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Mardy Fish Children's Foundation

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Popko, Italian Duo Frigerio and Virgili Crowned Vero Beach Champions For 2019

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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.

Some Players Advance, Some Wait To Finish Due To Rain At Mardy Fish Tennis – 10 AM Start Thursday

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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.

Paul Oosterbaan
Paul Oosterbaan

Irish Davis Cupper Julian Bradley To Play Feature 6:45 PM Match Monday At Mardy Fish Tennis at The Boulevard

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Julian Bradley, a member of Ireland’s Davis Cup team, will be part of the featured 6:45 pm night match Monday at the $25,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships at The Boulevard tennis club in Vero Beach.
Bradley, a resident of Dublin, will face Duke recruit Garrett Johns of Atlanta in the first round of the 32-player qualifying tournament for this 25th annual professional tennis tournament that is part of the International Tennis Federation World Tennis Tour and part of the USTA’s Competitive Pathway.
The other feature match Monday afternoon will be Magnus Johnson of Naples, Florida, who won the special Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation pre-qualifying tournament last week, playing at 5 pm against Alan Kohen of Argentina on the Grandstand Court. Sixteen first round qualifying singles matches will be played Monday on four courts starting at Noon.
Both Bradley and Johnson are part of the 32-player qualifying tournament that will be played Monday and part of Tuesday to determine eight positions in the main draw of this event. Players will have to win two matches on Monday and Tuesday to qualify for the main draw of the event that will begin on Tuesday.
Matches begin Monday at noon with former University of Minnesota standout Matic Spec of Slovenia, the No. 1 seed in the 32-player qualifying event, taking on very uniquely-named Kakaka’loikamalie Companion of Honolulu, Hawaii first at noon. The second match on Stadium will feature Bolivian Davis Cupper Boris Arias, a former college tennis standout at LSU, taking on Chris Rosensteel of East Windsor, N.J., who competed in the tournament’s pre-qualifying event last week. The third match on Stadium will feature Jamaican Davis Cupper Rowland Phillips against Mihnea Lorin Stefan Turcu of Romania.
Bradley has been part of Ireland’s Davis Cup contingent the last years after playing college tennis at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. Bradley’s story of tennis development is an incredible one as he did not even pick up tennis until the age of 14, working on his family’s farm in the village of Carlow, Ireland, south of Dublin. When he was 16 years old, he commuted nearly four hours a day every day to Dublin to work with the best tennis coaches in Ireland. After studying dentistry for two years at Trinity University in Ireland, he transferred to the University of North Florida.
“Julian is an under-the-radar type of guy who just gets on with business,” wrote former top 200 ATP player from Ireland James McGee on Facebook. “His work ethic is better than anyone I’ve ever seen and he is known in tennis circles for being an animal!”
Bradley last year lost in the final of the then 128-player qualifying rounds of this tournament at Grand Harbor and defeated “King of the Hill” champions Mike Alford and Robert Kowalczyk of Vero Beach in the first round of doubles.
Johns was a quarterfinalist in 2017 at the USTA National Boy’s 16 Championships in Kalamazoo, Michigan and won the USTA National Boys’ 16 Clay Court Championships in 2017. He will enroll to play college tennis at Duke starting in the fall of 2019.
“When I think of Garrett’s game, I think of the word solid,” said Duke University tennis coach Ramsey Smith, the son of tennis legend Stan Smith. “He does not blow you away with flash, but has a high tennis IQ, moves well and makes a ton of balls. Garrett’s consistency and heart has the ability to frustrate opponents and push them past their breaking points. The longer the match, the better for Garrett.”
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.
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 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.
The tournament schedule is as follows:
Monday, April 29
Qualifying Tournament Begins – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Tuesday, April 30
Qualifying Tournament Ends, Main Draw Begins – 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.

Julian Bradley
Julian Bradley

43-Year-Old Vinck To Play 18-Year-Old Johnson In Mardy Fish Pre-Qualifying Final Friday

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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

Christian Vinck of Germany
Christian Vinck of Germany

Battistone, Vinck Among Leading Entries In Mardy Fish Pre-Qualifying Event Starting Wednesday At The Boulevard

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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.
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