TENNIS NOTES: Webster loses title to Newman

12/23/05

By MARK PATTON
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Two pair up to be doubles champions

Noah Newman cost Santa Barbara tennis ace Adam Webster his second straight men's open singles championship.

But he made up for it by joining Webster to win the doubles title at the 23rd annual Plaza Racquet Club Invitational in Palm Springs.

Webster, coming off his Top Gun championship, won three straight singles matches in Palm Springs, which included a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 thriller over ninth-seeded Shane Laporte of Hermosa Beach in the round of 16. That earned Webster, the No. 8 seed, a shot at the second-seeded Newman.

"I had to claw and scratch my way back," said Webster, who had trailed Laporte 5-2 in the third set. "My singles against Noah would have been much better and maybe a winner had I not gone three sets."

Webster lost to Newman 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. Newman continued on to win the title.

In doubles, Webster and Newman cruised with four straight-set victories. The top-seeded pair beat Patrick Guion and Andrew Scorteanu of Palm Springs 6-3, 6-2 in the final.

MIDWINTER CLASSIC: Leane Ledbetter had little trouble winning the women's 4.5-rated singles division at the Los Angeles event. She swept Joanna Jones-Reed of Palos Verdes Estates 6-1, 6-4 in the semifinals and Judy Nichols of Port Hueneme 6-0, 6-2 for the title.

Miguel Hernandez was a finalist in the men's 60 singles, advancing with a 7-6, 6-1 semifinal win over Mick Locklin of Anaheim. He lost the title match 6-4, 6-3 to German Ruiz of Playa del Rey.

JUNIOR NEWS: Santa Barbara High star Kelly Hart won five straight matches to capture the girls 16 singles championship at the Chapman Junior Satellite Tournament in the City of Orange. She defeated Caitlan Greubel of Trabuco Canyon 6-4, 6-0 in the final.

Charlotte Bellomy was a consolation finalist in the girls 10s at the Palm Valley Junior Championships, while Esther Tranle was a quarterfinalist in the girls 14s at the Claremont Club Junior Tournament.

JUNIOR TEAM TENNIS: Registration for the USTA's Junior Team Tennis program will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Jan. 7 at the Tennis Club of Santa Barbara (call CathyAnn Simon at 680-3870). Players will need verification of their USTA membership (available at USTA.com) to join.

USA Team Tennis describes the competition as "team matches in a friendly, laid-back environment ... The emphasis is on fun, fitness and the social benefits of the game."

Players are matched by age division and ability as determined by the Junior National Tennis Rating Program.

USTA ADULT LEAGUE: Mixed doubles play in the local USTA Adult League will begin on Jan. 8, with divisions for the combined rating levels of 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0. The local league is seeking both players and possible captains. For details, call 965-9510.

TENNIS CLASS: The SBCC Continuing Education Division will resume its Wednesday tennis program for adults on Jan. 11. The class -- "Drills and Skills" -- will be taught by former SBCC coach Jack Sanford, a member of the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Hall of Fame.

The series will consist of five two-hour sessions every Wednesday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the City's Municipal Tennis Courts. Registration will begin at 9:15 a.m. The fee is $43. For information, call 566-2191.

2006 TOURNAMENTS: The Santa Barbara Tennis Patrons have released their tournament schedule for the upcoming year.

The 21st annual City Tournament will kick off the schedule of USTA-sanctioned junior events Jan. 27 to 29. The entry deadline is Jan. 13. The 91st annual Santa Barbara Junior Tournament is set for June 3-4 and 10-11, while the 35th annual Knowlwood Junior Tournament will be held on July 27-30.

The Patrons summer series, meanwhile, will feature events at the Tennis Club of Santa Barbara on June 26-28, the Cathedral Oaks Athletic Club on July 22-23, and the La Cumbre Country Club on Aug. 12-13.

The three major adult events are the Leslie Allen Tournament (March 4-5), the John Heinzman Tournament (May 13-14) and the Santa Barbara Open (July 8-9 and 15-16).

Tournaments can be entered online at sbtennispatrons.com. For more details, call 965-9510.