Beach Tennis Takes Over Long Beach at the Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge
This past weekend, beach-goers were buzzing about the new sport that has hit beaches all across the United States … beach tennis. In Long Beach, N.Y. the third leg (of four) of the Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge was played, as the top beach tennis players on the men’s and women’s side took part in Saturday’s tournament, while on Sunday, an amateur tournament was played in addition to open play for juniors and mixed doubles teams looking to try out the sport for the first time.
The Men’s and Women’s Pro Division took center stage on Saturday. With the heat in excess of 90 degrees, players were going to have to overcome Mother Nature, as well as the tough competition in order to advance in the tournament. One of the great things about beach tennis though is that it is played at the beach, so when you need to cool down after a match, you can take a dip in the ocean, cool off and come back for the next match.
Pool play was fierce, but in the end, the top four seeds advanced on through to the semifinals. That set up two tough matchups. In one semifinal, the top-seeded team of Whitney "The Sandman" Kraft, director of tennis at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, & Devin Wakeford defeated the team of Daniel Kreyman, 2009 New York High School State Tennis Champion, and his partner, Shaun Bernstein, currently the 40th-ranked junior player in the nation in the 18s, in a tough three setter, 2-6, 6-0, 6-0.
In the second semifinal, the second-seeded team of Bob Considine & Stephen Sayoc defeated the third seed, Long Island Tennis Magazine‘s own David "The Iceman" Sickmen & Jared "Maverick" Rada of Team Top Gun, 7-6, 6-4.
The finals was another tough three-setter, but in the end, it was the top-seeded duo of Kraft & Wakeford who were victorious and captured their second championship of the season. Kraft has won all three legs of the Beach Tennis USA Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge thus far.
In women’s pro play, there is the team of Nadia Johnson & Nicole Melch and then the rest of the field. Johnson & Melch had won both the first two legs of the Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge coming in, and are two of the best female beach tennis players in the world. They advanced to the finals where they sqaured off with Ashley Horishny & Lisa Goldberg. As well as Hornishny & Goldberg played, they were no match for Johnson & Melch who won their third straight title in straight sets and will look to sweep the Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge by winning all four of the tournaments in the upcoming event to be held the weekend of Aug. 7-8, which will be their final tune-up before Nationals.
Sunday saw open play for juniors (who had a blast trying out the sport for the first time), while also featuring a tournament for amateurs and mixed-doubles teams out for some fun in the sand. The tournament featured 20 teams who were divided into different pools. After sweeping through pool play, the top-seeded team of David "The Iceman" Sickmen & Emilie Katz defeated Gary Simeone & Will Smith, 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals. In the finals, it was more of the same for the top seeds, as Sickmen & Katz prevailed convincingly in straight sets with another 6-2, 6-2 victory, this time over Gary Spitz & Robert Sokoloff to claim the title.
The fourth and final leg of the Long Island Tennis Magazine Beach Tennis Challenge will be played the weekend of Aug. 7-8 at the Grand Boulevard Entrance to Long Beach. Keep on the lookout for information of how to sign-up. For more information on Beach Tennis and/or the Challenge, log on to www.longislandtennismagazine.com or www.beachtennisusa.net.
Whitney "The Sandman" Kraft & Devin Wakeford en route to another victory
Elliott Rosenblum & Danny Chan enjoying their beach tennis experience
Alan Brofka & Gary Simeone in semifinals action on Saturday
Jay & Darren taking part in the Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge
Nadia Johnson returns a serve in beach tennis action
Juniors take part in Sunday action during the Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge
Daniel Kreyman & Shaun Bernstein taking a stab at beach tennis in their first BTUSA experience
Stephan Sayoc & Bob Considine play in the finals
Come on down to Long Beach the weekend of Aug. 7-8 and take a shot at beach tennis play
Jen Petersen serves in her beach tennis match
The team of Ashley Horishny & Lisa Goldberg in the women’s finals match
