ST. THOMAS — The saying \u2018home court advantage\u2019 certainly rang true for St. Thomas\u2019s Alex Poe, winner of the highly-competitive Men\u2019s Open Singles at the Viya VI Open Tennis Tournament, according to a release issued Sunday.<\/p>\n
Poe started playing tennis at the tournament-host St. Thomas Yacht Club at age 7, taught by well-respected Virgin Islands\u2019 tennis coach, George Newton. Yet, the marathon match was no cake walk for the St. Thomas player.<\/p>\n
In fact, it came down to the last volley to decide if Poe, or Austin, Texas-based opponent, Noah Harness, who was visiting on-island while working for FEMA in the wake of last year\u2019s hurricanes, to decide the winner.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy goal was to stay strong and keep my energy up until the end of play,\u201d says Poe, who defeated Harness (3-6, 6-4, 7-5). \u201cThe match had its difficulties and that took a lot of mental energy. But, I kept plugging away and in the end the win happened pretty quick when he missed the last volley.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sixty-five players from all three U.S. Virgin Islands and U.S. mainland states such as Texas, Colorado and Illinois, competed in the April 12 to 15 tournament, nicknamed the \u2018Wimbledon of the Caribbean\u2019 for its top-notch competition. Players included a strong contingent of open and B division participants in fifteen divisions.<\/p>\n
In Women\u2019s Open Singles, the match ended with a tie-breaker (6-3, 0-6, 10-6), won by St. Thomas\u2019 Denise Holmberg over fellow competitor and islander, Kerri Clifford.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy opponent lost her cool after the first match and I was able to split sets. So, I got lucky,\u201d says Holmberg.<\/p>\n
Men\u2019s Open Doubles winners were St. Thomas\u2019 George Lewis and Julio Martinez over Matthew Mahaffey and June Horii (6-1, 6-2). \u201cI had an injury from Thursday, so we played the percentage and made it (the win) quick.\u201d<\/p>\n
St. Thomas\u2019 Elsbeth Rowaan and Kerri Clifford beat Holmberg and Joyce Bailey (6-2, 6-3) in Women\u2019s Open Double\u2019s round robin play.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve played together for years and communicate well with each other on the court,\u201d says Clifford.<\/p>\n
Mixed Doubles offered edge-of-the-seat action for spectators as St. Thomas\u2019 Dan Nicolosi and sister Christine Rosenkrantz, from Illinois, kept St. Thomas players George Lewis and Osa Notting in play that extended to three sets. Ultimately Nicolosi and Rosenkrantz triumphed (2-6, 7-6, 6-2).<\/p>\n
\u201cControlling the net, I felt very in control,\u201d says Nicolosi, about the secret to the team\u2019s success. \u201cWe had ups and downs, and my sister carried me through the downs. She was happy to be here since it snowed last Monday in Chicago where she lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
St. Thomas Fernando Acuna championed the Men\u2019s 3.5 & Under Singles over St. Croix\u2019s Bob Guilford (6-2, 7-5).<\/p>\n
\u201cI kept telling myself, have patience and wait for the ball. That\u2019s what did it,\u201d says Acuna.<\/p>\n
In the Women\u2019s 3.5 & Under Singles, St. John\u2019s Sandra Miller triumphed over St. Thomas\u2019 Madel Villegas (6-3, 6-4).<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was perseverance and watching the ball,\u201d says Miller, who moved to the Virgin Islands in the last few years from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and was happy to find an active tennis community. \u201cSince it was windy, I tried not to overpower, but to get the ball back every time. It was close and it was so much fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
The St. Thomas team of Bill Newbold and Rick Hunter bested St. Croix\u2019s Warren Mosler and Bob Guilford (6-1, 6-2) in the. Men\u2019s 55-plus Doubles.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe key for us is that it was such a relaxed tournament. It made it enjoyable. When you have fun, you play better,\u201d says Newbold.<\/p>\n
Tournament co-chair Cate Morris and tennis partner Cindy Asfour won the Women\u2019s B Doubles over Lisa Whitsell and Caryn Conaway (7-5, 6-4) over Lisa Whitsell and Caryn Conaway.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re good friends on and off the court so we understand each other,\u201d says Morris. \u201cThat communication helps us know where to move on the court.\u201d<\/p>\n
Junior divisions were included this year for the first time in the 12-year history of the tournament.<\/p>\n
In the Boys 16 & Under, play cut short due to injury didn\u2019t detract from the quality of tennis in the early part of the match. In the end, St. Thomas Xaver Richardson prevailed (6-2, 4-3) over Toovin Phillip.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was good competition. I tried to pressure his backhand, but it didn\u2019t work,\u201d says Richardson.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt better after falling in a match yesterday and really wanted to come back and play the final,\u201d added Phillip.<\/p>\n
Leah Marie Smith championed the Girls 16 & Under over Lana Estrill (6-0, 6-0), and the Girls 14 & Under division over Tania Weyland (6-0, 6-1).<\/p>\n
In Boys 12 & Under, it was St. Thomas Rohan Nelthropp who beat Christian Rosenberg (7-6, 6-2).<\/p>\n
Finally, in the Girls 10 & Under, Anjolie Winner won over Aliya Asfour (8-1), while Aquani Williams triumphed in the round-robin Boys 10 & Under.<\/p>\n
Over $5,000 in prize money was awarded in addition to trophies.\\<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is my first Viya VI Open Tennis Tournament since I arrived on-island right after the hurricane, but it was truly awesome to see everybody come together after such difficulties in the storm\u2019s aftermath,\u201d says Chris Lorenz, tournament co-director and tennis pro at the St. Thomas Yacht Club. \u201cI never imagined with the way the courts looked a few weeks ago that we\u2019d have this level of participation and enthusiasm. There was a lot of talent here this weekend and a lot of heart. Every match was exciting to watch and there was an abundance of intensity and commitment no matter the scores.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Viya VI Open Tennis Tournament is sponsored by Viya, the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism and the Boolchand Group (Boolchand\u2019s, Pandora, Crocs).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ST. THOMAS — The saying \u2018home court advantage\u2019 certainly rang true for St. Thomas\u2019s Alex Poe, winner of the highly-competitive Men\u2019s Open Singles at the Viya VI Open Tennis Tournament, according to a release issued Sunday. Poe started playing tennis at the tournament-host St. Thomas Yacht Club at age 7, taught by well-respected Virgin Islands\u2019 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":62475,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[191,1825,147],"tags":[8145,3293,690,68],"yoast_head":"\n