Americans Take on the World in International Beach Tennis Championships

Where there’s sun, music, great athletes from more than two dozen countries and you are on the beach, this could only mean one thing … beach tennis!

As beach tennis continues to grow around the world, in the United States, our top players are competing on the ITF Beach Tennis tour. In November, American teams traveled to Aruba for some fun in the sun at the 2010 International Beach Tennis Championships. The Beach Tennis Championships were played at all levels, from beginner up to the professional level, as more than 400 players around the world (U.S., Aruba, Brazil, Italy, St. Marten, France, Belgium, Holland, Bermuda, Germany, and the Czech Republic among others) took part. The professional level plays for $10,000 in prize money.

‘The physical layout is the best I’ve seen anywhere with courts on the edge of the water with natural shade trees, tiki huts, night play lighting and lounge style seating all making for a recreational and social destination for locals and tourists alike,” said Team USA member Whitney “The Sandman” Kraft.

Prior to the money tournament, there was the Nation’s Cup competition, where the countries can earn some bragging rights for a few months. Of course, this also means that most of the world’s top players are taking part, so the competition is fierce. Each team representing a country consisted of one men’s team and one women’s team. USA TEAM 1 consisted of Whitney “The Sandman” Kraft & David “The Iceman” Sickmen on the men’s side, along with Jennifer Aldridge & Emilie Katz on the women’s side. The team fought its best, but did not make it out of pool play in a pool that consisted of the top teams from the Czech Republic, as well as the top teams from Aruba. USA TEAM 2, consisting of Yan Lavrovsky & David Berger on the men’s side, along with Barbara Drozdzik & Jennifer Peterson on the women’s side, drew a similarly tough draw and fought hard in defeat. In the end, it was the Brazilians who were victorious in this competition, which sent the entire Brazilian contingent of 30-40 players into a frenzy, dancing on the beach.

“Some of us Americans have only been playing for about a year, and not even that long because of weather restraints in the New York area,” said Sickmen. “A lot of the international players have been playing a lot longer than us, so we are playing catch up. But anyone who knows me knows that we will work to even out the playing field. I certainly don’t plan on losing for long. The Americans are coming!”

In the two-day doubles tournament, American players took part in all levels. Jim Lorenzo (Fun), Katya Chirkina & Yan Lavrovsky (Fun-Mixed), David Berger (Intermediate), Barbara Drozdzik & Jennifer Peterson (Advanced), and Yan Lavrovsky (Pro) all played very well. In the professional tournament, Whitney Kraft & David Sickmen teamed up in the men’s draw and Emilie Katz teamed up with Karoline Stuyck of Belgium in the women’s draw. Kraft & Sickmen, on two occasions, were the showcased match on center court (once against a World Champion Italian team) playing in front of hundreds of people.

“Encompassing all ages and levels, the amount of teams participating was impressive. The pro level showcased shot-making, athleticism and a speed of play that reflected a level of play on the rise as players are specifically training for this up and coming popular sport,” said Kraft.

While neither American team brought home a championship, they certainly gained the respect of the international beach tennis community and showed that beach tennis is growing in the states and the players are improving rapidly. While the American teams need to get more seasoned at this high level of competition, they are definitely moving in the right direction.

“Next year it will be USA all the way,” said Drozdzik.

The finals, which were played at night on center court in front of hundreds of players, fans and tourists attracted by the spectacle, showcased the highest level of play. On the men’s side the world champions, Italy’s Alex Mingozzi & Matteo Marighella defeated Brazil’s top tandem of Gui Prata & Vinicius Rodrigues Font in straight sets. In women’s play, there was an all-Brazilian final, as Paula Cortez & Flavia Muniz were victorious over Joanna Cortez & Samantha Barijan.

“Congratulations to Team Brazil for winning the Nations Cup,” said Jim Lorenzo, president of Beach Tennis USA. “Thank you to all of the American beach tennis players for making the trip and playing their hearts out ! The sport of beach tennis is really taking off. It was incredible to see 400 teams participate over the four day-span of the ITF Aruba Open.”

While the competition was at the highest of levels, the part of the tournament that separated itself from other sports is the camaraderie between the players, fans, etc.. Tourists, attracted by the music and scene that surrounded play, couldn’t help but come by the tournament area. By the end of the week kids were asking for autographs and wearing the country outfit of the top professional players. Each night, the players from different countries went out to dinner together. Players went snorkeling, banana boating, and on catamaran trips together and there were organized player BBQ’s and a post-tournament beach party capped off the trip. I think the band Green Day said it best when they said, “I hope you had the time of your lives!”

A shot of center court action at night during the 2010 International Beach Tennis Championships in Aruba

Aruba’s Margot van Doorn during match play

USA’s David “The Iceman” Sickmen serving during his match

Beach tennis unites the nations as USA’s Jennifer Peterson, Brazil’s Gui Prata and Belgium’s Tom Verdoodt at Moomba in Aruba after the matches are finished

Sunset in Aruba as American Emilie Katz, Belgian Karoline Stuyck, and Arubans Jennifer Aldridge & Liza Blok-Ponse congratulate each other after a tough match

World Champion Matteo Marighella from Italy in match play

Italians Alex Mingozzi & Matteo Marighella react to winning the 2010 International Beach Tennis Championship and $10,000 in prize money

Beach tennis players enjoying the post-event beach party at Moomba

Cado De Lannoy from Aruba in action

Brazilian Daniel Fink makes a diving save

Tom Verdoodt from Belgium returns the serve of Pavel Radek from the Czech Republic

Reps from Aruba’s women’s team pause for a photo

View from the DJ booth above Court 2 during the 2010 International Beach Tennis Championships in Aruba