Will Campbell and Lindsey Liles Capture Arkansas Junior Tennis 2010 Year-end #1 Rankings

Will Campbell and Lindsey Liles (pictured right), both of Little Rock, captured the 2010 Year-end Arkansas Junior Tennis #1 ranking in the Boys 18s and Girls 18s divisions respectively. Below is a list of the Top-5 Arkansas Juniors in each division.

Boys 18 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 William B. Campbell Little Rock AR 1972
2 Robert T. Hodous Fayetteville AR 1717
3 Grant Adams Texarkana TX 1455
4 Forrest Scott Hickey Greenwood AR 1424
5 J. P. Devincenzo Proctor AR 1379

Boys 16 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Jordan Sheppard Bentonville AR 1741
2 Julio R. Olaya Little Rock AR 1584
3 Varun Shah Bentonville AR 1561
4 Weldon Murry Texarkana AR 1462
5 Cole Chapman Guy Pine Bluff AR 1461

Boys 14 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Christian K. Mathis Mountain Home AR 1838
2 Dylan Joseph Deluca Bentonville AR 1790
3 Trent Brandon Little Rock AR 1683
4 Jake Jacoby Little Rock AR 1656
5 Daniel Joshuva Bentonville AR 1638

Boys 12 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Marshall Smith Ney Rogers AR 2477
2 Hunter Matthew Harrison Little Rock AR 2021
3 Griffin Clark Rogers AR 1959
4 Spencer Kauffman Hot Springs AR 1887
5 Jack Henry Hill Hot Springs AR 1847

Boys 10 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Andrew Wood White Hall AR 2456
2 Wesley Barnett Little Rock AR 2049
3 Brandon D Lupinek North Little Rock AR 1847
4 Conner Nicklaus Johnson Hot Springs AR 1670
5 Anil Chakka Little Rock AR 1388

Girls 18 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Lindsey Liles Little Rock AR 2555
2 Darby Brandon Little Rock AR 2045
3 Tiffany Tang Rogers AR 1255
4 Amy Andersen Rogers AR 1198
5 Allison Nicole Grahl Fort Smith AR 1165

Girls 16 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Mary Wright Hot Springs AR 1611
2 Julia E. Lefler Hot Springs National Park AR 1483
3 Lindsy Pearce Fort Smith AR 1421
4 Pratheepa Ravikumar Rogers AR 1372
5 Rebecca Harrington Jonesboro AR 1210

Girls 14 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Emily Ann Metcalf Jonesboro AR 2287
2 Tiffany Tang Rogers AR 2002
3 Laura Lanier Little Rock AR 1603
4 Annie Tarwater Texarkana TX 1566
5 Katherine Tang Rogers AR 1563

Girls 12 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Morgan R. McAlexander Jonesboro AR 2295
2 Bailey D. McAlexander Jonesboro AR 2105
3 Tatum Brooke Rice Hot Springs AR 1843
4 Kami Rave Ward Hot Springs AR 1806
5 Hannah Gamberini Hot Springs AR 1648

Girls 10 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Abigail Minton Benton AR 1947
2 Hunter Roper Jonesboro AR 1823
3 Claire Doshier Harrison AR 1810
4 Cameron Hafner Jonesboro AR 1559
5 Emma MeiYuan Baker Bentonville AR 1549

*** Comments 1 thru 10 include top-50 players in each division

Vacations at IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy Make a Fun Winter Getaway

IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy offers an excellent way to escape the winter along with the fun of improving your tennis game. Conveniently located in Bradenton, Florida, IMG Bollettieri is near the metropolitan area of Tampa where you can enjoy their busy nightly entertainment style or you can enjoy the quiet beaches near Sarasota including the world famous, whitest sands of Siesta Key Beach.


IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy has a variety of vacation/lesson packages- Weekend Getaways, Weekly Lesson Plans, etc. Any day at around 10am, you can catch the major tour pros such as Jelena Jankovic, Tommy Haas, Maria Sharapova, Max Mirnyi, Ryan Harrison, Kei Nishikori, and Xavier Malisse honing their skills and preparing for their next match. Nearby, you will also find Pat Harrison drilling the pros ranked 100-300 who are trying to make their next move on the tour. Just south of the proshop are the indoor courts where Nick Bollettieri regularly enforces the stroke mechanics into the eager minds of juniors looking to gain an edge in their tennis game.


When the winter blues start to set in, think about heading to Florida and discover the fun tennis environment that IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy has in store for you!

Visit: www.IMGAcademies.com for more information.

Photo- Ryan Harrison(above right); Nick Bollettieri(left)


Article & Photos submitted by:
Chuck Cavin, our freelance writer

SPECIAL REPORT: Arkansas Tennis Association (ATA) Ranks Last in USTA Memberships

The Arkansas Tennis Association under the direction of Leslie Pfeiffer ranks last in USTA membership of the Southern Section. At a recent Southern Sectional meeting, the ATA produced the lowest number of USTA members among the 9 state region. In fact the ATA had a decline in membership of almost 8% (Adults-down 2%,Juniors-down 20%), while the Executive Director Leslie Pfeiffer has continued to pay herself almost $90,000 and consumed almost 12% of the total ATA budget (highest among the 9-state Southern Section).

State.Total USTA Mbrs..Adults...Jrs,...Growth%
1.GA.......55,498......40,861..14,587...-0.44%
2.NC.......35,224......25,790...9,371...+5.46%
3.SC.......24,417......19,657...4,727...+0.31%
4.LA.......14,831......11,677...3,136...+2.74%
5.AL.......14,394......10,658...3,714...+3.03%
6.TN.......13,360.......8,933...4,346...+2.25%
7.MS.......12,760.......9,108...3,640...+4.81%
8.KY........9,551.......6,214...3,317...+7.59%
9.AR........7,532.......5,363...2,156..(-7.94%)

(NOTE: Total Members=Adult + Jrs + Unknown Members.)

Leslie Pfeiffer, the executive director, has orchestrated an effort to deceive the USTA Arkansas tennis members by inflating the total revenue of the ATA by commingling the funds generated by the NLR Burns Park/ATA agreement and the funds generated from the USTA membership, grants, program fees. Thus, the ATA has shown a revenue increase each year, even though membership continued to decline.

Instead of using the excess revenue to promote and grow the game of tennis thru a grassroots effort of providing access to tennis courts/programs in growing communities statewide, Leslie Pfeiffer has wasted the monies by increasing her own pay and office staff including hiring children of Board members such as Joe Murphy and Randy Jackson. How many more office workers does Pfeiffer need to sit around on their rearends firing emails across Arkansas saying, "WE NEED MORE JUNIORS SINCE WE LOST 20% OF OUR JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP" or "WE ARE LAST IN ADULT MEMBERSHIP"!!!!

Recently, a growing community asked Pfeiffer for a very small grant to make their tennis courts more useful and more attractive to grow the Game of Tennis. Pfeiffer insisted that funds were low for the past 5 or so years while she had been overpaying herself $185,000 over this same period. Adults/children need tennis courts within 15 minutes of where they live, especially for afterschool junior programs. We do not need more money spent at one central location such as Burns Park and the ATA office, since not everyone statewide lives within 15 minutes of N. Little Rock.

Maxwell Mendelsohn and Tiffany Tang Voted Arkansas Junior Tennis Players of the Year by Central Arkansas Tennis Talk

The final votes have been cast by the readers of Central Arkansas Tennis Talk, and the winners of the 2010 Arkansas Junior Tennis Player of the Year Award are Tiffany Tang of Rogers and Maxwell Mendelsohn of Little Rock.

Freshman Tiffany Tang (pictured right), class of 2014 at Rogers High School, won the Arkansas Overall Girl's High School Tennis Championships at 14 years old. Tiffany, who has been playing tennis since she was 4 and started playing competitive tennis six years ago, went undefeated in taking the Overall title and the Girl's 7A Conference High School title. Tiffany also reached #15 in the Southern Girl's 14s rankings.

Maxwell Mendelsohn of Little Rock(pictured lower right), only a 6th Grader at Pulaski Academy, was a giant slayer in 2010. Mighty Max reached #10 in the Southern Sectional tennis rankings in the Boy's 12s division. In Arkansas competition, Max, at the age of 11 years old , took on the daunting task of playing in the Boy's 16s division of the Otter Creek Junior Spring Tennis Tournament.

Not even a teen yet, Max dominated the Boy's 16s by sweeping the title with straight set victories over Drew Dodge of Conway (Round of 16) 6-4, 6-3, Bobby Emerson of Little Rock (Quarterfinals) 6-3, 6-1, Brandon Williams of Little Rock (Semi-Finals) 6-4, 6-2, and Grayson Greer of Little Rock (Finals) 6-2, 6-1. This sheer dominance of an Arkansas Boy's 16 & under event by an 11 year old had to be one of the most impressive feats of the 2010 year.

Arkansas Women's 3.5 Team wins USTA National League Championships in Tucson, Arizona

The Arkansas Women's 3.5 Team representing the Southern Section and captained by Teresa Williams of Little Rock won the USTA National League Championships in Tucson, Arizona. Arkansas/Williams eked out a 3-2 victory over the Washington Women's 3.5 Team representing the Pacific NW Section and captained by Kathy Trisler of Bellevue, WA.

#1 Singles, Washington won, Cathy Habib def. Wende L. Walraven 6-2, 6-4

#2 Singles, Arkansas won, Catherine Piaton def. Harumi Bono 6-4, 6-2

#1 Doubles, Arkansas won, Catherine Edwards/Martha F. James def. Sheri Bennett/Gina Sjolander 6-2, 2-6, 1-0

#2 Doubles, Arkansas won, Mary Kathryn Nelson/Annie J. Turchi def. Leslee Ikuko Kay/Jodi A. Paulson 3-6, 6-3, 1-0

#3 Doubles, Washington won, Kathy Trisler/Becky Chin def. Dee N. Whalen/Beth Wilborne
6-4, 6-3

Team members include Teresa L. Williams, Shannon Taylor, Wende L. Walraven, Annie J. Turchi, Catherine Edwards, Jenni R. Rickman, Dee N. Whalen, Katie Alice Staggs, Catherine Piaton, Beth Wilborne, Jonie D. Burks, Mary Kathryn Nelson, Martha F. James, Jennifer Moline, Mary Carolyn Bailey, Laurie Houff.

Austin Crawford of Little Rock Central and Tiffany Tang of Rogers win the Overall Arkansas State High School Tennis Championships

Austin Crawford (pictured left)of Little Rock Central narrowly defeated Julio Olaya of Pulaski Academy 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 for the Overall Arkansas State High School Tennis Championships in the boy's singles division.
Tiffany Tang of Rogers cruised to the girl's singles division title with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Mary Wright of Hot Springs Lakeside.
In the doubles division, Josh Guy/Cole Guy of White Hall defeated Bishop Bass/ Forrest Hickey of Greenwood 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 for the boy's title. Morgan Saxton/Allie Wilson of Greenwood squeaked by Lindsy Pearce/Lauren Ghahremani of Fort Smith Southside 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 for the girl's title.

The winners of the singles/doubles titles in each conference are as follows:

7A Boy's Singles- Austin Crawford of LR Central
7A Girl's Singles- Tiffany Tang of Rogers

7A Boy's Doubles- Zach Ellis/ Kevin Morris of Bentonville
7A Girl's Doubles- Trinity Randolph/ Darby Brandon of LR Central

6A Boy's Singles- Todd Turner of Lake Hamilton
6A Girl's Singles- Stephanie Gray of Russellville

6A Boy's Doubles- Angelo Caparas/ Rodger Hurt of Jonesboro
6A Girl's Doubles- Emily Lansford/ Katie Branum of Jonesboro

5A Boy's Singles- Will Campbell of Central Arkansas Christian
5A Girl's Singles- Mary Wright of Hot Springs Lakeside

5A Boy's Doubles- Josh Guy/ Cole Guy of White Hall
5A Girl's Doubles- Julia Lefler/ Sarah Kauffman of Hot Springs Lakeside

4A Boy's Singles- Julio Olaya of Pulaski Academy
4A Girl's Singles- Katelyn Jackson of Pulaski Academy

4A Boy's Doubles- Jake Jacoby/ Sean Corrothers of Pulaski Academy
4A Girl's Doubles- Maddie McJunkens/ Nancy Purnell of Nashville

3A Boy's Singles- Trent Brandon of Episcopal Collegiate
3A Girl's Singles- Maggie Beestra of Episcopal Collegiate

3A Boy's Doubles- Casey Shepard/ Michael Pope of Fountain Lake
3A Girl's Doubles- Laura Lanier/ Katie Bridges of Episcopal Collegiate

2A Boy's Singles- Juraj Ugor of Murfreesboro
2A Girl's Singles- Anna Brickell of Riverside

2A Boy's Doubles- Daniel Meador/ Nathan Weir of Union Christian
2A Girl's Doubles- Taylor Boness/ Kyley Campbell of Riverside

Unseeded Mary Dineen upsets ITF Women's 40s World #1 Julie Cass in the USTA National Women's 40s & 50s Clay Court Championships

Mary Dineen of Winter Park, Florida scored the biggest upset of 2010 on the ITF Senior Tennis Tour in the Women's 40s event of the USTA National Senior Clay Court Tennis Championships in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Mary Dineen, a former college All-American but new to the ITF Women's 40s events, defeated ITF World #1 Julie Cass of Austin, Texas 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the tournament. Not resting on her laurels with her win over Cass, Dineen quickly dispatched of her other opponents enroute to a victory in the finals over ITF World #12 Vesna McKenna of Hollywood, Florida 6-3, 6-4.

In the Women's 50s division, ITF World #4 Diane Fishburne of Charleston, South Carolina defeated ITF World #1 Susan Wright of Grand Junction, Colorado 6-3, 6-1 for the title.

Photo (right): Women's 50s Runner-up, Susan Wright(left) and
Tournament Dr./former Arkansas Razorback Tennis
Star, Brian Sakey(right)

Zachary Humphries and Thea Rice Lead Arkansas Juniors in Southern Tennis Rankings

Zachary Humphries of Maumelle and Thea Rice of Hot Springs are the top-ranked Arkansas Junior tennis players in the Southern Section of the United States Tennis Association. Currently, Zachary Humphries is ranked #11 in the Southern Boy's 10s and Thea Rice is ranked #10 in the Southern Girl's 10s.

Other Arkansas Juniors ranked in the Top 100 of the Southern Section are as follows:

Boy's 18s- #20 Mario Martinez, #47 Ryan Hudelson, #52 Grant Adams

Girl's 18s-#16 Kaitlin Ray, #60 Lindsey Liles, #91 Darby Brandon

Boy's 16s- #25 Riley Colton, #42 Austin Crawford, #59 Julio Olaya

Girl's 16s-#58 Mary Wright (pictured right)

Boy's 14s- #31 Jake Jacoby, #58 Christian Mathis, #82 Daniel Joshuva,#89 Dylan Deluca, #90 Matt Talbert

Girl's 14s-#19 Tiffany Tang, #37 Jacqueline Carr, #47 Emily Metcalf, #56 Katelyn Jackson, #100 Annie Tarwater

Boy's 12s- #13 Max Mendelsohn, #67 Marshall Ney, #94 Jack Hill, #97 Griffen Clark

Girl's 12s-#17 Tatum Rice, #37 Alye Darter, #52 Katherine Tang, #82 Morgan McAlexander, #90 Bailey McAlexander

Boy's 10s- #19 Andrew Wood, #25 Anil Chakka, #40 Brandon Lupinek, #44 Wesley Barnett, #77 Isaac Lundstrum, #81 Connor Johnson, #87 Foster Rogers

Girl's 10s-#33 Claire Doshier, #35 Hunter Roper, #48 Maddie McKee, #66 Cameron Hafner, #99 Anna Magness

The Biggest Losers in Arkansas Team Tennis for 2010

Most of the top news stories in the Arkansas tennis community are the reporting of stellar results by winning teams and individuals. However, the tennis teams that produce the worst results do not get any attention in the press. In honor to these individuals and teams, a Biggest Loser Category has been compiled of the teams/individuals who finished last in their divisions.
The 2010 Winners of the Biggest Loser Award for their division are listed below:

Men's 5.0 Record(0-8)
AR-B/Lyon /Conway captained by Jason Lyon
Team members include Jason Lyon, Kyle Garretson, Chris R. Dussourd, G Barry Brady, Robert Allen Cain, Adam R. Brown.

Women's 4.5 Record(1-8)
Cain/Cain/Little Rock(LRAC) captained by Robert Cain/Andrea Cain
Team members include Andrea Cain, Terri S. Simpson, Lauren Valecillos, Kelli Sanders, Jossie Elizabeth Smith, Stephanie Monet Forte, Tracy McClure, Karen A Henry, Debbie Morrison, Leslie King-Gillispie, Carol L. Mugerditchian, Shuree Shurell Pruitt.

Men's 4.5 Record(0-8)
Robinson/LR(LRRC) captained by Danny Robinson
Team members include Danny Robinson, Fred C. Lord, Robin F. Frazier, Evan Olsen, John Michael Christopher, Mark A. Brown, John Hurst, Tim Bichlmeier, James Richard Olson, Kyle M. Hatfield, Jeff Toliver, Bob Worthington, Duwayne Anderson.

Women's 4.0 Record(0-13)
Cross/Hazelwood/LR (Burns) captained by Irene Cross/Terri Hazelwood
Team members include Irene G. Cross, Brooke Hollis, Jill Madonia Frazier, Terri L. Hazelwood, Janet Ripling Moore, Michelle M. Hastings, Kara L. Ford, Kelly Thessing, Erica Eldridge, Mona Churchwell, Vonda J. Stokes, Cherie Annette Swain, Melanie A. Harder, Sherry M. Stokes, Marnie Dabroski.

Men's 4.0 Record(1-6)
Boland/N. Little Rock(Burns) captained by Dan Boland
Team members include Daniel D. Boland, John Bakalekos, Kyle A. Clem, Joe E. Keeling, Johnny E. Hibbs, Craig Knox, John W. Andrews, Byron D. Curtner, Charlie Kinser, Roger Zifer, Michael W. Loftis, James A. Harris, Alan L. Reese, Doug Lickert, Robert R. Bearden, Francis Lee Hartz.

Women's 3.5- Group 1 Record(1-7)
Mascuilli/N. Little Rock(burns) captained by Kathy Mascuilli
Team members include Kathy L. Mascuilli, Emily C. Andrews-Clark, Crystal Phelps, Mae Abrams, Peggy Healy, Barbara A. Barron, Fumiko Collins, Joy R. Blankenship, Saba Koja, Melissa Cole, Janice Helen Carter, Anna Jeter.

Women's 3.5- Group 2 Record(0-8)
Magee/little rock(LRAC) captained by Kim Magee
Team members include Joely Costello, Kimberly Moros, Samantha R. Crawford, Kirsten Dickins, Amanda Duch Moore, Wendy Y. Lynch, Anne Fulgham Gill, Meritt Harrison, Melissa Bridges, Wendy L. Angel, Robin Lee Frazier, Missy Tanner, Cindy A. Goodwin.

Men's 3.5 Record(0-6)
Baker/Little Rock/OC captained by Marty Baker
Team members include Marty Baker, Danny Needham, Jeffery L. Dunn, Guilford Marion Dudley, Jerald N. Todd, Richard Patrick Cole, Chuck Seel, Carl Brown, David W. Sterling, Sidney Wood, Mike Dodson, Derek K. Jennings.

Women's 3.0- Group 1 Record(1-6)
Winston/Hot Springs(HSHF) captained by Laura Winston
Team members include Laura Winston, Heather Denae Palczynski, Amy Allison Porter, Shanda Elizabeth Nation, Lynette Renee Howell, SHADDA TAPP, Patricia Lynn Young, Linda S. Parker, Lana Thompson Wann, Margaret Signorelli.

Women's 3.0- Group 2 Record(0-7)
Sterka/Conway captained by Sheila Sterka
Team members include Sheila Sterka, Hope Guidry, Marilynn Nabholz, Betsy McClendon, Elizabeth B Spivey, Gloria D. Ward, Alysanne Crymes, Jamie P. Pollard, Danielle Warren, Brandie Martin, Lisa Renee Lollar, Penny Vaught.

Men's 3.0 Record(1-5)
McWilliams/Little Rock(OC) captained by Matthew Jordan McWilliams
Team members include Tim Jernigan, Chuck E. Brown, Jason Reddick Jones, Matthew Jordan McWilliams, Barry Williams, Troy A Stephens, Tim W. Vaughan, Drew Baltzley, Bob Butler, Valeriy Lyzogubov, Paul D. Kroger, Chadley Dean Uekman.

Women's 2.5 Record(0-8)
Battisto/Little Rock(Burns) captained by Cindy Battisto
Team members include Susan Kay Goff, Laura E McKinney, Michelle Lee Crafton, Casey S Moseley, Angela Carole Johnson-Grimmett , Laura Arrington Shafer, Kimble Latrice Talley, Cindy L Battisto.

William Campbell and Lindsey Liles Lead Arkansas Junior Tennis Rankings

William Campbell and Lindsey Liles, both of Little Rock, currently hold the #1 tennis ranking in the USTA Arkansas Junior Boy's 18s and Girl's 18s divisions respectively. Other Arkansas junior tennis players that are also #1 in their age groups include:


Boy's 16s- Julio Olaya of Little Rock
Girl's 16s- Mary Wright of Hot Springs



Boy's 14s- Jake Jacoby of Little Rock(pictured left)
Girl's 14s- Tiffany Tang of Rogers

Boy's 12s- Marshall Ney of Rogers
Girl's 12s- Katherine Tang of Rogers

Boy's 10s- Andrew Wood of White Hall
Girl's 10s- Thea Rice of Hot Springs


*** See Comments for All Ranked Players

Former Arkansas Razorback Tennis Star, Blake Strode Wins U.S. Open Nat'l Playoff Event in Atlanta, Georgia

Blake Strode, a former All-American for the University of Arkansas tennis team won the championship match of the U.S. Open National Playoffs in Atlanta, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1), over Cecil Mamiit. Strode will receive a wild card spot in the 2010 U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament for an Aug. 24th showdown with other qualifiers at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y.

Strode won a USTA Sectional Qualifying Tournament in Arizona and advanced with 15 other regional winners to the U.S. Open Nat'l Playoffs in Atlanta. He earned his spot in the playoff field by winning the U.S. Open Nat'l Playoff SW Section in Surprise, AZ, in June at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex.

The St. Louis, MO native was an All-American for the Razorbacks by advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA Individual Championship in '09 and has been accepted into Harvard Law School, but is pursuing a professional tennis career before enrolling.

Arkansas Women's 2.5 and 3.5 Tennis Teams Capture Southern League Tennis Championships

Two Arkansas League Tennis Teams- Arkansas Women's 2.5 Tennis Team (pictured above, after winning National Championships) captained by Beth Clark from the Rogers area and the Arkansas Women's 3.5 Tennis Team captained by Teresa Williams from the Little Rock area, captured the Southern League Tennis Championships in Birmingham, Alabama.

Arkansas Women's 2.5 Team-Clark/Rogers defeated Louisana/Shreveport 3-0 for the Southern Sectional Women's 2.5 Title. Members of the team include Beth A. Clark, Carolyn Dianne Gilmore, Alysia Diane Treece, Kiki Hoener, Andrea Kapales, Kathryn Miller, Paula Kaufmann, Deanna M. Moser.

Arkansas Women's 3.5 Team- Williams/Little Rock defeated Alabama/Gulf Shores 4-1 for the Southern Sectional Women's 3.5 Title. Members of the team include Teresa L. Williams, Shannon Taylor, Wende L. Walraven, Annie J. Turchi, Catherine Edwards, Jenni R. Rickman, Dee N. Whalen, Katie Alice Staggs, Catherine Piaton, Beth Wilborne, Jonie D. Burks, Mary Kathryn Nelson, Martha F. James, Jennifer Moline, Mary Carolyn Bailey, Laurie Houff.

Other Arkansas teams that came close to winning sectionals were the Senior Women's 4.5 team captained by Judi Fess and Vicki Taylor and the Regular Women's 4.5 team captained by Tamara McColey. The Senior Women's 4.5 Team-Judi Fess/Taylor lost 2-1 in a close match to the winning team from North Carolina. Judi H. Fess/Anne Magee were defeated by Sheila T. Ernest/Saundra G. Denny 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 at #1 Doubles in the deciding match. The Women's 4.5 team-McColey lost to Kentucky's team which might have cost them the championship, too.

Good Luck to these Arkansas teams as they head to Nationals!!!

Central Arkansas Tennis Association (CATA) Sponsors Free Conway Junior Tennis Program

The Central Arkansas Tennis Association (CATA)is sponsoring The Free Conway Junior Tennis Program as it continues with its Fall Season on September 6th. This 8-week tennis lesson plan is free for children ages 6-13. Contact Chuck/Cindy at tennis@pinnacletennisacademy.com or call the office at 501-570-6755.

As the Economy Falters, Leslie Pfeiffer's Salary as The Executive Director of ATA Balloons to over $91,000

The Executive Director position of the Arkansas Tennis Association (ATA)is a very nice job during hard economic times. After reviewing the Federal Form 990 for Organizations Exempt From Taxes, Leslie Pfeiffer earned over $91,000 in 2008. Not a bad job considering it was an increase from over $69,000 in the previous year, and comparable salaries in neighboring state tennis associations are around $50,000.

While businesses are cutting salaries and jobs during these times, the ATA is enjoying its time lining their own pockets, attending lavish social tennis events, and supplying staff with free cell phones. Why does our executive director earn $91,000 while other state tennis associations pay $50,000? Check out page 7 on Form 990 to verify these figures!

The Form 990 is open to public view by going to the link below:

http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990_pdf_archive/237/237372183
/237372183_200812_990O.pdf


Please feel free to offer your comments!!!

Hunter Reese and Catherine Harrison Capture the Southern Junior Closed Tennis Championships at Burns Park

Hunter Reese of Georgia and Catherine Harrison (pictured left) of Tennessee won the Southern Junior Closed Boy's 18s and Girl's 18s Tennis Championships at Burns Park Tennis Center in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Hunter Reese defeated an injured Garrett Brasseaux of Louisiana 6-4, 6-0 in the Boy's 18s finals. The most interesting match was in the Girl's 18s in which Catherine Harrison defeated Whitney Kay of Georgia 6-2, 7-6. Harrison played an aggressive backcourt game by ripping two-handed forehand winners from all over the court. Kay was forced to play defensive tennis most of the match and rely on Harrison to commit unforced errors in order to win points. It was a very fun match to watch with the two contrasting styles of play. The finalists were blue-chip college tennis recruits receiving attention from top college programs across the nation.

A list of Arkansas juniors that performed well in the tournament included Ryan Hudelson, Mario Martinez, Grant Adams, Kaitlin Ray, Lindsey Liles, and Darby Brandon. Other Arkansans participating in the event included Amy Andersen, Bishop Bass, Caleb Fackler, Forrest Hickey, Robert Hodous, McKenna Kraus, Seth Laster, and Caleb McReynolds.

Lindsey Liles and Ryan Hudelson Win Arkansas State Junior Qualifying Tennis Championship

Lindsey Liles of Little Rock defeated Darby Brandon of Little Rock 6-3, 6-2 to capture the Girl's 18s in the Arkansas Junior Qualifying Tennis Championship. Ryan Hudelson (pictured right) of Little Rock won the Boy's 18s title with a 7-6, 7-6 victory over Grant Adams of Texarkana, TX. Other divisional winners include
Boy's 16s- S.R. Colton of Little Rock,
Girl's 16s- Mary Wright of Hot Springs,
Boy's 14s- Taylor Cramer of Texarkana, Tx,
Girl's 14s- Tiffany Tang of Rogers,
Boy's 12s- Max Mendelsohn of Little Rock,
Girl's 12s- Tatum Rice of Hot Springs,
Boy's 10s- Zachary Humphries of Maumelle,
Girl's 10s- Thea Rice of Hot Springs

*** See comments for other results

Quick-Start and Cardio Tennis Lessons/Programs For All Ages

If you are interested in learning "The Game of Tennis", Quick-Start and Cardio Tennis Camps/Clinics/Programs are offered across the state of Arkansas. Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced tennis lessons are available for all adults and juniors. Below is a short list of quality tennis instruction programs for all ages in alphabetical order of the cities in which they are located.

City/ Contact Name /Phone Number

Cabot / Chuck Cavin / 501-570-6755

Conway / Chuck Cavin /501-570-6755

El Dorado /Eric Sixby /870-814-5122

Fayetteville/ Jake Shoemake/ 479-204-1009

Hot Springs/ Ronnie Bran /501-624-2153

Jonesboro /Gary Jones /870-932-6556

Little Rock/ Chuck Cavin / 501-570-6755

Maumelle / Chuck Cavin / 501-570-6755

Texarkana/ Billy Power/ 903-244-4061

Taylor Cramer and Kaitlin Ray Top National Rankings for Arkansas Tennis Juniors

Taylor Cramer of Texarkana and Kaitlin Ray (pictured left) of Little Rock lead the current list of nationally ranked Arkansas juniors. Taylor Cramer is ranked #114 in the Boy's 14s, and Kaitlin Ray is ranked #86 in the Girl's 18s. Other Arkansas juniors breaking into the top #200 of all nationally ranked juniors are Mario Martinez of Maumelle, #138 in the Boy's 18s and Max Mendelsohn of Little Rock, #152 in the Boy's 12s.

**** See 1st comment for a list of all nationally ranked Arkansas junior tennis players

ALL STATE High School Tennis Athletes for 2009/2010 Season

...............2009/2010 TENNIS ALL STATE.............
7A BOYS - SINGLES ................. 7A GIRLS - SINGLES
Rob Hodous Fayetteville ....... Oksana Hillyer Bentonville
Bill Blake FS Southside ......... Morgan Ryan Bentonville
Andrew Fox LR Catholic ........ Rebecca Bailey Mount Saint Mary
Mario Martinez LR Central ...., Stephanie Gray Russellville
7A BOYS - DOUBLES ................. 7A GIRLS - DOUBLES
Trenton Ellis Bentonville ........ Amy Anderson Bentonville
Matt Tabler Bentonville ......... McKenna Kraus Bentonville
Austin Crawford LR Central...... Lindsey Liles LR Central
Robert Emerson LR Central ...., Trinity Randolph LR Central
6A BOYS - SINGLES ................. 6A GIRLS - SINGLES
Jason Morgan Jonesboro .......... Irene Jadie El Dorado
Corey Dillard Lake Hamilton....... Kara Williams Jonesboro
Todd Turner Lake Hamilton ...... Elizabeth Gerlach Sheridan
Fredrick Harris Marion ............ Amber Weigand Sheridan
6A BOYS - DOUBLES ................. 6A GIRLS - DOUBLES
Angelo Caparus Jonesboro .......... Alyssa Caparas Jonesboro
Rodger Hurt Jonesboro .............. Rebecca Harrington Jonesboro
Drew Morgan Jonesboro ............. Kailey Nix Jonesboro
Dylan Huggins Jonesboro ............ Taylor Zane Jonesboro
5A BOYS - SINGLES .................. 5A GIRLS - SINGLES
Will Campbell Cen. Ark Chrstn ...... Krystal Pham Batesville
John Mark Rowden Greenbrier ...... Helon Ricks Lakeside
Parker Allen Lakeside/Hot Spgs..... Mary Wright Lakeside
Julio Olaya Pulaski Academy ......... Kelly Swanson Pulaski Academy
5A BOYS - DOUBLES ................. 5A GIRLS - DOUBLES
Bishop Bass Greenwood ............. Ali Rowden Greenbrier
Leighton Forshee Greenwood ...... Gabrielle Rowden Greenbrier
Drew Atkinson White Hall .......... Morgan Saxton Greenwood
Josh Guy White Hall ................. Allie Wilson Greenwood
4A BOYS - SINGLES ................. 4A GIRLS - SINGLES
Garrett Johnson Highland .......... Elizabeth Teed Arkadelphia
Wesley Locke Malvern .............. Abbey Difani Pocahontas
Andrew Evans Shiloh Christian...... Alisha Hedgecock Shiloh Christian
Chris Metcalf Valley View ........... Hannah Hesse Valley View
4A BOYS - DOUBLES ................. 4A GIRLS - DOUBLES
Caleb Brock Heber Springs ............ Hillary Sherrer Mena
Jeason Wiedower Heber Springs ...... Brittany Willard Mena
Jeremiah Nortier West/Jonesboro..... Mollie Arnold West/Jonesboro
J.T. Nortier West/Jonesboro .......... Kelsey Dement West/Jonesboro
3A BOYS - SINGLES ................... 3A GIRLS - SINGLES
Tim Dinehart Episcopal Col........... Sarah Camras Bismarck
Peter Ketch Episcopal Col............. Maggie Beetstra Episcopal Col.
Rodney Green Fountain Lake......... Katie Bridges Episcopal Col.
Brady Burton Prescott ................. Haley French Piggott
3A BOYS - DOUBLES ................... 3A GIRLS - DOUBLES
Marshall Jones Episcopal Col........ Bingo Martin Bergman
Bo Turney Episcopal Col. ............ NIkki Moore Bergman
Rex Hayes Parkers Chapel ...........Rachel Garrett Episcopal Col.
Jacob McKinney Parkers Chapel ..... Erica Rogers Episcopal Collegiate
2A BOYS - SINGLES ................... 2A GIRLS - SINGLES
Geoffrey Synco Murfreesboro ...... Bonnie Argo Ridgefield Christian
Robby Whitlock St Joseph/PB ...... Emily Young Ridgefield Christian
Seth Laster Union Christian ........ Brandi Mikula Union Christian
Patrick Meador Union Christian..... Diana Pearson West Side/Grs Fry
2A BOYS - DOUBLES ................... 2A GIRLS - DOUBLES
Caleb Stanton Conway Chrstn ....... Kelli Saddler East Poinsett Co.
Will Wooten Conway Chrstn ......... Hailey Shankle East Poinsett Co.
Adam Morgan Ridgefield Chrstn ..... Amanda Smith Union Christian
Reese Thrasher Ridgefield Chrstn... Kathryn Willis Union Christian

Arkansas Senior 9.0 Mixed Doubles Team Places 2nd at National League Championships

The Arkansas Senior 9.0 Mixed Doubles Team captained by Joe Murphy placed 2nd in National League Championships in Orlando, Florida over the weekend of April 9-11. The Arkansas Team lost to the Florida Team captained by Dave Gunn 2-1 with Arkansas scoring their one point at #3 doubles. Leslie Jackson and Randy Jackson lost at #1 doubles to Gewan Maharaj and Carolyn H. Franca 7-6, 6-4. Greg Fess and Judi Fess lost at #2 doubles to Chet D. Benson and
Sharon J. Benson 6-3, 7-6. John Bailey and Brenda Jeter won at #3 doubles by defeating Felix Tromp and Leslie C. Godwin 7-6, 4-6,
1-0.
Forida-Gunn finished the round robin format with an undefeated record of 4-0. With their loss to Florida, Arkansas-Murphy finished 3-1 in the round robin play.

Former Arkansas Razorback Tennis Star Phil Landauer Upsets Top-Seeded Roscoe Tanner at Bocage Sr. Invitational Nat'l Cat. II Prize Money Tournament

Former Razorback Tennis Player Phil Landauer upset former Australian Open Grand Slam Winner Roscoe Tanner in the semi-finals at the Bocage Racquet Club in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Competing in the Men's 55 singles, Landauer played flawless tennis in stopping the big-serving Tanner and forced Tanner into playing a baseline game which he was unaccustomed to executing on the clay courts of Bocage. Later, Landauer lost a heart-breaker to Chris Reynard in the finals.The atmosphere was as festive as always with great Cajun food and entertainment. Not far from the club was a $50,000 USTA Pro Challenger event which was free for all Bocage players, and the crowd witnessed Kevin Anderson of South Africa defeating Tobias Kamke of Germany in a three-set thriller.

Arkansas players that had a successful tournament were Larry Back, a runner-up in the Men's 60s division, Mike Coleman, the consolation winner in the Men's 45s, Kevin Hickey, who played a great Men's 40s match on the stadium court, Steve Duffel, Sharon Adkins, and Myke Loomis, currently a Destin, FL resident and renowned Int'l Senior Tennis Star who won the Women's 45s.

St. Vincent Auxiliary New Outlook USTA Pro Circuit Tournament Begins April 3rd

The St. Vincent Auxiliary New Outlook Pro Tennis Tournament is scheduled for April 3-11 at the Pleasant Valley Country Club.
This is a fun tournament to watch that sometimes features future stars. Past players have been Donald Young, Taylor Dent, and Kei Nishikori to name a few.
The 2009 Champion was Matej Bocko of Slovokia.
The price for this event is at a very affordable rate- FREE!!!

Leslie Pfeiffer Hall of Fame?

Leslie Pfeiffer has spent 25 years with the Arkansas Tennis Association. Due to the increase in revenue from the help of hard-working teaching pros promoting the growth of the game and the aid from the USTA & Southern Sectional offices, the budget has increased 25 times from the original budget in 1985.During her tenure the ATA owns its own office space, has a long-term lease on a 27 court facility, and employs staff throughout the state.

Many rumors are circulating that Leslie is nearing the end of her career as the executive director of the ATA, and this award might allow for a positive spin to a career with many controversial twists.

Please feel free to make any comments for the pros and cons of Leslie Pfeiffer's tenure at the helm of the ATA.

Quality Tennis Lessons/Programs Across The State of Arkansas

If you are interested in learning "The Game of Tennis", Tennis Camps/Clinics/Programs are offered across the state of Arkansas. Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced tennis lessons are available for adults and juniors including Quick-Start Tennis Programs. Below is a short list of quality tennis instruction programs for all ages in alphabetical order of the cities in which they are located.

City/ Contact Name /Phone Number

Cabot / Chuck Cavin / 501-570-6755

Conway / Chuck Cavin/ /501-570-6755

El Dorado /Eric Sixby /870-814-5122

Fayetteville/ Jake Shoemake/ 479-204-1009

Greenbrier / Chuck Cavin / 501-570-6755

Hot Springs/ Ronnie Bran /501-624-2153

Jonesboro /Gary Jones /870-932-6556

Little Rock/ Chuck Cavin / 501-570-6755

Maumelle / Chuck Cavin / 501-773-9521

Morrilton / Chuck Cavin / 501-570-6755

Texarkana/ Billy Power/ 903-244-4061

Vilonia / Chuck Cavin / 501-773-9521