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5-10-2002 Monte Carlo and Desert Palm Tournaments begins... with waves coming down on the Monte Carlo pool and the moving current pool taking it's occupants for a ride...Monte Carlo tennis club is right there. Sun, swimming and tennis. People from Washington state, various parts of Southern California including Redondo beach, San Diego and Pecifia. One player who played in Wimbledon twice in the 1960's  came down from Reno with a group to play in the men's open category. He made it passed the first round as is playing men's doubles as well, with a woman partner who apparently is pretty good. She had spent some time on the satellite tour and is now in town from Los Angeles for the tournament. Ted Shively and Misha Yevtich were running things as people enjoyed a day of tennis watching the open match on the pool side lounge chairs. Then came the early evening with a perfect wind to add to the mix. Incredible Las Vegas weather. Some enjoyed it while others complained, but to me it was perfect. I played a gentlemen from Washington state who came down for the tournament and the match went well. It was obvious he had some very good strokes but he allowed the wind to get in his head and he took  his game away. Meanwhile on other courts James Lash and Paul Anderson (the Lorenzi tournament winner) played a match, with Troy Wolfe, mike Holcomb and other 3.5 players watching in this awesome weather. Amenities were logo Monte Carlo drinking cups, towel service and court side water coolers, which is very nice. This year there are cash prizes instead of the uniform trophies and give-a-ways. The open finals are Sunday and Saturday has tennis matches going on all day. What I found interesting is how there is a completely separate tennis scene on the strip where players come in on vacation and are looking to play. Misha has set up a list of people, of which anyone can join, who he calls to match visitors up while they are in town.  One group of visitors who said they saw the tournament date in a tennis magazine and decided to come to "Vegas" for the tournament and enjoy the city. I forget that Las Vegas is "Vegas" to other people. They "Think" it is different here then other places and come here to experience that difference. Little do they know "Vegas" is just Las Vegas, just like any other tennis town. Click here to see the VegasTennis.com homepage for the Monte Carlo Tennis Club and the draw for this tournament.

5-11-02  Tennis weekend, juniors and adults have tournaments this weekend. The juniors match sticks at the Desert Palm Tennis Club (on Palmyra and Jones), while the adults hit away on the strip at the Monte Carlo Tennis Club. It was packed this morning as center court featured a great doubles match for the men's open category featuring Local junior player Stan Breland and his teammate Isaiah Wilson, who is a talented open player often in the senior division. They played against the ex-Wimbledon player Glenn Grisilloo and his partner Christine Behrens, a former Satellite player in the early 90's. Stan and his partner held up very well exchanging some great volleys. They chose stan as the go to player and he was able to stay in the game with some great ground strokes and volleys. On hand was his father and his sister Candynce Boney and Team Agassi player Asia Muhammad and Jasmine Muhammad. Their coach, Ki Kroll, was also there to show his support. But today it did not look like Stan needed any help. He played like a man, holding on against the best of them and acted like a gentlemen. Stan also won the boy's 14 and under tournament at Gordon Hammond's Summerlin Tennis Club.

On the court next door was me playing Mike Holcomb who got to the semi finals fairly easily by beating both his opponents in two sets. But he was unable to duplicate that result with me. I won in two sets.

Then walked in Nenad Zivkovic, who is a former UNLV tennis Team player who is now one of the tennis pro's at the Monte Carlo Tennis Club and Resort. He took apart his opponent in two easy sets. The player he defeated had come in from California to play in the men's open ddoubles and singles. Perhaps he will do better in doubles. Nenad also won the men's doubles in the Stacey Darling Open category with Fellow professional Misha Yevtich.

The semifinals from men's Open singles and the finals are tomorrow morning.

Meanwhile over at Desert Palm Howard Tubin hosted his junior tournament with a draw some 90 plus in all age categories from 12 - 18. Anthony Guidubaldi was there giving Alec Runyon a run for his money. When the players were not trying too hard they had some incredible volley's going back and forth on end with great shots and equally as good returns. But in the end it was not enough as Alec won in two sets. On the sidelines was Alec's father and Anthony's grand father who came down from Carson city to see his grandson. 6-4,6-0.

IT'S OVER..... Monte Carlo Tennis Club and The Desert Palm Tennis Club finished their tournaments today and I was there to see the final shot hit at both. At the Monte Carlo I was the last match to finish as it took 3 hours and 3 sets to win the men's 3.5 final. The first set I was up 3-0, then my opponent , Andre Kovaltchouk from Reno, came back to tie it 3-3. Then he went up 4-3, then 4-4, then 5-4 then he won the first set 6-4. Each game was played out with add, deuce then add, deuce many times over. He was the type of player that rarely missed a shot. I put away good passing shots but to my surprise he would reach out and get the volley. Something kept coming to me to  "Try harder" or to plot this or that strategy. Instead I just stayed aware and played tennis. Down one set and 3-1 in the second set I tied it at 3-3. Then he went up 4-3. I tied it at 4-4. He went up 5-4 with him serving to finish the match. I won that game making it 5-5. Then I  won the set 7-5 forcing a third set.  I could see the energy leave his body when the third set was forced. And when I took my break all the "STRATEGY THOUGHTS" began to flow. The suggestion was that I should wear him out by playing conservative and keeping the ball in until he makes the mistake. I let these and other "Thoughts" pass and when the first serve of the 3 set was hit I played from there. And as it turned out I hit harder and sharper then I had all day. 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, 4-0, 5-0, 5-1, 6-1 match. I am glad I did not follow the "Strategy."  And one thing I noticed was that unlike some other players I have played against in a positions like this, Andre did not quit. The last game must have gone back and forth on deuce at least 6 times. But in the end it was my day.

Prior to my match the winner of the Stacey Darling men's 3.0 Nolan Holt took number one again while Eric Alm took second.

In the men's open Nenad Zivkovic, one of the Tennis Pro's at Monte Carlo Tennis Club  easily defeated the field, including the ex-Wimbledon player Glenn Grissillo who is now many years his senior but was once good enough to get his feet on the grass at Wimbledon. Did he win or place in Wimbledon? No, but his feet were on the turf twice. Once in 1966 in mixed doubles and again in 1978. But that was then and Nenad is now, in two sets 6-1, 6-1 the former UNLV player dominated the senior open player. It should be noted that Glenn went through his two prior opponents just as cleanly as Nenad went through him. He won his first match 6-1, 6-1, and his second 6-2, 6-3. He was part of a larger group that came down from Reno just for the event. He and the others paired up for some open doubles. Alan Abbott, Bruce Mullen took third in the open doubles. Two players who came in from Los Angeles, Randy Wojick and Daniel Materra won the open doubles while Glenn Grissillo and his partner Christine Behrens took second.  Misha Yevtich and Nenad, who won the Stacy Darling Tournament in men's doubles did not partake in their own but instead saw to it , along with Ted Shively, that the club was running smoothly for the out of town and local tournament players. Which bring s me to my next story. When I got on the court I noticed pine needles all over the back of the court. And the idea to ask Misha if I could borrow a broom came to me, but I knew I was led to start playing the match and let it go. Then during a break in my match I looked over and Misha had come onto the court and was sweeping away the pine needles and I smiled knowing I overcame the push to make an issue of it earlier.  And I smiled because it is a joy to see someone do things right. Obviously on this third day of the tournament something showed him to sweep up the court and often times people are shown to do these types of things but choose to "Do it later" or some other excuse for not doing it. And what makes one tournament better then the next are these little moments that are significant to those who participate.

Which brings me to the other tournament which was run by Howard Tubin who spent Thursday and Friday from 5-10pm, Saturday 8am - 10pm and Sunday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at the courts making sure his junior tournament went smoothly. And he did it without a trace of regret, enjoying every minute of it. He gave each participant a fashionable T-shirt that could have been off the shelf at the ABERCROMBIE & FITCH, along with awards for the tournament and consolation winners along with trophies for the runner's up. The tournament included a consolation round ensuring each player gets two matches.

Continues on page two............

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