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NSMTA Invitational Team Series
The NSMTA now has a variety of successful team events on the east side of the US, the NSMTA Invitational Team Series. The idea was started by Rich Bruer with an event in Hilton Head, SC and grew to 9 events in Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
The concept is to create opportunities for good players to get together to play high-level doubles at the best facilities available on a regular basis. This is done without sanctioning or organizational membership required and in a format that fits the group and location. So far the events have ranged from 4 to 8 teams of 3 courts per round in 65 and over and 70 and over age groups. Depending on the number of teams it could be a 3 or 4 day event. The events have been highly enjoyed by the players, and the NSMTA hopes that this will form the basis for similar events throughout the US.
If you are an NSMTA Member and have a tournament you currently run or want to start and think your event would be a good fit for the team series, please contact NSMTA Board Member, Noble Hendrix.
Tournament Format & Info
Format:
The general format is to have 4, 6 or 8 teams of 6 to 8 players playing 3 lines of doubles matches. It is up to the event director to establish the exact ground rules, such as, 3 full sets and some events allow substitutions in case of injury so there are no defaults. The event is either three, four or five matches over 3 or 4 days with a preceding day of practice. This is done with 4 teams, playing 3 matches in 3 days, 6 teams play 5 matches in three days, and 8 teams play 4 matches (winners of two RR’s in playoff plus 3rd place playoff) over 4 days.
Fees:
Entry fees are usually between $50 & $75 per person or $500 per team, include all playing costs and amenities such as prize money, lunches and shirts. The NSMTA has provided needed assistance to these events and membership in the NSMTA has grown through sign up at them. Players are on their own for accommodations, but often team members share a house or room and teams gather at local restaurants to dine together. Spouses and friends are also encouraged to play after the team matches so that everyone that wants to be is included in the event. Use our Places to Stay feature to assist you in finding your accommodations.
Key to Successful Tournaments:
The key to the success is for the coordinator to locate a site and select team captains who will then fill out their teams. However, it is often that more players are needed and the NSMTA is trying to assist in this. If you would like to be a director and start an NSMTA Invitational Team Series event, please contact one of the event directors below.
Upcoming Tournaments
The National Senior Men’s Tennis Association (NSMTA) and Oxford Athletic Club (OAC) are excited to announce the second annual team doubles invitational tournament in the Pittsburgh area for senior men tennis players (ages 55+). This event, one of NSMTA’S 12 scheduled tournaments in the USA this year, will be held on OAC’s excellent outdoor har-tru courts on September 21-23, 2022 and is financially supported by the Allegheny Mountain District of the United States Tennis Association (USTA).
Doubles play will be organized in a round robin format with 4-6 teams of at least 8 players per team. All participants will play a minimum of 3 matches, best of 3 full sets. Matches will be scheduled for daytime play starting on Wednesday. You may sign up with a partner or you can be paired with another player. The tournament will provide tennis balls, fresh fruit, light lunch, beverages and a long sleeve dri-fit player shirt – all for an entry fee of $20! Complimentary pizza and beer will top o! the final afternoon!
To register for a team, please contact one of the five captains:
Jim Block
(412) 364-2062
jblock1953@gmail.com
Earl Williams
(412) 475-8080
earl310165@yahoo.com
Ray MacNeil
(412) 726-1180
raymacneil@comcast.net
Denny Posteraro
(814) 335-2705
dposteraro@windstream.net
Len Fechter
(412) 463-7020
lenfechter21@verizon.net
REGISTRATION DEADLINE:
September 14, 2022, 5:00 pm
Registration Fee of $20 is Payable to Your Captain in Advance
Sally Gibson
Oxford Athletic Club, Club Liaison
(724) 933-1911 ext. 4104
sgibson@oxfordathleticclub.com
Noble Hendrix
Tournament Director & NSMTA Liaison
(305) 793-1422
1hendrix@bellsouth.net
POSTPONED
Due to the hurricane IAN weather system this event has been postponed. Stay tuned for updated information
NWTO-NSMTA TEAM DOUBLES INVITATIONAL
September 30 – October 2
Judy and Roger Pearce Tennis Center Cooper Creek Park, 4816 Milgen Rd, Columbus, GA 31907
TEAM COMPOSITION: There will be a total of 8 Teams comprised of two groups (Group A and Group B). There will be 4 Teams in Group A and 4 Teams in Group B. Each team will be comprised of nine women and nine men, three each of age 65 and over, 70 and over and 75 and over. Each Team will have Co-Captains (1 man/1 woman). Captains of the women’s and men’s portions of the teams will acquire their players and then these will be paired up with their counter part to give the most balanced overall strength of teams in the tournament. Men’s doubles teams will play Men and Women’s doubles teams will play Women. In addition, each team will have a mixed doubles team with the appropriate combined age qualifications (130+, 140+, 150+). Therefore, 3 men’s doubles matches + 3 women’s matches + 3 mixed matches = 9 points scored.!
FORMAT: Round Robin Play within each Group (minimum of 3 matches). Regular scoring with the best 2 out of 3 sets with a 10 pt. tiebreaker if needed for a third set. Each match is worth 1 point. Each Team vs. Team match in the round robin group will be worth a total of 9 points. Play will be over three days with two matches Friday and Saturday and one match Sunday. The 2 top teams with the most points from each group will play a cross-over semifinal match to determine the finals match and play off for third and fourth. The 3rd and 4th teams in each group will have a similar play off thus giving everyone a potential of five matches over the three days of the event.
RULES OF PLAY: USTA RULES WITH SUBSTITUTION FOR INJURY AND INFORMATION SHARING ON CHANGE OVERS NOT TO SLOW PLAY.
AMENITIES: LUNCH PROVIDED ALL THREE DAYS AND A CATERED DINNER EITHER FRIDAY OR SATURDAY EVENING TBD. COURTS, BALLS, TOURNAMENT APPAREL, BEVERAGES, FRUIT, GRANOLA BARS, COOKIES, CHIPS AND BEER DAILY.
FEE: $100 PER PLAYER TO BE GIVEN TO TEAM CAPTAIN IN CASH.
HOTELS WITH SPECIAL RATES:
Holiday Inn North Lake $105 Code CCC!
Hyatt Place Columbus North $109 King and $119 Double Includes
Breakfast Code G-CCDB!
Homewood Suites Whittlesey Blvd. Code US1!
CONTACT: NOBLE HENDRIX FOR MORE INFORMATION AT (305) 793-1422 or 1hendrix@bellsouth.net
June 30 to July 3 NSMTA Doubles Team Classic
Honoring the life and legacy of Mas Kimball
Asheville Racquet Club, 200 Racquet Club Rd, Asheville, NC 28803
The Asheville Open Tourney is expected to start on Monday the 4th
Captains must be members of the NSMTA and players are encouraged to do so. Players should be 64 in 2022 but there is no age limit for a spouse/significant other. Women players under the age of 59 who are not spouses/significant others will have to be approved by the Tournament Committee. Other “wild card” exemptions may also be approved by the TC. Up to 6 Teams of 12 players (plus 3 subs)
FORMAT: two 64 & over doubles, two 69 & over doubles, one 74 & over doubles**, and one women’s doubles**. There will be a split match round format since we have 9 courts available (6-3).
Scoring: 2 set win=3pts, tie break win=2pts, tie break loss=1pt, 2 set loss=0 pts. **In addition, whenever two spouses/s.o. and/or a 79 y.o. play a full match, the team will receive an extra point for each. (10 pt. Coman tie break will be used for 3rd set)
Please contact Joe Rasgado for further information or if you wish to be a participant; (954) 326-9499 - joe.rasgado@gmail.com
Entry fee: $1350 per 15 player team. Additional players pay $30.
Gifts will be provided to all players
Lunch wraps will be provided Friday, Saturday
The NSMTA pizza party is tentatively scheduled for Friday night.
Match Times:
Thursday: 2.00 PM and 3:45 PM
Friday & Saturday: 11.15 AM, 1:00 PM, 2.45 PM and 4.15 PM
Sunday : 11:30 AM, 1:00 PM (If necessary)
Asheville Racquet Club: (828) 274-3361
Recommended hotels and rates:
Crown Plaza Asheville - (844) 330-0296 or local (828) 285-2603
$209.00 + tax for the NSMTA Team Cup - Use group code: FRA
There are also plenty of hotels by the Asheville Airport with similar or lower rates.
Check one of the travel sites for availability
Current Captains are:
1. Noble Hendrix, Steve Duffel - NSMTA
2. Bill Ashley, Keith Richardson – Central Carolina
3. Manson Hill, Dennis Ranalli, Bobby Tillison – East Carolina
4. Chris Bussert, Danny Carlson - Georgia
5. Mike Vandergrift, Roy Riley, Dottie Mattern–WestCarolina
6. Bill Gatlin, Pip Dankelman, Glenn Joyner – Florida
July 17 to 20 Ralph Grieco Mountain Team Doubles Hound Ears Club Boone, NC Contact Noble Hendrix 305-793-1422
Combined Mens, Womens and Mixed Columbus, GA
Pittsburgh Team Doubles September
Gatlin Cup Daytona, FL November
Past Tournaments
These tournaments are annual. Please contact the Event Director below for more information.
Ralph Grieco Memorial Cup
Date: July 17–20th, 2021
Location: Hound Ears Club - Boone, NC
Director: Noble Hendrix - 1hendrix@bellsouth.net
The annual now named Ralph Grieco Memorial Cup took place in Boone, NC from July 17-20. The weather was perfect, NSMTA members, friends and family played and enjoyed the matches and all who attended remembers Ralph as a good friend and tennis player that will be missed.
Read the full Court Report
Larry Turville Fourth of July Team Classic
Date: July 2-5, 2021
Location: Asheville, NC
Director: Joe Rasgado – joe.rasgado@gmail.com
The Inaugural NSMTA Larry Turville Team Classic took place over the Fourth of July Weekend in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, NC. It was a truly very special experience to honor the legacy of such a fantastic player and NSMTA Board Member who sadly passed away while still on top of his game.
Read the full Court Report
Froehling Easter Doubles Team Cup
Date: April 1-2, 2021
Location: Stuart, FL
Director: Joe Rasgado – joe.rasgado@gmail.com
The inaugural NSMTA Froehling Team Cup proved a huge success, both competitively and socially. The recent event honored Frank Froehling, one of America’s top players in the1960s. Six teams of male and female players over the age of 64 played a variety of doubles combinations, including one women’s doubles and one mixed doubles. The Gold Coast team, captained by Geoff Moore and Joe Bouquin, prevailed.
Read the full Court Report
Rasgado (Froehling) New Year’s Doubles Team Cup
Date: January 3-5, 2020
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Director: Joe Rasgado – joe.rasgado@gmail.com
The first Rasgado New Year’s Doubles Team Cup became more than a fun event that drew more than 100 players to the Veltri Tennis Center at Plantation’s Central Park. Six teams of 12 players competed Saturday through Monday in the tournament that was run through the National Senior Men’s Tennis Association and was held at the site of last month’s prestigious Orange Bowl International junior tournament. Larry Turville’s NSMTA team won the title.
Read the full Court Report
The Gatlin Cup
Date: November 22-24, 2019
Location: Daytona, FL
Director: Bill Gatlin – gatlinbill@yahoo.com
The Gatlin Cup took place on November 22-24 in Daytona Beach at the Florida Tennis Center. The annual tournament is led by NSMTA founding member Bill Gatlin and is a team doubles round robin tournament with six teams of 7-8 players in both a 65 and 70 and over division. Over 90 senior players attended. Teams were from Hilton Head, North Carolina, Jacksonville, Tampa, Treasure Coast and Naples.
Read the full Court Report
Mountain Team Doubles Invitational
Date: July 2019
Location: Yonalasse, NC
Director: Noble Hendrix – 1hendrix@bellsouth.net
Between July 21st and 24th, four Men’s 65 teams from across the South gathered for the second year to contest the Mountain Team Doubles Trophy, as well as win prize money. The competition was held at the majestic Hound Ears Club Tennis Center near Boone, North Carolina.
Read the full Court Report
Jerry Kirk Memorial Cup
Date: May 2019
Location: Hilton Head, SC
Director: Rich Bruer – rbruer@tampabay.rr.com
The Sixth Annual Jerry Kirk Memorial Cup took place at Hilton Head, South Carolina, from May 14th until May 16th. The tournament honors the late Jerry Kirk of Atlanta, who was a great friend of tennis. Rich Bruer founded and continues to manage the event. The goal of the championship is to preserve top flight doubles competition.
Read the full Court Report