Southern players and organizations are constantly making their mark in the world of tennis. Here's a list of recent awards, achievements and news in November 2017.

 

USTA Leage Teams Shine at USTA National Championships

 

Men's 55 & Over 9.0 combined
The men’s tennis team from Bluffton, S.C., representing the USTA Southern Section, captured the national title at the USTA League 9.0 National Championships held at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla.

 

The Bluffton team defeated a team from Carrollton, Texas, 2-1 in the Championship match. Earlier in theday, the Bluffton team defeated a team from Irvine, Calif., 2-1 in the semifinals. They advanced this far by winning their round-robin flight.

 

The team is captained John Brittis and features team members William Sturm, Robert Tillison, Charlie Frangos, Pat Child, Mark Sheaffer, Gavin Cox, Job De Boer, Michael Mitchell, Thomas Jilly, and Guenter Bergmann and plays at the Tennisclub of the Low Country at Rose Hill.

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18 & Over 8.0 combined Mixed Doubles 
The tennis team from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, representing the USTA Southern Section, was crowned champion at the USTA League 18 and Over 8.0 Mixed Doubles National Championships held at the Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Alabama.

 

The Baton Rouge team defeated a team from Pleasanton, Calif. in the championship match, 2-1. Earlier in the day, the Baton Rouge team defeated a team from Salt Lake City, 3-0 in the semifinals. They advanced this far by winning their round-robin flight contested Friday and Saturday.

 

The team is captained by Keith Armstrong and features Natalie Calloway, Gerard Suhor, Andree Padial, Wesley Mayers, Hope Willis, Cade Bogan, Lacey McGill, Martin Padial, Collin Andry, Jamie Lanier Hamilton, Tammy Noonan, Gregory Suhor, Kelley Butler, Corbett Christian, Ben Boudreaux, Michael Caine, Theodore Kennedy, and Mackenzie Noonan, and plays at City Park in Baton Rouge.

 

In the photos above, LtoR: Front: Tammy Noonan, Natalie Calloway, Mackenzie Noonan, Gregory Suhor, Hope Willis; Back: Kelley Butler, Keith Armstrong, Weasley Mayers, Theodore Kennedy, Gerard Suhor, Corbett Christian

 

18 & Over 10.0 combined Mixed Doubles
The tennis team from Little Rock, Arkansas, representing the USTA Southern Section, finished third at the USTA League 18 and Over 8.0 Mixed Doubles National Championships held at the Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Alabama. 

 

Also finishing third was the Middle States Section team from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. No third-place match was played.

 

USTA Pro Circuit roundup 

As the season gets cooler, Atlanta native Taylor Townsend keeps her hot play going.

In the RBC Pro Challenge doubles final, Townsend and Jessica Pegula defeated Jamie Loeb and Rebecca Peterson 6-4, 6-1. The $80K USTA Pro Circuit tournament was played in Tyler, Tex.

 

A week later, Townsend won the $80K Waco Showdown by defeating Ajla Tomljanovic, of Croatia, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in the singles final. Townsend and doubles partner Jessica Pegula reached the final but fell to Sofia Kenin/Anastasiya Komardina 7-5, 5-7, [11-9].

 

Tennys Sandgren continued to have success in 2017 as he reached another USTA Pro Circuit singles final. Fellow American Tim Smyczek knocked out top-seeded Sandgren in the $75K Charlottesville (VA) Pro Challenger final 6-7(5) 6-3, 6-2.