Deinse (Vero Beach, Fla.) def. Sebastian Flores (Orlando) 6-1, 6-3
SECOND ROUND SINGLES
Jack Vance d Viju George 6-4, 6-2
Juan Mateus d. Kyle Johnson 1-6, 7-6 (2), 13-11
John Mullane d. Bruno Nunes 6-2, 6-0
Tommi Carnevale Miino d. Bernardo Costa 6-0, 6-1
Chris Rosensteel d. Quinn Snyder 6-7 (7), 6-2, 10-5
Magnus Johnson d. Chris Botti 6-0, 6-0
James van Deinse d. Brian Battistone 6-3, 7-5
Christian Vinck d. Colin Tavares 6-1, 6-2
Mardy Fish Tennis Kicks Off With Pre-Qualifying At The Boulevard Tennis Club
James Van Deinse, Vero Beach High School’s tennis coach who runs the Vero Beach Tennis Club with his family, registered one of the biggest wins of his competitive tennis career Wednesday night holding on to defeat Brian Battistone 6-3, 7-5 to advance into the quarterfinals of the pre-qualifying tournament for the $25,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships at The Boulevard tennis club.
Van Deinse served for the match three times against Battistone, finally closing out the win on his third attempt to defeat the former top 100 ATP ranked doubles player known for this double-handled racquet, volleyball-style jump serve and ambidexterous style. Van Deinse served for the match at 5-2 and 5-4 in the second set and came back from 0-40 down on his serve while serving for the match at 6-5, winning the last five points of the match.
Van Deinse will pay Chris Rosensteel of East Windsor, N.J. at 12:30 pm Thursday at The Boulevard in the quarterfinals. Rosensteel upset No. 7 seed Quinn Snyder of Delran, N.J., 6-7 (7), 6-2, (10-6) to advance into the quarterfinals.
The other three quarterfinals are scheduled for 1 pm on Thursday with top-seed Magnus Johnson of Naples, Florida taking on No. 5 seed Jack Vance of Las Vegas, No. 2 seed Christian Vinck of Germany talking on No. 8 seed John Mullane of White Lake, Michigan and No. 6 seed Tommi Carnevale-Miino of Italy taking on Juan Mateus of Edmond, Okla. Admission is free for fans.
This event features 32 players who are competing for the right to earn one position into the qualifying rounds of this International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour event that is part of the U.S. Tennis Association’s Competitive Pathway. The qualifying tournament, which was reduced from a four-day 128-player event in previous years to a two-day 32-player event this year, will be played Monday, April 29 and Tuesday, April 30, prior to the start of the main draw of the tournament.
The top-seeded Johnson, 18, lost only one game in his first and second round matches played Tuesday. In the first round, he defeated Eric Oncins, the son of former Brazilian Davis Cup and Olympic team standout Jaime Oncins, by a 6-1, 6-0 margin. Oncins was inserted into the draw earlier that morning as an alternate after Vero Beach High School standout Emilio van Cotthem withdrew with tendinitis in his right wrist.
“I didn’t know his father was a former top-40 player,” said Johnson upon learning that his first-round opponent was the son of a former Olympic quarterfinalist. “I heard him speaking with one of the spectators before the match but didn’t realize that. That’s pretty cool.”
Johnson said he was sick the previous night and was not pleased with his performance, despite only giving up one game in two matches. “I haven’t been feeling the greatest on the court today,” he said. “I just tried to do the best I could and hope to get another match and keep building on that.”
The second-seeded Vinck gave up only five games in two matches Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals. The 43-year-old Germany was once ranked No. 101 in the world and reached the third round at Wimbledon in 2000, but still feeds his competitive nature by competing in this tournament every year while on vacation from his job as a management consultant. He is perhaps best known in the history of tennis as the player who defeated Andre Agassi in the final of the 1997 USTA Challenger in Agassi’s hometown of Las Vegas during Agassi’s comeback from his ranking dropping to No. 141 in the world.
Mullane, a former All-American for Michigan State University, has played one main draw win at a “Futures” event under his belt and he is seeking a chance to fight for another one here at Vero Beach. He lost only two games in two matches Wednesday, delivering a double bagel versus Peyton Hickman of Bay Minette, Alabama in the first round, followed by a 6-2, 6-0 win over Bruno Nunes of Montverde, Florida.
Jack Vance, best known in Vero Beach for reaching the singles final of the Mardy Fish main draw wild card tournament at the Sea Oaks Club in 2018, won his first two matches Wednesday in straight sets, while Carnevale-Miino defeated John McEnroe Academy student Lazar Markovic 6-2, 6-3 in the first round and Bernardo Costa of Montverde, Florida 6-1, 6-0 in the second round. In the match of the day, Juan Mateus of Edmond, Oklahoma saved a match point in his upset of No. 4 seed Kyle Johnson, a member of El Salvador’s Davis Cup team, 1-6, 7-6 (5), (13-11) to reach the quarterfinals.
Play in the main draw doubles wild card event will also start Thursday with matches starting at 3 pm. Schedule and draw and results can be found on the UTR website here: https://www.myutr.com/events/3744?t=2
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 Ttfish10s@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, April 25 – Friday, April 26
Pre-Qualifying Tournament – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Times TBD (Free to public)
Sunday, April 28
Pro-Am – Sea Oaks Tennis Club, 1:30 – 3:30 pm
Kick-off Party – The Boulevard Tennis Club, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Monday, April 29
Qualifying Tournament Begins – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Tuesday, April 30
Qualifying Tournament Ends, Main Draw Beings – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Wednesday, May 1
Main Draw Singles & Doubles – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Thursday, May 2
Main Draw Singles & Doubles – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 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 Final – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm
Sunday, May 5
Singles Final – The Boulevard Tennis Club, 1 pm
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.
Players From Five Continents To Play In Mardy Fish Pro Tennis At The Boulevard
Players from five continents, including former University of Florida All-American Sekou Bangoura, all-time leading Venezuelan Davis Cupper Ricardo Rodriguez, Zimbabwe Davis Cupper Takanyi Garanganga and Kazakhstan Davis Cupper Dmitry Popko, highlight the field of direct entries into the $25,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships April 29 – May 5 at The Boulevard tennis club in Vero Beach.
The event is being held for a 25th straight year in Vero Beach and is part of the International Tennis Federation World Tennis Tour and part of the U.S. Tennis Association’s Competitive Pathway. This year marks the first year the event has been elevated to a $25,000-level tournament. In the previous 24 years of the event, it was a $10,000 or $15,000 level competition.
“Tennis has never been as globally popular as it is now and this is reflective in our fascinating singles field of players from literally every corner of the world,” said Tom Fish, co-tournament director and President of the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation. “We encourage everyone in the Vero Beach area to come watch these amazingly talented international tennis players compete while supporting the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation that benefits at-risk youth in Indian River County. This is the 25th year of this tournament, which is the premier international sporting event in Vero Beach.”
Bangoura from Bradenton, Florida, is the top-ranked singles entry with an ATP Tour singles ranking of No. 400. He earned All-American status for the Florida Gators in 2011. In 2010, he won the USTA national junior doubles title with Nathan Pasha and played in the first round of doubles of the U.S. Open in New York. Other Americans among the 18 direct entries include former Northwestern standout Strong Kircheimer, a semifinalist in Vero Beach last year, Alafia Ayeni, the No. 1 player for Cornell University currently ranked No. 441 by the ATP, former Texas A&M standouts Harrison Adams, the doubles runner-up in Vero Beach last year, and new professional Jordi Arconanda, and Swiss-American Alexander Ritschard of Zurich, a former standout at the University of Virginia.
South America is represented by nine direct singles entries lead by No. 2 entry Bastian Malla of Chile, ranked No. 435 in the ATP Tour rankings, as well as Rodriguez, the all-time leading Davis Cup player from Venezuela who was defeated in last year’s Vero Beach singles final by Juan Benitez of Colombia. Nico Mejia, the Colombian Davis Cupper and Wimbledon junior semifinalist last summer who reached the quarterfinals in Vero Beach last year as a qualifier, is also among the direct entries. Other South Americans in the field include three Argentines lead by 2014 and 2015 Vero Beach finalist Facunda Mena and also Camilo Ugo Carabelli and Juan Ignacio Galarza. Brazil is represented by Pedro Sakamoto, Peru by Nicolas Alvarez and Ecuador by Diego Hidalgo.
Andrew Watson of Great Britain, ranked No. 677 by the ATP, is Europe’s lone direct entry and is looking to equal the success in Vero Beach of his countryman Tim Henman, the former top 10 star who was a Vero Beach semifinalist in 1995, and Kyle Edmund, Britain’s current No. 1 who won the title in Vero Beach in 2013.
Representing Asia in Vero Beach is Dmitry Popko of Kazakhstan, who is currently one of the hottest players in the ITF World Tennis Tour having won six titles already this year, including his last two tournaments in Sunrise, Florida and Orange Park, Florida. Popko, a member of Kazakhstan’s Davis Cup team, has competed in the qualifying rounds of all four Grand Slam tournaments and was ranked as high as No. 178 in the world.
Africa is represented in Vero Beach by Garanganga, a member of Zimbabwe’s Davis Cup team since 2007. He has competed in all four junior Grand Slam tournaments and qualified for the ATP Tour event in Los Cabos, Mexico last summer. He won the first ever gold medal for Zimbabwe at the 2011 All-Africa Games.
Leading entries into the 32-player, two-day qualifying tournament, that will be played April 29 and April 30, including defending champion Benitez of Colombia, defending doubles champion Junior Ore of Miami and Irish Davis Cupper Julian Bradley. Players in the qualifying tournament must win two matches on Monday and Tuesday to earn entry into the 32-player main draw.
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 Ttfish10s@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:
Wednesday, April 24 – Friday, April 26
Pre-Qualifying Tournament – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Times TBD (Free to public)
Sunday, April 28
Pro-Am – Sea Oaks Tennis Club, 1:30 – 3:30 pm
Kick-off Party – The Boulevard Tennis Club, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Monday, April 29
Qualifying Tournament Begins – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Tuesday, April 30
Qualifying Tournament Ends, Main Draw Beings – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Wednesday, May 1
Main Draw Singles & Doubles – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Thursday, May 2
Main Draw Singles & Doubles – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 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 Final – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm
Sunday, May 5
Singles Final – The Boulevard Tennis Club, 1 pm
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.
Battistone, Vinck Among Leading Entries In Mardy Fish Pre-Qualifying Event Starting Wednesday At The Boulevard
Brian Battistone and Christian Vinck, two veteran tennis players who have both played in the main draws of Grand Slam tournaments, are among the leading entries into the Pre-qualifying event for the $25,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships that begins Wednesday at The Boulevard tennis club.
Battistone and Vinck are among 32 players competing for the right to earn a “wild card” entry into the qualifying rounds of the tournament, Vero Beach’s 25th annual professional tennis tournament that is a $25,000 event on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour and part of the U.S. Tennis Association’s competitive pathway. The qualifying tournament, which in previous years was played over four days featuring 128 players playing for eight main draw positions, was reduced this year by the ITF to 32 players competing over two days for eight main draw positions. This special pre-qualifying tournament was created by the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation in an effort to give more players competitive tournament opportunities and to help non-qualifying players earn entry into the qualifying tournament.
Battistone, 39, is a fan favorite around the country for his unique volleyball jump serve, his ambidexterous playing style and his double-handed tennis racquet. A native of Las Vegas, Battistone reached a career high ATP doubles ranking of No. 88 in 2010, the same year he competed in the main draw of doubles at the U.S. Open, partnering with Ryler deHeart, losing in the first round to eventual finalists Rohan Bopanna and Aisam ul-Haq Qureshi.
Vinck, 43, has played in the main draw of all four Grand Slam tournaments with his best result being a third-round showing at Wimbledon in 2000. In 1997, he famously defeated Andre Agassi in the final of the USTA Challenger in Agassi’s hometown of Las Vegas, during Agassi’s initial comeback from his ranking dropping to No. 141 in the world.
Vinck is the No. 2 seed in the event, followed by Battistone at No. 3. The top seed is 18-year-old Jan-Magnus Johnson of Naples, one of the top junior players in the United States.
Other notable entries include former Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation pupil Emilio Van Cotthem of Fort Pierce, Vero Beach Tennis Club owners James and Joseph Van Deinse, former Michigan State All-American J.P. Mullane, and Jack Vance, the runner-up at the 2017 Mardy Fish Main Draw Wild Card Championship at Sea Oaks.
The draws and schedule can be found on the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) website here: https://www.myutr.com/events/3744?t=2
Play begins on Wednesday, April 24 at 1 pm and is scheduled to conclude Friday evening. All singles matches will be two sets with a 10-point match tiebreaker played in lieu of a third set.
A main draw doubles wild card event will also be held during this event. The doubles winners will receive a main draw wild card into the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships. Doubles matches will be two “Fast Four” sets (first to four games, tiebreaker at 3-3, no ad scoring) with a match tiebreaker played in lieu of a third set.
Admission is free for the pre-qualifying and doubles wild card events.
The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships is the USTA’s $25,000 ITF World Tennis Tour tournament played in Vero Beach since 1995 and 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 Ttfish10s@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.
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.
