Bayamón, Puerto Rico - The Champions of the 18 and over mixed and regular 40 & over of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), Caribbean Section, were crowned last Saturday, May 4, 2019, at the Centro de Tenis Honda in Bayamón.

 

Since April 25, the Centro de Tenis was flooded of players seeking for the sectional championship of 2019.

 

Over 1,500 participants divided by categories began their routes for the first place that gives them the opportunity to represent Puerto Rico in the Nationals of the USTA.

 

544 athletes, divided into 43 teams, participated in the 18 & over Mixed League and only two teams by category fought for the championship. In the category of 9.0, the most competitive of the tournament, the champion of the event was the team of the Centro de Tenis Honda, led by Giovanni Ortiz, who managed to dominate in the final, 2 matches to 1 to the Encantada team of Andrés López. ADVERTISEMENT The team of Encantada, of Eric Virella, was crowned champion in the category of 8.0, by winning 2 matches to 1 to the team of Luis Santiago,  the Centro de Tenis Honda. The 7.0 Rio Bayamón team championship was the biggest surprise of this Mixed League. The team, led by Esteban Gamboa, managed to dominate the Centro de Tenis Honda team in the final, 2 matches to 1. Finally, in the 6.0 category, Baldrich of Héctor Báez won 2 matches to 1, to Jennifer Rodriguez of the Centro de Tenis Honda.

 

"We feel very happy. These teams that fight these two weeks for the Sectional Championship have shown the talent and the high level of competition that is played on the island, "said Brenda Rivera, League Coordinator for the USTA Caribbean Section.

 

The Regular League of 40 & over, had a total of 1,293 athletes and 97 teams, in the categories of 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5, in the male and female divisions.

 

In the 4.5 category, the team of La Villa de Torrimar captained by Ani Leal won the title, 2 matches to 1, to Torrimar of Orlando Rivera. In the men’s division, Torrimar of Shandor Kiss obtained the championship beating the Riviera of Jimmy Vazquez, with a score of  4 matches to 1, in the final. 

 

The 4.0 women’s final, was in charge of the girls of the Centro de Tenis Honda led by Carmen Espada and the San Francisco team of Ivelisse Fernández, dominating the second, 4 matches to 1. Meanwhile, in the men’s division, the Centro de Tenis Honda Team of Jose Pérez managed to win to the Rivera Team of Jimmy Vazquez, 4 matches to 1.

 

The team of Crissy Gonzalez, in the women's division, was the champion in the category of 3.5, when defeating Hatillo team of Elsa Nieves, 3 matches to 2. Baldrich of Héctor Báez, dominated the men’s 3.5, after winning 4 matches to 1, to the Versalles team of Eddie Lozada.

 

Finally, in the category of 3.0, the girls of Torrimar of Yaritza Matos, achieved the championship in the women’s division, dominating the Centro de Tenis Honda of José Zofakis. In the men’s division, Los Titanes of Torrimar, led by Luis Sánchez, dominated this category, defeating 3 matches to 2, the team of the Centro de Tenis Honda of Monica Mirandes.

 

"Our tennis players always respond to the call of the league. They enjoy the competition with enthusiasm and a contagious passion, which we see reflected in the numbers that, every year, continue to increase. We expect a lot of participation in 2019 and these first two leagues have been a great start to the season”, Rivera concluded.