Unbelievable Action in Club Championships Singles

I can’t help but start this blog with “WOW!” The strokes may not be what some would consider “classic,” but there have been some classic matches played on Gulf Harbour’s tennis courts over the past few days.

Bill Wright's Forehand Grip Backhand

On Wednesday night it was a tremendous contest of wills and skills between Chuck Klucka and Bill Wright in the All Aces Division. I missed the first set, but uncharacteristically, Bill won it (6-3)! Given Bill’s track record, I wish someone had been giving odds on the second set, cuz I would have bet the farm on Chuck!

Chuck Klucka Prepares to Whip a Forehand

Sho nuff, Chuck stormed back to claim the second set (6-2), looking as though he, the favorite in the matchup, had hit his stride and would take no prisoners for the remainder of the match.


The Crowd Enjoys Match Despite Chilly Temps

The first game of the third set appeared to confirm the above, as Chuck went up 1-0. It wasn’t looking too good for Bill, but as he has done at least a few times before, he came up with the “Wright” answer: “Not Yet!” Chuck seemed to relax for a moment and before the chilled crowd could say “D&*^* it’s cold!” Bill had reeled of six consecutive games to pull off the upset, storming (as only he can) into the semis and the challenge of his tennis life. He’ll face Chip Graddy this morning at 9am.

As good as the Wright-Klucka match was, it was just a portent of things to come. On Thursday afternoon, Laurie Watson (who had the nerve to register the Court Crashers Division…yep we moved her up to Ball Bashers :)) took the court against last year’s Ball Bashers finalist Martha DeLeeuw.


Anna Pitts Battles Angela Mitrisin

 Those familiar with Martha’s game knew to bring a lunch, and they needed it before this one was over. Things appeared to be progressing as expected in the first set with Martha claiming it (6-3) despite solid resistance from Laurie. But there’s no quit in Laurie Watson! She turned the tables and took the second set convincingly (6-2). The action was just heating up.

Back and forth they dueled, with Martha slowing things down considerably. One of Martha’s strengths, her mobility, was unfortunately compromised by leg cramps. As sweet as Laurie is on and off the court, she showed no mercy, and kept the pressure on until the two were tied at 5-5 in the third. To the dismay of the crowd, which was anticipating a third-set tiebreak, Martha’s legs suggested she call it quits. She listened, and almost three hours after they began, Laurie had posted the second big upset in two days.

One would think the Wright family had provided us with enough entertainment for one tournament, but Ann Wright and Carol Carr lit up the night and the crowd the following evening in a Ball Bashers battle. I have watched and played in many a singles match, but seldom have I experienced such thrills while watching a match, and never while watching a club event.

This match had it all: Uncommon displays of sportsmanship, ebbs and flows of momentum, all out effort, and a surprising utilization of strategy and tactics. If all of the above wasn’t enough, superb shot-making saturated the contest.

The pressure was all on Carol as she was the favorite on paper. But again, no one who knows Ann, even a tad, would hesitate to put too much on the favorite in this one. The crowd murmured through the mounting tension of the first set, as Ann edged Carol in a tiebreak to claim it. Could it be? Could Ann pull this off in only her second singles event ever? It looked like a distinct possibility.

Ah, but if you know Carol Carr, just a smidgen, you wouldn’t be breaking out the champaign just yet if you were in the Wright camp. Back and forth they went, fighting fiercely through every single point, drawing myriad, well-deserved “ooooos” and “ahhhs” from the crowd. At the end of the second set, Carol had fought her way back to square one (6-4). Bathroom break for Ann while Carol paced the arena…

The third set got underway and these incredible ladies battled on into the night, back and forth, shot for shot, sprinting, advancing, retreating, and midway through the final set, neither had given an inch! Ah, but someone had to finish on the darker side of this moon, and with Carol's crucial break and determined hold, that someone was Ann.

Carol had held it together, had refused to crumble under the pressure of being the favorite, hadn’t given in to Ann’s relentless retrieving and stellar play. The hard-earned victory after 2 ½ hours and the amazing play of both players drew the first standing ovation I have seen at Gulf Harbour (I think Don Pitts and Rich Buckingham drew the first jumping ovation the day before in team play though).

Wow! What a tremendous few days of tennis our members have provided! The matches featured above were just the highlights. Other matches included Dave Weber taking down Maxwell Thompson, who is 30 years (that’s three whole decades) his junior, in straight sets (6-3, 6-4). Oh, and it’s only few weeks post knee surgery for Dave. He'll face former All Aces Champion Geoff Negin next.

Other results include Angela Mitrisin moseying past the very game Anna Pitts in straight sets (6-3, 6-1); Mondé Breton claiming a three-set victory over the talented Jan Carlson (4-6, 6-2, 6-1); Tom VanWyk, a few weeks post hospital stay for a blood clot in his leg, posting a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Preston Clark who is just about fully recovered from shoulder issues; and Don Pitts notching a surprising triumph over Eric Vettergren (6-3, 6-0).

We have some really intriguing matchups today, so if you like this game and enjoy being a part of Gulf Harbour tennis, you might want to take a stroll, a drive, a ride (or however you get around) down to the courts today to catch the action. Go to the Tennis Page of our Club website if you are interested in viewing the draws and today’s match times.

Until the next installment, game, set, match...