Last week, U.S. teams won six titles at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Super-Seniors World Team Championships in Palm Beach County, Fla.—the pinnacle of competitive tennis for players over 65 years old.
The tournament is one of three senior tennis equivalents to the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup competitions, which see top players represent their country in young senior, senior and super-senior age brackets.
Men’s and women’s teams won three titles each: the Kitty Godfree Cup (women’s 65 & over), the Althea Gibson Cup (women’s 70 & over), the Angela Mortimer Cup (women’s 85 & over), the Jack Crawford Cup (men’s 70 & over), the Gardner Mulloy Cup (men’s 80 & over), and the Lorne Main Cup (men’s 85 & over). Four other teams finished as runners-up.
It’s a slight improvement over the U.S.’ last Super-Seniors World Team Championships performance from 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. That year, Americans earned five titles.
While team competition concluded on April 29, the World Individual Championships began April 30 and continue through May 7. The ITF Seniors World Team Championships (consisting of the 50-, 55- and 60-and-over age groups) goes until May 6, and individual competition will follow from May 7 through 14.
In all, the U.S. was represented by the following 40 players from 16 states and the District of Columbia. Below is a list of players who represented the United States in each division with results:
Britannia Cup - Men's 65 & over – Result: 2nd Place (Australia def. USA, 2-1)
1. David Waldman, Washington D.C., Captain
2. Mark Vines, Naples, Fla.
3. Michael Magale, Garden City, Idaho
4. Toby Crabel, Beverly Hills, Calif.
Jack Crawford Cup - Men's 70 & over – Result: CHAMPION (USA def. Australia, 2-1)
1. David Sivertson, La Quinta, Calif., Captain
2. Marc Mazo, Clearwater, Fla.
3. Paul Wulf, Salem, Ore.
4. Robert Litwin, Lafayette, Colo.
Bitsy Grant Cup - Men's 75 & over – Result: 2nd Place (Spain def. USA, 2-1)
1. Don Long, Rochester, N.Y., Captain
2. Geoffrey Moore, Boynton Beach, Fla.
3. Les Buck, Henderson, Nev.
4. Michael Beautyman, Lake Worth, Fla.
Gardnar Mulloy Cup - Men's 80 & over – Result: CHAMPION (USA def. Great Britain, 3-0)
1. Fred Drilling, Estero, Fla.
2. Ivo Barbic, Atlanta, Ga.
3. Robert Quall, Merced, Calif., Captain
4. Michael Stewart, Garner, N.C.
Lorne Main Cup - Men's 85 & over – Result: CHAMPION (USA def. Argentina, 3-0)
1. George McCabe, Oxford, Ohio, Captain
2. Herman Ahlers, Las Vegas, Nev.
3. Jerald Hayes, Westfield, Ind.
4. King Van Nostrand, Vero Beach, Fla.
Kitty Godfree Cup - Women's 65 & over – Result: CHAMPION (USA def. Great Britain, 3-0)
1. Bunnie Jackson, Bluffton, S.C.
2. Carolyn Nichols, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., Captain
3. Diane Barker, Daniel Island, S.C.
4. Susan Wright, Orlando, Fla.
Althea Gibson Cup - Women's 70 & over – Result: CHAMPION (USA def. Great Britain, 3-0)
1. Judy Dixon, Amherst, Mass., Captain
2. Tina Karwasky, Glendale, Calif.
3. Toni Novack, Naples, Fla.
4. Wendy McColskey, Durham, N.C.
Queens' Cup - Women's 75 & over – Result: 2nd Place (USA def. Great Britain, 2-1)
1. Betty Wachob, Panama City, Fla., Captain
2. Carolann Castell, Kirkland, Wash.
3. Carol Gay, San Diego, Calif.
4. Susan Kimball, Oak Bluffs, Mass.
Doris Hart Cup - Women's 80 & over – Result: 2nd Place (Germany def. USA, 2-1)
1. Cathie Anderson, Del Mar, Calif., Captain
2. Suella Steel, La Jolla, Calif.
3. Suzanne Clark, New City, N.Y.
4. Sheila Weinstock, Weston, Mass.
Angela Mortimer Cup - Women's 85 & over – Result: CHAMPION (USA def. Great Britain, 3-0)
1. Carol Wood, Rockville, Md., Captain
2. Doris DeVries, Palm Desert, Calif.
3. Dorothy Wasser, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
4. Roz King, San Diego
All photos: Carolyn Nichols
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