Middle States Win USTA LEAGUE 55 & OVER NATIONALS 

Middle States enjoyed a banner showing on the last week of the 2017 USTA League National Championships season, with teams from Newton Square, Pa., (women) and Basking Ridge, N.J., (men) taking home titles in the 55 & Over 7.0/9.0 National Championships at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla. 

Here's a closer look at each winner by division:

55 & Over 7.0

The Middle States section men’s team from Basking Ridge, N.J., and the Eastern women’s team from Huntington Station, N.Y., claimed the titles at the USTA League Adult 55 & Over 7.0 National Championships. 

The Middle States men won the title match over a team from Temple City, Calif., representing the USTA Southern California Section, 2-1. Earlier in the day, Middle States defeated the Southern section team from Greenwood, S.C., 2-1, to secure its spot in the title match. 

The team, which plays out of the Green Knoll Tennis Center in Basking Ridge, N.J., was captained by Immac Thampoe featured team members William Moy, Kim Phimsipsom, Ramaswami Venkates, Ilwon Kang, Gordon Wurmstich, Gregg Garrison and Gregg Gorelick

The Eastern section women’s team toppled the Northern California section team from Pebble Beach, Calif., 2-1, in the championship match. Eastern swept its semifinal match, defeating a team from Fort Worth, Texas, representing the USTA Texas Section, 3-0. 

Captained by Andrea Wood, the team plays out of the Huntington Indoor Tennis and featured members Stacey Margey, Nancy Ambrosio, Betsy Radecki, Jacqueline Iversen, Anne Johnston, Jacqueline Heise, Cathleen Callahan, Kathy Nicolette, Linda Moskowitz and Coleen Gussaroff.

55 & Over 9.0

The Middle States section women’s team from Newton Square, Pa., and the Southern section men’s team from Bluffton, S.C., claimed the titles at the USTA League Adult 55 & Over 9.0 National Championships. 

The Middle States women’s squad defeated a team from Winter Park, Fla., representing the USTA Florida Section, 2-1, to earn the crown. Middle States made it to the title match by edging past the Southwest section women’s team from Albuquerque, N.M., 2-1, in the semifinals.

The team, which plays out of the St. Albans Swim and Tennis Club in Newton Square, was captained by Alison Harrison and featured team members Beckie Beazley, Gail Ferrigno, Shirlee D’Ambrosia, Denise Ormont, Karen Nyirjesy, Kathy Montgomery, Joyce Szayna and Doranne Bigelow. 

The Southern section men’s team overcame the Texas section men’s team from Carrollton, Texas, 2-1, in the championship match. Earlier in the day, the Southern squad defeated a team from Irvine, Calif., representing the USTA Southern California Section, 2-1, to secure its spot into the final. 

The team, based out of the Tennisclub of the Low Country at Rose Hill in Bluffton, was captained by John Brittis and featured team members William Sturm, Robert Tillison, Charlie Frangos, Pat Child, Mark Sheaffer, Gavin Cox, Job De Boer, Michael Mitchell, Thomas Jilly and Guenter Bergmann.