Adult 65 & Over Sectional Invitational Played Safely
BEVERLY, MA – USTA League tennis is back in New England! With almost the entire slate of USTA League District and Sectional Championships in New England canceled this summer due to Coronavirus, USTA New England pulled off safely hosting the final event of the championship season. Twenty-nine senior teams safely competed at the Adult 65 & Over Sectional Invitational from September 11-13 at Beverly Golf and Tennis Club in Beverly, MA.
“It was another challenge for us and we like challenges, so we embraced it,” said Heather Anastos, USTA New England Director of Leagues. “We looked at the landscape to see what was necessary to make it happen, and the number one thing was people wanted to play tennis, so we wanted to get back out there to do that. The most important thing is that we genuinely care about the players, and it’s all about their safety.”
All players and spectators were required to wear a mask on the grounds at all times (except while playing) and asked to maintain a social distance among other safety protocols.
“It’s great to be back playing tennis again,” said Larry Klobutcher, who played on the Men’s 7.0 team from Pinewoods Health and Racquet Club in Torrington, CT. "Everyone did a great job social distancing and wearing masks, and the officials took the precautions they said they would take, so I felt pretty safe.”
This year, teams advanced directly to the Sectional Invitational and were not required to qualify out of their local league due to schedule modifications. Also this year, for the first time ever, the event included a Men’s 6.0 division.
Winning teams from Men’s & Women’s 8.0, 7.0 and 6.0 NTRP divisions have advanced to the USTA League 65 & Over Invitational in January and February in Surprise, AZ.
The teams are:
Men’s 8.0 – Tennis Rhode Island, West Bay (Warwick), captained by Joshua Bell. West Bay went 3-0 with a position record of 6-3 to finish atop its four-team flight.
Women’s 8.0 – Northeast Tennis Club, Middleton, MA, captained by Bernice Hartnett. Hartnett’s team went 2-0 (5-1) to win its three-team flight.
Men’s 7.0 – Mainely Old Guys, from Maine, captained by Chuck Shumway. The Mainely Old Guys went 2-0 to win their flight and then defeated the Outer Cape Stripers in the finals, 2-1.
Women’s 7.0 – Tennis State of Mind, from Apex Racket & Fitness in Portland, ME, captained by Roma Bonnin- Tennis State of Mind went 3-0 in flight play and defeated a team from Southern Connecticut in the finals.
Men’s 6.0 – Bass River Tennis Club, Beverly, MA, captained by Michael Butter. The Bass River team went 3-0 in flight play, 6-0 in individual matches and 12-0 in sets throughout the weekend en route to the 6.0 title.
Women’s 6.0 – Manchester Athletic Club (MAC), Manchester, MA, captained by Connie Varoudakis. The ladies from the MAC went 3-0 in flight play with a 7-2 position record to take the 6.0 championship.
Click the following links below for more from the Sectional Invitational:
Players Happy to be Back (video)
Last League Championship together for Heather Anastos & Team (video)
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