Longboat Key tennis community competes in USTA tournament

The Cat II tournament features high-caliber players from around the country.

  • By Nat Kaemmerer
  • | 5:35 p.m. December 5, 2019
  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
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More than 300 tennis players have descended on Longboat Key for the USTA-sanctioned Longboat Key Senior Clay Courts Super Cat II tournament. 

Local players made their way onto the courts, along with athletes from 33 states (plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico), Canada and other countries to try to make it to the Sunday, Dec. 8 finals. In its 17th year, tournament director Tom Scovil said it is the fifth largest Cat II tournament in the country. 

The tournament is played mostly at the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center in a round-robin style, with the next game taking the court almost immediately after the previous one clears off. Over 450 matches will be played by the time the tournament concludes, with about 130 being played each day for the first few busy days of play. For those interested in seeing the best of tennis on the island, finals will be held at 9 and 11 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4 at the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center. 

All profits from the tournament will benefit the Longboat Key Tennis Center. Every day of the match, players pack or buy lunches and hang around a while before and after their matches. Snippets of coaching and trading of strategies could be heard all around the tennis center as players dissected their latest matches or got ready for the next one.

Doubles and singles matches range all around the island and folks are welcome to stop by and watch some tennis in action any day. Matches start at 8 a.m. 

Doubles players vie for the win on Dec. 4.
Doubles players vie for the win on Dec. 4.
Andy Sawyer and tournament director Tom Scovil.
Andy Sawyer and tournament director Tom Scovil.
George McCabe serves in a singles match.
George McCabe serves in a singles match.
King Van Nostrand returns a serve.
King Van Nostrand returns a serve.
Frank Hagelshaw and Jim Lazenby chat before their matchup.
Frank Hagelshaw and Jim Lazenby chat before their matchup.
Andy Sawyer and Steve Sills spectate.
Andy Sawyer and Steve Sills spectate.
George McCabe and King Van Nostrand after their match, which Van Nostrand won.
George McCabe and King Van Nostrand after their match, which Van Nostrand won.
Spectators line Court 3.
Spectators line Court 3.
The upper deck of the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center was crowded with spectators and players-in-waiting.
The upper deck of the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center was crowded with spectators and players-in-waiting.
Adam and Jeannine Abele.
Adam and Jeannine Abele.
Jim Lazenby returns a serve.
Jim Lazenby returns a serve.
Players take a break between games.
Players take a break between games.
Lonnie and Linda Vance after Lonnie's match.
Lonnie and Linda Vance after Lonnie's match.
Stephen Sudarsky and Allen Carter greet each other before their match.
Stephen Sudarsky and Allen Carter greet each other before their match.
Tom Lightvoet adjusts his socks before his match.
Tom Lightvoet adjusts his socks before his match.
Allen Carter and Stephen Sudarsky face off.
Allen Carter and Stephen Sudarsky face off.
Fred Drilling, Rich Pearce and Ed Yablonski.
Fred Drilling, Rich Pearce and Ed Yablonski.
Spectators lined the courts.
Spectators lined the courts.
Players crowd around the scoreboards.
Players crowd around the scoreboards.

 

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