Eastern Doubles at the 2025 NTRP National Championships

Leaving it all on the court! The USTA Eastern contingent recorded multiple podium finishes in the doubles events at the 2025 NTRP National Championships, held March 28-30 at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida (18 & Over) and April 11-13 at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in Surprise, Arizona (40 & Over). 

Geri Arnell, of Wyckoff, N.J., and Suey Lee, of Englewood Cliffs, N.J., finished as finalists in the 18 & Over 3.5 Women’s division, while their fellow Garden State neighbors Claudio Contreras García, of Jersey City, N.J., and Gerardo Valenzuela, of Haskell, N.J. scored the same result in the 18 & Over 4.0 Men’s division. (Valenzuela later scored more hardware in the singles event, held April 4-6.) Also lifting runner-up trophies were Annie Berger, of Mamaroneck, N.Y., and Meiko Boynton, of New York, N.Y., who reached the final in the 40 & Over 4.0 Women’s division. (Incredibly, Berger has reached three different finals with three different partners at the last three championships; she captured the title in the 40 & Over 3.0 Women’s doubles event in 2023.) And Elizabeth Haggerty and Fran Smith, both of Larchmont, N.Y., captured their third-place match to earn bronze in the 40 & Over 3.5 Women’s division. Below, read more about their experience competing on the national stage against players from all over the country. *Note: At NTRP National Championships, sets are contested in a first-to-four-games format, with a tiebreak at 3-3.

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From opponents to friends to finalists

Arnell and Lee met in 2022 as opponents on a very different court: in a county paddle tennis match.

“Our first match was this wild two-and-a-half hour battle, and by the end of it, we had so much mutual respect for each other that we exchanged numbers right there,” Lee said. “We quickly realized we’re the same kind of hype partners, with fist-pumps, loud ‘c’mons,’ and full-on energy. We’ve since played paddle, tennis, and even pickleball together, and honestly, it’s always a blast.”

The final, against a team from USTA Midwest, featured a fun clash of styles.

“Right away, we saw they were super comfortable at the baseline, while we’re much stronger at the net,” Lee explained. “They kept us back with deep shots and lobs, and we tried our best to get to the net and take control.”

Although the Eastern duo claimed the first set, they ultimately lost in three. Still, the entire experience—from capturing the qualifier tournament to hoisting the runner-up trophy—is something Lee won’t soon forget.

“Geri and I are both in our 40s with three young kids each, so getting away for a little tennis vacation felt like a dream,” she said. “No carpool, no school lunches, just pure fun and friendship. Tennis has truly become a life-changing hobby, and this whole journey reminded me how powerful it can be to chase something new, grow with a friend and create memories that last forever.”

The Red Hot Chilean Peppers rock the final

Valenzuela, a finalist in the 18 & Over 4.0 Men’s singles event, also hit the court to vie for a doubles title with Contreras García. The pair, who both hail from Chile, met at a tournament in New Jersey a few years back and became fast friends. They’ve since contested more than 100 doubles matches together.

“In doubles, we have played together so much that we almost know exactly what the other is going to do and that helps a lot,” Valenzuela said. “We know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and we plan around them. We've also learned how to lift each other up in tough moments during our matches. Most importantly, we always tell ourselves, we win together and we lose together.”

“I do feel very proud of myself and Claudio for continuing to improve on our results every year,” he said. “We are putting in the work and it is obviously paying off.”

Contreras García agreed and noted he was very proud of the experience as a whole.

“I think that just qualifying to NTRP Nationals is a great achievement, and it must not be seen as something simple,” he said. “It requires commitment and effort, as well as good tennis. Playing against the best players in the country helps you improve not just your technique, but also your mental game and strategic abilities. It puts you on the line against different styles of tennis and athletes who are willing to leave everything on the court. I think Nationals should be experienced by every player who enjoys high levels of tennis competitiveness.”

Being comfortable being uncomfortable

Berger and Boynton’s friendship dates back to their freshmen year of college at Bucknell University—where Berger played soccer and lacrosse and Boynton played field hockey. They’d recently reconnected on a tennis court and reached the final of a USTA doubles tournament the first time they decided to pair up. And although they didn’t have dozens upon dozens of matches under their belts as a duo upon their arrival in Surprise, “every time we step on court together, it just clicks,” Berger said.

They needed to rely on that mindset in their semifinal bout. After winning the first set against a team from USTA Intermountain, Berger—who has Type 1 Diabetes—could feel her adrenaline spiking. That caused her blood sugar to rise, which left her feeling awful on court. She tried breathing strategies and injected herself with insulin, but she was ultimately forced to take a medical timeout at the conclusion of the second set so that her levels could stabilize. Once she felt up to it, the Eastern pair stepped back on court—and promptly took the decider 4-0.

“That win meant a lot,” Berger said. “Not just because of what was at stake, but because of how much composure and trust it took from both of us to get through it. Meiko’s steady presence during my medical timeout, and her calm energy as we got back on court, was huge. We were battling more than just tennis in those moments, and it forced us to focus on what mattered.”

Boynton unequivocally designated Berger as the MVP of the weekend for the effort.

“I was so in awe of the way she was able to communicate what was going on, keep both of us calm, and manage to come back and play so well to close the third,” she said. 

Although the Eastern pair would ultimately lose the final, they fought until the very end, erasing a 0-3 deficit in the second set and forcing their opponents to earn the match in a tiebreak that was decided by just two points. Despite the loss—both Berger and Boynton remained in high spirits about their experience and hoped to continue teaming up in the future.

“The tennis is great, but the friendships that have come out of [NTRP competition] have ended up meaning even more,” said Berger, who also noted that Fran Smith—another Eastern player competing at the event—actually taught her how to play tennis. “I’m so grateful to USTA Eastern for creating a culture where adult players can compete hard, have fun and build real community. This year’s Nationals felt like a reunion in the best way.”

Finishing with a medal and an In-N-Out Burger...

Much like Berger and Boynton, Haggerty and Smith were good friends (and Larchmont neighbors) who hadn’t played much together prior.

“[But] we both played high school tennis and both have a dispassion for our forehands,” Haggerty said with a laugh. “Our mentality going into the tournament was that we were both very excited and very nervous, and that either way we were going to have an amazing experience and a lot of fun!”

“But we kept steady and held true to our mantra, ‘Move your feet and get to the net!’” she said, noting with a laugh that “there were a few expletives in there as well!”

The colorful pep talk worked: They ultimately advanced to the semis and then won the third-place match to claim a spot on the podium. In the true spirit of NTRP competition, Haggerty and Smith received their medals and trophies alongside good friends Berger and Boynton.

“We went out to celebrate at In-N-Out Burger after since we can’t get that in New York!” Haggerty said. “It really was a great experience, and I can’t wait to play more tournaments in 2025 to make it back to Arizona next year!”

Read about Eastern's singles results at the 2025 NTRP National Championships