Home News Local sports 19th Tennis Classic Raises Funds for Women's Coalition

19th Tennis Classic Raises Funds for Women's Coalition

0

Known for his hat, local player Greg James fires an overhead smash.Competition was tough early Sunday afternoon at the Women’s Coalition 19th Annual Tennis Classic at the Buccaneer Resort.

The finas in the mixed doubles and pitted Susan Armstrong and Christian Nelthropp against Erica Scott and Greg James.

The Armstrong-Nelthropp duo started off with an advantage as they won their earlier match in two sets and got to rest for an hour. Scott and James were in a tough three-set match that lasted an hour longer and they had little break before taking on Armstrong and Nelthropp. To top it off, Scott was playing with a pinched Achilles heel.

But Scott and James did not give up easily. It looked like it could be anybody’s match in the second set after Armstrong and Nelthropp had won the first set. The set was 3-2 in Armstrong and Nelthropp’s favor, but James was serving. Nelthropp told Armstrong, “We need to break his serve.” They did, but it was not easy. On one point James had thought he had hit an ace and went to the other court, but was called back when it was said his serve was out. He then double faulted. From that point on Armstrong and Nelthropp were in command.

The mixed doubles championship was just the first part of the last day for the Women’s Coalition tennis tourney, which is the largest tennis tournament in the Virgin Islands. The tournament began Wednesday.

The next matches were to determine who among the 62 participants had the best women’s doubles team and who had the best men’s doubles team.

Don de Wilde, tournament director and Buccaneer tennis pro, said there was a great level of tennis with a high level of play during the tournament.

“This is a tremendous cause, with a lot of community support,” said de Wilde.

The men’s doubles pitted George Newton and Kris Elien against Hermit Bannis and Alex Elizee. Newton and Elien won the first set. Bannis and Elizee started off the second set strong, taking a 3 to 1 lead, but Newton and Elien came on tough to win five games in a row to win the match.

Susan Armstrong goes airborne smashing the ball back. The women’s doubles featured Fenella Cooper of St. Thomas, a big name in Caribbean tennis, and her partner, Hattie Grimsley from Chicago, against Erica Scott and Susan Armstrong. The St. Croix ladies, Scott and Armstrong prevailed.

Andrea Stancliffe, coalition fund raising coordinator, said $25,000 was raised through entrance fees, sponsorships, raffles and a silent auction. She said last year they took in $28,000.

“It is so good to see the tennis players in the community support what we do at the coalition,” said Mary Mingus, co-director of the coalition. “It is really heartwarming.”

Major sponsors of the tournament included Divi Carina Bay Casino, Clinical Laboratory Inc., Sterling Optical, Ed and Stephanie Fletcher, First Bank, HOVENSA L.L.C., Francisco Depusoir, CPA and Diageo USVI.

Winners were honored at an awards banquet Sunday evening at The Mermaid Restaurant at the Buccaneer.

The Women’s Coalition has been serving victims of abuse and domestic violence for 30 years.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here