Flight play concluded and the focus shifted to the divisional knockout stages on Sunday at the USTA Florida 55 & Over 6.0/8.0 Sectional Championships, hosted by the USTA National Campus.

Teams are competing in dual matches that consist of three doubles contests; in order to claim the overall dual victory, a team needs to win at least two of those three courts.

Locking up spots in the women’s 6.0 semifinals by finishing atop their respective flight was Escambia (Roger Scott Tennis Center – Pensacola), Hillsborough (Apollo Beach Racquet Fitness Club), and Collier (Greater Marco Family YMCA – Marco Island). It would be Collier as the only squad to enter the knockout stages undefeated after posting a perfect 3-0 record in Flight 3, while Escambia ended at 3-1 overall in Flight 1 and Hillsborough emerged from a three-way tie at the top of the Flight 2 standings. Also advancing to the final four was Leon (Forestmeadows Park and Athletic Center – Tallahassee), which earned the wild card slot as the runner-up in Flight 3. For the semifinal matchups, Collier will be across the net from Escambia and Hillsborough is slated to face off with Leon.

A dominant effort from Miami-Dade (Dante Fascell Park – Miami) saw them cruise through Flight 2 of the women’s 8.0 division, as the crew went a sterling 4-0 on the strength of sweeping all 12 individual matchups with a mere three sets lost. Orange/Seminole/Lake (Lake Cane Tennis Center – Orlando) also navigated through Flight 1 without suffering a dual loss but Hillsborough (River Hills Country Club – Valrico) was forced to overcome a loss and a three-way tie in Flight 3. The wild card spot went to Brevard (Kiwanis Island Park Recreation Center – Merritt Island) thanks to a 3-1 record in Flight 2. Brevard has been matched up with Hillsborough in the semifinals while Miami-Dade and Orange/Seminole/Lake will meet in the other dual.

The men’s 8.0 semifinal round was contested on Sunday, where Escambia (Roger Scott Tennis Center – Pensacola) defeated Duval (Magnolia Point Golf & Country Club – Green Cove Springs) by a 2-1 margin while Brevard (Fee Ave Courts – Melbourne) swept aside Broward (Midtown Athletic Club – Weston). For Escambia, Derrick Racine and John Wimberly hung on for a 6-0, 4-6, 1-0 victory at line two to go along with an impressive comeback from their teammates Shane Russell and Calvin Moore at the top spot; Escambia retired on line three, which was also in a match tiebreak, once the team win was clinched.

Brevard, the wild card team in the semifinals, impressively dismissed Broward without dropping a set. Chase Donaldson and Bryan Heirston breezed through line three 6-1, 6-1 while Michael Phelipa and Peter De Lange took court one 6-2, 6-2. The sweep was capped off by Tony Bender and Michael Bailey securing the second spot 6-4, 6-4. Brevard will now get a rematch with Escambia, as they met earlier in the event in Flight 3.

The divisional semifinals will begin at 7:30 a.m. with the men’s 8.0 final slated for first serve at 8 a.m. For more information on the USTA Florida 55 & Over 6.0/8.0 Sectional Championships, click here.