The USTA Florida Adult 18 & Over 3.0/4.5 Sectional Championships concluded Monday, August 2, at the USTA National Campus after three days of play. Victorious squads include the 3.0 men representing Orange/Seminole (USTA National Campus – Orlando), the 3.0 women from Polk (Beerman Family Tennis Center – Lakeland), the 4.5 men hailing from Pinellas (Safety Harbor Resort and Spa), and Hillsborough’s (HCC Tennis Complex – Tampa) 4.5 women.

Orange/Seminole and Broward (Midtown Athletic Club – Weston) were part of a three-way tie atop the standings of the men’s 3.0 competition at the end of round-robin play. With a record of 3-1 overall and 14 courts to their credit, they advanced to the championship dual over Alachua (Westside Park – Gainesville), which also went 3-1 but only claimed 12 courts.

All five individual contests would end in straight sets between Orange/Seminole and Broward. German Avellaneda took line one singles 6-2, 6-4 for Broward while his teammate Ricardo Dillon battled to a 6-3, 7-5 result at line two; however, Orange/Seminole swept the doubles to take the team match by a slim 3-2 margin. Jorge Marfisi and Joshua Ortiz dominated line one 6-1, 6-1 to go along with Javier Pozo and Jose Agreda combining to win the second position 7-6, 6-4. On court three, William Vazquez and Omar Bou-Gomez came through 7-5, 6-2.

Captained by Marfisi, the full Orange/Seminole roster features Marcos Fret, Vazquez, David Mayorca, Ortiz, Bou-Gomez, Jaime Mesia, Agreda, Michel Toubji, Pozo, Ivan Rodriguez, Nelson Chatei, and Axel Massol.

On the 3.0 women’s side, all four semifinalists went undefeated in their respective flight to easily move into the knockout stages. Both semifinals were completed indoors following a suspension in play due to rain Sunday afternoon. Ultimately, Miami/Dade (Coral Pine Park – Pinecrest) swept Okaloosa/Walton/Bay (Edgewater Beach Resort – Panama City) 5-0 and Polk (Beerman Family Tennis Center – Lakeland) outlasted Alachua (D B Racquet Club – Gainesville) 3-2.

Commanding doubles play paced Polk in the divisional final, as they bested Miami-Dade by a comfortable 4-1 margin. Kacee Swain and Cassie Miller breezed through line one 6-2, 6-1 to go along with Kara Reber and Jennifer Spann cruising 6-1, 6-0 on court two. Nicole Giusto and Amanda Smith finished off the doubles sweep 6-1, 2-6, 1-0. Additionally, Amanda Strawbridge rallied to take the first singles court 6-7, 6-3, 1-0. Maira Maguire secured Miami-Dade’s only victory with ease, not dropping a game at line two singles.

Giusto is the Polk captain of the Polk squad that features Deborah Carter, Strawbridge, Reber, Swain, Miller, Smith, Spann, Angie Shoemaker, Jan Hyman, and Heidi Zepeda.

Perhaps the most dominant crew at the event, Pinellas (Safety Harbor Resort and Spa) lost just one court in four dual matches to take the men’s 4.5 title. After getting through Flight 1 dropping a mere four sets, they squared off with Flight 2 winner Broward (Parkland Tennis Center) Monday morning.

Kevin Gaughan and Ryan Gelhaus were awarded the third doubles matchup via default, while teammates Connor Molina and Shawn McGee had little trouble closing out the matchup at line two 6-2, 6-2. Mike Moenter and John Hollis need a comeback to claim court one, eventually pulling through 5-7, 6-4, 1-0. In singles, Blake Dantzler won 7-5, 6-4 at the top spot for Pinellas and Jay Graff earned the second position 6-4, 6-4 for Broward.

Captained by Gelhaus, the complete Pinellas crew includes Michael Lenhart, Amit Taggar, Ali Rizvi, Moenter, Gaughan, Hollis, David Dollbaum, Connor Molina, Gustavo Sanchez, Jamie Mckibban, Jonathan Collazo, Josh Heeg, Dantzler, Stephen Lappano, Leif Shuman, McGee, Ignacio Molina, Nicholas Yale, and Destiny Okungbowa.

Broward (Lauderdale Tennis Club) and (Hillsborough (HCC Tennis Complex – Tampa) were the class of the women’s 4.5 division, as Broward went 4-0 in flight play while Hillsborough’s only defeat came to Broward after both squads had already clinched a place in the championship dual. Giving away only six games on the two singles courts, Broward put themselves in prime position to take home the crown, but failed to prevail at any of the three doubles positions.

Line three was the lone matchup to end in straight sets, as Lisa Shelton and Elizabeth McCafferty came through 6-4, 6-4. Hillsborough also took the opening frames at lines one and two, only to need a match tiebreak on both courts. Denise Agnew combined with Avery Zercoe for a 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 effort at the top spot while Stephanie Means and Maria Stand won an extended battle 7-6, 5-6, 1-0 at line two.

Agnew serves as the captain of the Hillsborough team that is composed of ASbel Giang, Zercoe, Stand, Maki Smith, Kelly Sincich, Shelton, McCafferty, Means, Lauren Snipes, Joan Simmons, Kate Panawash, Dagmar Rocker, Brianna Civiero, and Faith Sincich.

For complete results from the 2021 USTA Florida Adult 18 & Over 3.0/4.5 Sectional Championships, click here.