What do the names Marion Bartoli, Andy Murray, Hayden Fisher and Esha Velaga have in common?
Well, Marion Bartoli rolled through the Wimbledon women’s draw with her unorthodox, mentally tough game, not dropping a single set in her pursuit of the women’s title.
Andy Murray made history in downing Novak Djokovic in straight sets to become the first Brit in 77 years to win the coveted Wimbledon singles title, bringing pride to Dunblane Scotland, and more importantly, to the entire United Kingdom.
Hayden Fisher displayed advanced stroke technique well beyond his 7 years of age to win the Just Tennis/Picket Post 10 and Under Tennis Classic boys singles title.
Esha Velaga put her big serve on display to earn the girls Just Tennis/Picket Post girls singles title.
They were all the winners of the weekend.
Sure, Bartoli and Murray are professionals; dominant in their game and showcasing their skills for the entire world. But on the very same weekend at Picket Post Swim and Tennis club, there were some entertaining tennis points being constructed in the sweltering heat.
This is the fourth tournament I’ve hosted at Picket Post (most of which I hosted as Director of Junior Tennis at the club) and the first I’ve hosted since returning from a 2 year stint in the Czech Republic. It’s also the first tournament I’ve hosted as the Assistant Director of Just Tennis Enterprises.
The Location: Picket Post again proved to be the perfect place for a 10 and under tournament. The well-placed courts are located in the back of a quiet residential neighborhood in Chesterbrook, PA complete with a centrally located gazebo, trees for shade, and friendly members and staff who are always happy to help out or simply catch some of the grueling 10 and under rallies.
The Action: The tournament featured 12 talented girls and 5 tenacious, hungry boy players looking to brave the 90+ degree heat and grind it out on the courts.
As always, the 10 and under format produced some top notch quality tennis amongst these youngsters. The heat was definitely a factor, but the point construction and sound footwork was evident amongst most of the players.
From the shoe-squeaking adjustment steps of the players as they adjusted their bodies for deep, penetrating shots, to the subtle, Maria Sharapova/Lleyton Hewitt-esque fist pumps and “let’s go’s,” the Just Tennis/Picket Post 10 and Under Classic proved to have very equal components of competition and fun.
They always say that the 10 and under format helps instill a love of the sport within the players thanks to the lower compression balls, smaller dimensions, and ease at which the players can pick up the sport and play quality points. This proved especially true in this tournament. Countless players approached me for more matches, even after they already endured a match or 2 in this heat.
The amount of times I heard “Coach Justin…when am I going to be able to play again?” greatly outnumbered the amount of times I heard “I’m hot, can I go home?” These kids were eager to play. “Aw, man, 30 minutes? Can’t I play in 5 minutes?” The love for the game outweighed the sun, the heat, and the elements.
In the end, Hayden Fisher emerged victorious in the boys round robin, earning solid wins over everyone else in the draw. On the girls side, second seeded Esha Velaga earned herself a tough win in a battle of the big servers over the top seeded the lefty, Talia Levine.
Notes and Observations:
- Meera Sehgal and Ella Tunnell had a particularly grueling first round match, complete with a tight first set, 15-20 ball rallies, and much needed extended water breaks.
- Tori Allen, who I remember as a talented little 6 year old competing here back in 2011, came back with a much more well developed game at the wise age of 8 and played some very entertaining, intense matches.
- Kaitlyn Fisher put forth a strong showing in her very first USTA tennis tournament, advancing all the way to the semifinals
- Top seeded Talia Levine used her big lefty game to roll into the finals, hitting big serves and strokes and displaying on-court poise that made me think I was watching a 12 and under match.
- The boys were like the energizer bunnies of the weekend. Hayden, Zach, Jack, and Ajay just kept playing and playing and playing. And not only did they keep playing. They kept grinding. Long rallies, fighting for points, “taking it one ball at a time.” These guys knew how to battle out there.
Special thanks go out to the parents. They stuck it out for a long day of tennis, supported their kids, and were big proponents of them playing as many matches as possible.
The Tennis Monitors were also a big help. Thanks to Sage and Matt for helping with the setup, breakdown, and occasional line-calling.
The Just Tennis Staff, featuring Justin DePietropaolo (Director) and Harsha Emani (Junior Instructor) also did a great job at helping me facilitate and run the tournament successfully.
Lida Bonner and the Picket Post Staff for allowing me to host the tournament at Picket Post and providing us with hot dogs, sodas, candy and other concessions to keep the parents and participants full and hydrated.
The Players – on the girls side, we had Talia, Sasha, Abigail B, Tori, Meera, Ella, Abby W, Kaitlyn, Brynn, Sophie, Madie and Esha.
On the boys side we had Hayden, Jack, Zach, Ajay and Logan.
Thanks for coming out and showcasing your tennis skills!
I’m looking forward to the next 10 and under tournament at Oxford! To sign up, visit this blog post.
