U.S. wins two titles  at Seniors World Championships

Team USA has much to celebrate after taking home two of six contended titles at the 2017 ITF Seniors World Team Championships, which wrapped up this past weekend in Miami. 

U.S. teams captured the Alice Marble Cup (Women’s 60) and the Austria Cup (Men’s 55) in the senior tennis equivalent of the Davis Cup and Fed Cup competitions, with top Americans representing their country in the 50-, 55- and 60-and-over age groups.

Diane Barker and Susan Wright led the defending U.S. women’s 60 squad to a 2-1 victory over Great Britain in the Alice Marble final. Wright defeated Anne Clark, 6-3, 6-2, and Barker made light work of her opponent, Kim Reed, posting an impressive, 6-1, 6-0, to clinch the cup for the U.S. This is the fourth time the U.S. has retained the Alice Marble Cup. 

The U.S. men’s 55 team swept past Italy, 3-0, in the Austria Cup, with Bill Moss and Mike Tammen notching straight-set wins in their singles matches to secure the victory. 

In addition, the Americans placed second in the Maria Bueno Cup (Women's 50), falling to Germany, 2-1, in the championship tie, and third in the Von Cramm Cup (Men's 60), defeating Spain, 2-1, in the third-place tie.

The ITF Seniors World Individual Championships are currently being hosted in Miami, wrapping up Nov. 11.

Below is a list of players representing the United States in each competition and results:

Fred Perry Cup - Men's 50 & over - Result: Eighth place

1. Young Kwon, Marlton, N.J. 

2. Rick Leach, Newport Beach, Calif. 

3. Andy Stoner, Cave Creek, Ariz.

4. Arthur Hernandez, Huntington Beach, Calif., Captain

Austria Cup - Men's 55 & over - Result: CHAMPION

1. Michael Tammen, Portland, Ore., Captain 

2. Kenneth White, Elma, N.Y.

3. William Moss, Malibu, Calif.  

4. Stuart Saiki, Orlando, Fla.

Von Cramm Cup - Men's 60 & over - Result: Third place

1. Ross Persons, Houston, Captain

2. Maxime Buyckx, Marietta, Ga.

3. Sal Castillo, San Antonio

4. Wes Cash

Maria Esther Bueno Cup - Women's 50 & over- Result: Second place

1. Rosalyn Nideffer, San Diego, Captain 

2. Jenny Klitch, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

3. Nathalie Herreman-Bagby, Pacific Palisades, Calif. 

4. Shelly Works, San Antonio

Maureen Connolly Cup - Women's 55 & over – Result: Fifth place

1. Tracy Houk, Montara, Calif., Captain

2. Vicki Vasicek Buholz, Dallas 

3. Judy Newman, Scotts Valley, Calif.

4. Tracy Thompson, San Diego

Alice Marble Cup - Women's 60 & over – Result: CHAMPION

1. Diane Barker, Daniel Island, S.C.

2. Susan Wright, Grand Junction, Colo.,  

3. Patricia Purcell, St. Louis

4. Leslie Airola-Murveit, Portola Valley, Calif. 

Click here for the full results from the 2017 ITF Seniors World Team Championships.