The ClubSport 2003 Indoor Championships

By Ryan Wolfington August 5th 2003

DRAW

 The tournament took place again this year in July but without the outside heat. It was almost perfect weather for outside tennis. In the open draw it was the perfect showdown, with last years winner Brian Battistone, who has been playing the satellite tennis tournaments, verses Lew Deleon, who has been working at ClubSport for years as open of the top junior tennis players in town stringing racquets.

In just a few weeks Lew will be going off to college at Northern Arizona University on a scholarship.  Look no further then Jamie Marshall, who was a junior standout, but is twice the player since playing one year at Oregon. She almost beat a 4 time all American player ranked 4th in the nation and helped Lew Deleon take his last open tournament trophy home before he leaves junior tennis behind him. Now he is officially out of junior tennis and will be a college player. I have witnessed the growth in this young man just in the last 2 1/2 years.

A junior sensation he worked with Leon Vernon, then  Rita Agassi when he moved here in 1995, then Adolph Huddleston at BALLY'S, then he got in touch with Owen Hambrook when he was at ClubSport and stayed with him for all these years. Owen during that time became the assistant coach of the girls team at UNLV. Just recently Owen was given the job to run the boys UNLV team and Lew, being akin to Owen, may have stayed in the valley had he known this would take place. But sometimes to see things from the right perspective you need to break away from the nest, and this year is a new opportunity for Lew to find a new home in himself, stronger and more disciplined, on his own. Then perhaps he can come back next year if that is in the cards.

Lew is by far one of the most mature athletes in junior tennis. He takes his diet very seriously, eating salads and healthy food, working out, getting good nights rest and competing with a seriousness and focus that is very rare. Before matches he refrains from chit chat and gibberish and realizes it is a battle, one that needs to be taken seriously.

This attitude has brought him to the round of 16 in super nationals, the top of his field in the intermountain, and consistently the best junior player in town for years. Now he can take the designation as the second best open player in town, at least until the next event takes place. Sure there are many open players that might be as good or possibly better, but they did not show up.

I often hear about how someone thinks they are better or "Could beat" someone else, but until you get in the ring and test the talk , there is no trophy. Lew took home his trophy for second place, and did n so as a gentleman getting ready for manhood.

On the court he played some excellent tennis as he and Brian Battistone had a duel. Brian, who has been offered a sponsorship by a racquet maker that makes a special racquet with two handles, had everything to lose this tournament. He had been struggling to adjust to the new double handled racquet, but putting his pride aside , used the racquet anyway, keeping true to his word that he would give it a try. The Manufacturer saw Brian as the perfect fit as Brian has reinvented the tennis serve and many other aspects of the game simply by being intuitive. The question is, is he led to also adjust the racquet in which he uses, and does this fit into his intuitive game. Only time will tell, and even though Brian was losing practice matches due to the change of racquet, he still hung in there and used it in the tournament this weekend. Surprisingly he did very well against a new open player in town Jim Redding. The racquet, or Brian, actually came through on shots I had seen him miss all week. The racquet seemed to be starting to work with him. Then , before the final, the strings broke and Brian was now in a situation where he could use his old racquet without having compromised his original intentions to try this new piece of equipment in match play.

His old racquet came together for him in a big way, as his first and more so his second serve was huge, only double faulting 6 times the whole match, and this is few considering the monster second serve he was going for.

Brian took the first set 6-1, no problem. His serve and volley was perfect. Then the second set Lew began to make big returns and nice angle shots at the net off of Brian's drop shots. Lew won the second set 6-3. In the last set Brian  and Lew were tied at 5-5 when Lew Broke Brian to make it 6-5. Lew did not hold serve and it went to a tie breaker where Brian won it 7-2 in the third.

This was the type of match that both players played extremely well, and it shows that Lew is not a junior player, but one that can hang on the highest level this open draw had to offer. It was by far the best open singles final I have seen.

There to support Brian were his family and friends and many others who seem to stop and just watch the sheer athleticism of his serve.

And to support Lew was an army of ClubSport members and junior players that have seen Lew grow from young super star to a more mature young man. In that crowd was Conrad Corona, of Las Vegas Golf and Tennis. I sat back and watched the match with Conrad, who is a Las Vegas staple when it comes to tennis. I have heard of Conrad numerous times, but never met him. Then the other night he was next to me and we met. Today watching the finals, he and his posse were in Lew's corner. And later it became obvious the strong connection that Lew has with Conrad, as Lew explained that for years he has been a mentor of sorts, a person with sage advice.

Conrad, and his friends, watch local tennis matches like I have for years. True fans of the game, innately interested and engaged.

Both Lew and Brian Battistone took part in a tournament players "VegasTennis.com Match play challenge" this past week at BALLY's. Both these players never copped an attitude about who they played, as they were both the best players there. Nor were they afraid to put their top game on the line, with the chance it might get knocked off.

Brian Battistone , for example, had nothing to gain by playing this open draw with a two handled racquet he did not know how to use yet. But he knew it was right. How does one know what is right? You just know. A knowing that is not rational or based on feelings. It is a knowing that if followed keeps us connected to the best in life.

The best in tennis was at ClubSport, which is the only indoor facility in town, and is one of the nicest fitness/tennis clubs in the country. Complete with a cafe, spa, fitness center, day care camp, basketball, racquet ball squash, tennis and more, 13 courts with 9 indoor and 4 outdoor.

In the mixed open draw it was George Morrissey, who use to play at UNLV with Dan Knight, and his partner Dawn Farber that took second. Dawn is the captain of the ClubSport 4.5 ladies team, which just won districts and is going to sectionals.

Taking home the Champions trophy was Lew Deleon and Jamie Marshall.

In the 6.0 mixed doubles it was Noel Irwin, the perennial sectionals league player, and his partner Patti Chess, who have been in the finals more then you can count. This time they took second. They were both part of my VegasTennis.com mixed 6.0 sectional championship team from fall 2002. The winners were Paul Baker and Pamela Kinney.

In the 8.0 mixed, the Roulias Dynasty had to be stopped this year, as they have been winning tournaments in this category more then any other team I know of. But this year newcomers Eileen Marasco and Jason Zimmer took the title. Jason Zimmer has the trophy touch, as a 3.5 and now as a 4.0. He lost the doubles 4.0 men's in the finals taking second and now won the mixed. He plays number one for my Spanish Trail team with Wayne Jue as the captain.

This coming year VegasTennis.com is going to have weekly match play mini tournaments for adults and top junior players to compete when the heat is on. It is one thing to hit against the ball machine, it is another to play in a match play environment.

Taking he 3.5 mixed title was James Lash, who may have more 3.5 titles hen anyone I know, and his partner, the steady Sara Hallberg. Taking second place was Karen Regin, who use to run the NTA years ago and now is part of senior management at ClubSport. Her partner was Kenneth Hooks and the two had a three set battle with Deborah Petit and Mike Minnich to make the final.

In he men's 4.5 finals, long time champion Kurt Maunz took second to the reinvigorated Roberto Aguilar, who's family, with Fred Sr and Irene, all three are making a trip to sectionals this year. Fred in fact is going on two teams, the men's 4.0 Spanish Oaks, and the men's Senior 4.0 at Spanish Trail. his is the 9th year the men's senior 4.0 team at Spanish trail is going.

In the men's 4.0 it was Riccardo Ingrassia winning in two extremely close sets to 4.0 stand out Ito Yasunori. Ito came onto the scene last spring at the Spanish Trail tournament where he was recruited by Irene Aguilar for the Spanish Oaks men's 4.0 team which won Districts effortlessly, with Ito's help. Ito is a UNLV student. He plays on Robbie Perloty's UNLV tennis club team.

In the men's 3.0, Ivo Plecko, the Spanish Trail winner, took second place against Ronald Romero. Ronald is a tournament player that is looking to move up to 3.5 and duplicate his 3.0 success.

In he ladies open draw it was Pam Loyd who challenged he young yet powerful Dominique Aubry. Dominique won in tow sets 6-3, 6-1 with her  big forehand. Dominique was one of the many top tournament players that did the VegasTennis.com Mach play Challenge at Bally's this week, where the best of the best played each other in singles and doubles. I have always seen that going out of state for competition was senseless in hat enough good players reside in Las Vegas. It is just a mater of getting them together into one place. And hat is what happen the past couple of weeks where tournament players, juniors and adults, came together each morning from 7am on and played singles and doubles sets, and full mini tournament draws.

VegasTennis.com will be holding mini tournaments at a variety of venues all year. To get into the draw call 822-1081.

In the men's 3.5 final it was Bob Bosely, who took second at Spanish rail, verses Michael Holcolm. Mike is the captain of the men's 3.5 team at Spanish Oaks and has been in many a final, including one against me last year. This time he took second and Bon took first place.

Joni Wolfe, who's husband Chuck teaches tennis at Lorenzi Racquet Club, won the ladies 3.5 singles. Taking second was Kristin Kellam.

In the woman's 4.0 finals, Green Valley's high school tennis coach and long time tennis player on the scene Jackie Carducci took home he prize. She played her friend Sonia Vermeys, who she said made her fight for each game.

Jackie was also a big part of getting the volunteers for the Serena Williams benefit at ClubSport weeks ago. She got he girls from her high school tennis team to be ushers.

In the woman's 3.0 it was Rallyville. 3 hour match that had long points. Tina Rowe is a fighter that stayed in every point. Joyce Ray did an excellent job of working through the draw but in the end took second. The finals score was 6-7(7-1) 6-1, 6-3.

To end he tournament, Director of Tennis at Club Sport and tournament Director Alan Brown, decided to head out to Red Rock Canyon and get married. Come tomorrow when he returns to work he will have made a vow to stay patient and be married to his fiancé, soon to be wife, for the rest of his life. This is a life long match that requires Patience, honesty and respect for the truth. To win this tournament all it takes in endurance.

Leaving ClubSport today he was given all sorts of congratulations and he seem very sure in what he was about to embark on. No cold fee, just a bit excited and sure of himself... may he keep that in the years to come.

Until next year... goood day.