Adult League Wrap-Up By Becky Bellino

Adult League Wrap-Up

By Becky Bellino

USTA Adult League teams are registered, courts are booked, schedules are distributed and play began in early May!

Long Island will have 187 teams compete this summer in a variety of divisions which include the 18 & Over Men’s league at the 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0 levels and the Women’s 18 & Over at the 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 levels

The 40 & Over league has teams at the 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 levels for both men and women. The 55 & Over league has women playing at the 6.0, 7.0 and 8.0 levels, while the men have teams at the 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0 levels.

Last, but definitely not least, we have both men and women’s teams in the 65 & Over league, both with teams at the 7.0 and 8.0 levels.

A total of 928 matches have been scheduled, not including playoffs and Regionals.

In addition to the above, Long Island has gained the interest of not one, but two 18 & Over 10.0 Mixed Doubles Teams. We have used our creative forces and have formed a hybrid league with the Westchester Region who has one team. The three teams will play a series of double headers which will conclude at the National Tennis Center in May to decide who moves onto the Sectionals and faces off against Metro. Good luck to all!

USTA Eastern will have the Sectional Championships this year for all leagues. Below are the preliminary dates. Specifics will be available on the USTA website before the end of April. • August 5-7: 18 & Over and 40 & Over (levels and location TBD) • August 12-14: 18 & Over and 40 & Over (levels and location

TBD) • August 19-21: 18 & Over and 40 & Over (levels and location

TBD) • September 9-11: 55 & Over

Adult Leagues (Schenectady,

New York) • September 16-18: 40 & Over

Mixed Doubles and 65 & Over

Adult (Schenectady, New York)

National Championships are as follows (Invitational Dates will be made available by the end of April):

September 30 – October 2 • 18 & Over 3.5 – Surprise, AZ • 18 & Over 2.5 – Tucson, AZ

October 7-9

• 18 & over 4.5 – Surprise, AZ • 40 & Over 3.5 – Scottsdale, AZ • 40 & Over 4.0 – Tucson, AZ

October 14-16

• 18 & Over 4.0 Surprise, AZ • 18 & Over 3.0 Scottsdale, AZ • 40 & Over 4.5 Tucson, AZ • 55 & Over 7.0 Orlando, FL

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October 21-23

• 40 & Over 3.0 Surprise, AZ • 55 & Over 8.0 Orlando, FL • 18 & Over 5.0 Scottsdale, AZ

October 28-30

• 55 & Over 6.0 & 9.0 Orlando, FL • 18 & Over Mixed 6.0, 8.0, 10.0

Surprise, AZ

November 4-6

• 18 & Over Mixed 7.0 & 9.0

Surprise, AZ

November 11-13

• 40 & Over Mixed 7.0 & 8.0

Surprise, AZ • 40 & Over Mixed 6.0 & 9.0

Orlando, FL

The Long Island 40 & Over Mixed Doubles league is still playing with winning teams to be determined soon. They will advance to a Sectional Championship in September. The National Championship is scheduled for the weekend of November 11-13. Our 18 & Over mixed winning teams are advancing to the Sectional Championship the weekend of June 3rd in Schenectady, NY. Winning teams from this event advance to the National Championship the weekend of October 28-30 for the 6.0, 8.0, and 10.0 levels and the weekend of November 4th for the 7.0 and 9.0 levels.

Good Luck to the 18 & Over Mixed teams at the Sectional Championship on June 3 – June 5:

• 6.0 Deer Park - Captain Jill

Bratos • 7.0 Deer Park - Captain Suresh

Patel • 8.0 Blue Point –Kara Parker • 9.0 Sportime Lynbrook - Captain

Shanon Blue • 10.0 - TBD

Back in April, the 18 & Over Women’s 4.0 Tri-level league wrapped up in dramatic fashion. The finals featured Huntington Indoor Tennis captained by Lisa Newell and Tracy Kleinberg taking on Point Set captained by Dayna Coulter and Melissa Thomas. Huntington took the title by winning two out of the three matches and will head to Sectionals up in Schenectady, N.Y. on June 24-26.

I’d also like to recognize the 18 & Over 4.5 Women’s Tri-Level league. Lisa Newell’s team from Huntington took top honors at the Sectionals on February 6 and had the thrill of taking her team to Nationals in Palm Springs. They had a wonderful run for the 2021-22 season and I wish all Long Island teams the best of luck in this fun league later this year! Congratulations to all.

Finally, I’d like to recognize the career and dedication from Kathy Miller over the last 35 years. Her official last day as the Adult League Coordinator for the Long Island Region was on April 11. While it will be hard for her to get rid of us, I’d like to congratulate her on her tenure at USTA Eastern and personally thank her for her guidance over the last few months. I know I am not alone in thanking her for all the contributions she has given the region over the years and wish her only the best in her retirement. Kathy will remain as the club manager at Carefree Racquet Club and will be assisting on occasion for our Regionals being held throughout the summer.

Looking forward to a great summer of USTA Adult League Tennis!

Becky Bellino is the new Adult League Coordinator for USTA/Long Island. A native of Bergen County, N.J., Bellino played collegiate tennis at Gettysburg College, and currently plays in USTA Adult Leagues. She may be reached at bellino@eastern.usta.com.

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