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Sea Oaks

Ching Wang, Sebastian Mendoza Slide Into Mardy Fish Qualifying Draw, Play Monday at Timber Ridge

Randy Walker · April 24, 2023 · Leave a Comment

Ching Wang, the tennis teaching professional from Sea Oaks Beach & Tennis Club in Vero Beach, will play the featured evening match at the $15,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships Monday at the Vero Beach Tennis & Fitness Club after receiving a last-second wild card entry into the qualifying rounds of the event.

Wang will play Matthew Vos of Plano, Texas at 5:30 pm in the featured match on Stadium Court. Play begins at 11 am Monday and another Vero Beach local and last minute wild card entry, Sebastian Mendoza of the 2022 Vero Beach High School tennis team, will play the featured day match at Noon against Isaac Nortey, a Davis Cup player from Ghana.

Wang was a semifinalist and fourth-place finisher at the Mardy Fish “Wild Card” singles tournament at Sea Oaks in February and was granted the second alternate spot for a qualifying wild card and a third alternate for a main draw wild card. However, Matthew Segura, who won the Mardy Fish Sea Oaks tournament for a fourth time, was able to slide into the main draw field on his own Sunday night with his No. 1,234 ATP ranking after several players withdrew. With Segura no longer needing the wild card to enter the main draw, his main draw wild card was then given to event runner-up Ryan Haviland, who was to Segura in the Sea Oaks final 6-7(5), 7-5 (10-8). Haviland, as the runner-up, was guaranteed a qualifying round wild card, but since he graduated to a main draw wild card, his qualifying wild card was bounced down to the third place finisher at Sea Oaks, Asariah Rusher of New Hampshire. However, Rusher, was unable to play in Vero Beach due a family commitment and thus the next player in the “pecking order” was Wang, the fourth place finisher at the Sea Oaks event, losing by walkover due to injury to Rusher in the third-place match.

Wang will also compete in the main draw of doubles on Tuesday alongside 53-year-old James Bragg, with whom he won the Mardy Fish doubles wild card tournament.

Mendoza was fortunate to receive a wild card entry into the Mardy Fish qualifying as he was one of the highest American players not directly accepted into the event and was awarded a wild card by the USTA and the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation.

The full schedule for Monday can be found here: https://www.usta.com/content/dam/usta/2023-pro-circuit/20230424_verobeach_m15/OP.pdf

The qualifying round draw can be found here: https://www.usta.com/content/dam/usta/2023-pro-circuit/20230424_verobeach_m15/QS.pdf

Players must win two qualifying matches to earn a spot in the main draw of the competition.

The qualifying finals will take place starting at 11 am on Tuesday, followed by the start of the doubles competition. The main draw of singles will begin on Wednesday.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at www.VeroBeachTennisTickets.com On site offerings include the Tasteful Express Food Truck, American Icon Bar Service, Yami’s Ice Cream Shop, Fisher’s Island Spiked Lemonade as well as other local vendors and artists.

The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships has been held in Vero Beach since 1995 and, since 2016, has benefitted the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, the non-profit foundation benefiting children named for Vero Beach native son Mardy Fish, a former top 10 tennis star, U.S. Davis Cup hero and silver medalist at the 2004 Olympic Games.

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, 2021 Wimbledon semifinalist Denis Shapovalov, 2022 U.S. Open semifinalist France Tiafoe, 2023 Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul and new rising star and 2022 NCAA singles champion Ben Shelton. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Eight 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, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul.

Affectionately known as “Timber Ridge” to locals, the Vero Beach Tennis & Fitness Club has been a staple in the community for over 30 years and has been owned and run since 2016 by James and Joseph van Deinse. The club boasts 14 Har-Tru tennis courts, a pickleball court, pool and clubhouse with fitness center and bar. The facility previously hosted a $25,000 women’s USTA Pro circuit event in 2014 that featured future major tournament champions Naomi Osaka and Sofia Kenin, future top 10 star Jennifer Brady and future major doubles champions Nicole Melichar, Laura Siegemund and Gaby Dabrowski. The club is also the original home of the “King of the Hill” tennis competition, hosting the first seven editions of Vero Beach’s popular doubles competition from 1996 to 2002. The Vero Beach Fitness & Tennis Club will be the third different venue to host the tournament after being held at Grand Harbor Club for 17 years from 1995 to 2009 and in 2017 and 2018 and at The Boulevard where it was held for 11 years from 2010 to 2016 and from 2019 to 2022.

Founded in 2007, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) currently supports over 2,400 children in 15 elementary schools, six middle schools, and several other community organizations 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.

Leading tournament sponsors for 2023 include Presenting Sponsor PNC Bank, Grand Slam Sponsor: John’s Island Real Estate, Scoreboard Sponsor Tara Layne Alex MacWilliam Real Estate, Hat Sponsor: The Roberts Family Foundation and additional event sponsors Cliff Norris Real Estate, Tom Collins Insurance Agency, Hazel House, Antle Foundation, Gene Simonsen, Kathie and Michael Pierce, Maureen and Peter Lee, Bob and Emilie Burr, Daniel Holman,  Lynn Southerly, John and Sara Marshall, John and Marie McConnell, Peter and Ellen Kendall, Shirley Becker, Jaime Yordan, Steve and Karen Rubin, Katherine Cerullo, Pene Chambers, Willem and Marion de Vogel, M&M Realty, Foglia Contracting Corp, Hazelton Marketing Group, Block and Scarpa, Attorneys at Law, Center Court Tennis Outfitters, Publix, Kitchens By Design, Orchid Island Realty, Joe and Barbara Price, Charlie and Este Brashears, Rob and Mickey Stein, Evelyn’s Plant Care, Vero Marine Center, Boston Retail Solutions and Minuteman Press.

Features ITF, Mardy Fish, Sea Oaks, Sebastian Mendoza, Timber Ridge, USTA

Matthew Segura Wins Fourth Title at Mardy Fish Sea Oaks “Wild Card” Event

Randy Walker · February 25, 2023 · Leave a Comment

Matthew Segura, the great nephew of Hall of Famer Pancho Segura, is now four-for-four at Sea Oaks.

The 22-year-old from Apopka, Florida continued his winning ways at the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships “Wild Card” tournament at the Sea Oaks Beach & Tennis Club winning the title for the fourth time in four tries with a narrow 6-7(5), 7-5 (10-8) final-round win over Ryan Haviland of Greenville, S.C. Friday night in front of over 300 fans.

The win earns Segura a main draw “wild card” entry into the $15,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships ITF World Tennis Tour U.S. Tennis Association Pro Circuit event April 24-30 at the Vero Beach Tennis & Fitness Club at Timber Ridge.

Entering the final against Haviland, a 42-year-old former Stanford standout who also runs a tennis academy in Greenville, Segura had not even lost at Sea Oaks. However, Haviland ended that streak by winning the first set in a 7-5 tiebreaker. Haviland, who once had ATP rankings as high as No. 516 in singles and No. 307 in doubles before 11 surgeries sidetracked his career, quickly jumped to a 4-1 lead in the second set. Segura was able to fight back and win the second set 7-5. In the deciding 10-point match tiebreaker, Segura was able to take a 9-6 lead and held on to win 10-8.

Segura also won the event in 2018, 2019 and 2020. He did not play in the event in 2022 and the event was not held in 2021 due to the global pandemic.

Although Segura has an ATP ranking of No. 1,281, that can get him into the qualifying rounds at ITF World Tennis Tour events and some main draws, Segura entered the event at Sea Oaks as insurance and to look to guarantee that he will get a main draw start in Vero Beach.

To watch the post-match ceremony, including the presentation of the Paul Delaney Cup, click here https://youtu.be/8s4FePLNz3s

To watch Segura’s post-match comments, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z86U62UFi0&t=11s

To see the full draw from the event, go to the Universal Tennis website here: https://app.universaltennis.com/events/136050?d=2d99070e-5779-4e94-af9c-39e365c1ce65&t=3

Matthew Segura

Features Mardy Fish, Mardy Fish Children's Foundation, Matthew Segura, Pancho Segura, Ryan Haviland, Sea Oaks

Three-Time Champ Matthew Segura Returns To Mardy Fish Sea Oaks Wild Card Event

Randy Walker · February 20, 2023 · Leave a Comment

Matthew Segura, the great nephew of Hall of Famer Pancho Segura, leads the field of entries for the 2023 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Sea Oaks “Wild Card” Championships at the Sea Oaks Beach & Tennis Club Feb. 22-24.

Segura has competed and won this special event at Sea Oaks three previous times – in 2018, 2019 and 2020 – each time winning the event and earning a wild card entry into the $15,000 ITF World Tennis Tour USTA Pro Circuit event, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships.

Segura is ranked No. 1,281 on the ATP Tour rankings this week, but still has trouble getting direct entries into the main draw of $15,000 events with that ranking. At the 2021 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships at The Boulevard, Segura upset former U.S. Davis Cupper and Olympic team member Donald Young en route to the quarterfinals of the event. In 2020, when the Mardy Fish tournament was a non-ATP or ITF sanctioned Universal Tennis (UTR) event, he reached the singles final falling to Diego Hidalgo of Ecuador.

The 2023 wild card event at Sea Oaks featured a record 29 entries. Azariah Rusher of Delray Beach, Florida and a commit to Florida State University’s tennis team, is the No. 2 seed. The No. 3 seed is former Stanford University standout Ryan Haviland, who won the modern-day Mardy Fish doubles event in 2003. At 42 years old, Haviland runs a tennis academy in Greenville, South Carolina but still dabbles in playing competitive tennis. Vero Beach high school standout Mason Cisco as well as Sea Oaks teaching pros Ching Wang and Christian Docter are also in the field.

Play starts Tuesday at 4 pm at Sea Oaks with play also starting on Wednesday at 11:30 and including the traditional Sea Oaks Wednesday feature match at 4:30. The quarterfinals will be held on Thursday at 1 pm. The semifinals will be held at 10 am on Friday and the final at 4 pm on Friday.

The winner will receive a main draw wild card into the Mardy Fish Futures and the runner-up will receive a qualifying round wild card. The main event will be held April 24-30 at the Vero Beach Tennis & Fitness Club at Timber Ridge.

The full draws and schedule can be round here:

https://app.universaltennis.com/events/136050?d=2d99070e-5779-4e94-af9c-39e365c1ce65&t=3

Matthew Segura, the great nephew of Hall of Fame tennis legend Pancho Segura, played Perry Gregg, at Sea Oaks Beach and Tennis Club in Vero Beach. They were among a group of 32 aspiring players from around the world in the singles field of this tournament that will award a main draw singles “wild card” (tournament entry) into the 2019 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships, the $25,000 ITF World Tennis Tour event.

Features Mardy Fish, Matthew Segura, Ryan Haviland, Sea Oaks, Wild Card

Sea Oaks To Host Mardy Fish “Wild Card” Event February 22-24

Randy Walker · January 15, 2023 · Leave a Comment

Sea Oaks Beach & Tennis Club will continue to be the traditional host of the “Wild Card” tournament for the $15,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships when the beautiful coastal tennis community hosts the 2023 event for a fifth time Wednesday, February 22 through Friday, February 24

The winner of the three-day tournament will receive a main draw “wild card” (or free entry) into the 2023 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships, set to be played April 24-30 at the Vero Beach Tennis & Fitness Club at Timber Ridge. The runner-up will receive a “wild card” into the qualifying rounds of the tournament.

The event features up-and-coming competitive junior players, players just starting their professional tennis career and aspiring amateur players. The tournament is staged on the Universal Tennis platform (UTR). Players can sign up here: https://app.universaltennis.com/events/136050?_ref=randyw456&shared=true

The tournament has been staged at Sea Oaks since 2018, but was not held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Matthew Segura of Apopka, Florida, the great nephew of International Tennis Hall of Fame member Pancho Segura, won the tournament for the first three years that it was staged at Sea Oaks in 2018, 2019 and 2020. In 2022, Jibril Nettles from Detroit beat Cal Markowitz in the final to win the event.

Beginning in 2022, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation commissioned a small cup for the tournament, named in honor of former Sea Oaks member and Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation board member Paul Delaney. “The Paul Delaney Cup” has the inscriptions of all of the winners of the Mardy Fish Sea Oaks wild card tournament and will remain in the tennis pro shop at Sea Oaks.

To watch a review video of the 2022 event, including the presentation of the Paul Delaney Cup by Linda Delaney, click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPrjyMuKvl8

Atmosphere at Sea Oaks during the Mardy Fish “Wild Card” tournament

Features Mardy Fish, Matthew Segura, Sea Oaks, Tennis

Sea Oaks Hosts Mardy Fish “Wild Card” Event; Detroit’s Jibril Nettles Wins Title

Randy Walker · February 27, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Jibril Nettles, a six-foot-six 22-year-old from Detroit, Michigan was the winner of the 2022 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships “Wild Card” championships held at the Sea Oaks Beach & Tennis Club.

Nettles defeated Callum Markowitz, an impressive 15-year-old from White Plains, N.Y., 6-4, 7-6(5) in the final. The win earned Nettles a wild card position into the main draw of the $15,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships ITF World Tennis Tour USTA Pro Circuit event held April 25-May 1 at The Boulevard tennis club in Vero Beach. With his runner-up showing, Markowitz earned a wild card into the qualifying rounds of the event.

Nettles spoke of his victory in his post-match speech as seen on YOUTUBE here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjzZMNXkRQ0

The event returned to Sea Oaks after a one year hiatus due to COVID and was attended by daily crowds of about 400 to 500 fans.

The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation dedicated “The Paul Delaney Cup” at the event, in memory of Paul Delaney, the long-time Sea Oaks member and Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Board Member who passed away last summer. The Paul Delaney Cup will sit in perpetuity in the pro shop at Sea Oaks will feature the names of the winners of this annual “Wild Card” tournament. Delaney’s wife, Linda, was in attendance for the final and presented Nettles with the trophy following his victory, as you can see on YOUTUBE here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI4_1SCUW-4

Delaney once participated in a Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships “Wild Card” event in doubles in 2017 at age 82, pairing with 67-year-old John Drnec, falling to ATP-ranked players Isaiah Strode and Miles Seeman. Drnec, in memory of his doubles partner, donated $500 to the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation and challenged everyone to match his donation in Paul’s honor.

Delaney, ironically, graduated from White Plains High School, the same high school where Markowitz is a sophomore.

For ticket information on the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships, go to www.MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org or email Lynn Southerly at LSouth1072@gmail.com
Daily tickets will be available for $40 ($30 paid in advance online). Season tickets will be $200 and reserved and sponsorship seating and packages are also available.

Jibril Nettles (photo by Jose Azul)

Features, Vero Beach Champions Callum Markowitz, Jibril Nettles, Mardy Fish Children's Foundation, Paul Delaney, Sea Oaks

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