AUSTIN, Texas - Nine of the 40 players who will represent the United States at the 32nd ITF Seniors World Team Championships, held in San Diego from Feb. 5-11, are from Texas. They will join the other top American tennis players (men and women) in age divisions 35-55. This is the equivalent of the Davis Cup and Fed Cup competitions competing in 10 age divisions.
Texans representing the USA are: Bob Collins, Houston; Eoin Collins, Houston; Val Wilder, Fort Worth; Peter Markes, Austin; Sal Castillo, San Antonio; Ross Persons, Houston; Patricia Zerdan, Dallas; Julie Cass, Austin;and Shelly Works, San Antonio.
The ITF Seniors/Super-Seniors World Team Championships is one the most coveted team event on the ITF Seniors circuit. Since its inception in 1981, the number of competitors attracted to this event has increased year by year. In 1993, the ITF took the decision to divide the Seniors World Championships into two groups -- Seniors (35-55) and Super-Seniors (60-80 for men and 60-75 for women).
All 10 Cups will be played on hard courts this year at the following sites: La Costa Resort, Carlsbad (Suzanne Lenglen, W35 and Italia, M35); Barnes Tennis Center, San Diego (Tony Trabert, M40 and Young, W40); Morgan Run Resort, Rancho Santa Fe (Dubler, M45); La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, La Jolla (Fred Perry, M50 and Margaret Court, W45); San Diego Tennis and Racquet Club, San Diego (Maria Bueno, W50); and Balboa Tennis Club, San Diego (Maureen Connolly,W55 and Austria, M55).
Bob Collins will be playing on his first Cup team and will be the playing captain for the Italia Cup team. He is entering the 35s in 2012 as the No. 2 ranked Men’s 30 player in the USA in singles and doubles. He won the 30 Hard in singles and doubles in 2011. His brother, Eoin, is a member of the Trabert Cup team. Bob’s teammates will be Stuart Duncan, Laguna Beach, Calif.; Mark Tepes, Medford, N.J. and Gabriel Ventner, Blue Ash, Ohio. The Italia Cup did not complete in 2011 due to the massive earthquake which hit Christchurch during the second day of play and badly damaged the tennis center there.
Eoin Collins was named to the Trabert Cup team for the second time. He won the 40 men’s Clay singles and was a doubles finalist there. Both Bob and Eoin are from Ireland but are now US citizens. Eoin will be joined by Jeff Tarango, Manhattan Beach, Calif.; Willie Dann, Denver, playing captain; and Lew Miller, Denver. The USA finished second in the Trabert Cup competition in 2011 in Timaru, New Zealand.
Wilder and Markes have been named to the Perry Cup team. The Perry Cup team returns the same team that was to have played in New Zealand in 2011. Wilder had a stellar year in 2011, winning the 50 Clay singles and doubles and the 50 Grass singles. Markes finished third at the 50 Grass and Clay, losing to Wilder at both tournaments, his only losses on the year. Joining Wilder and Markes will be Mike Tammen, Portland, and Mike Fedderly, Palm Desert, Calif. The Perry Cup was not played in 2011 due to the Christchurch earthquake; the US is the defending champion in the Perry Cup, having won it in 2010 in Mexico City.
Castillo and Persons will play on the Austria Cup team. Castillo and Persons were instrumental in leading the US to a third place finish in the Austria Cup in 2011 in Ashburto, New Zealand. Castillo won the 55 Hard singles in 2011 and was a finalist there in doubles. Persons is the top ranked player in the US in men’s 55 singles. He has been named as the playing captain. He won the 2011 Grass singles title. Castillo and Persons will be joined by Geoff Martinez, San Rafael, Calif., and Danny Waldman, Washington DC.
Zerdan has been named to the Lenglen Cup team for the second straight year. The Argentinean native won all four 35 singles national titles in 2010 and won the 35 Clay in 2011. She was the top player on the 2011 USA Lenglen Cup team which finished fourth in Ashburton, New Zealand. Her teammates will be Kelly Pace Wilson, Cameron Park, Calif.; Trish Riddell, Lakeland, Fla., playing captain; and Carolina Blouin, Raleigh, NC.
Cass has been selected to the Young Cup team for the third straight year. She won the 2011 Grass singles and was a doubles finalist there. She played No. 1 singles on the victorious 2011 Young Cup team in Ashburton, New Zealand. She is also the defending world singles and doubles champion. Her teammates will be Jennifer Dawson, Carlsbad, Calif.; Gretchen Magers, San Diego and Amy Alcini, Malibu, Calif., the playing captain.
Works will be playing on her first ever Cup team and is the top player on the Court Cup team. She had a great 2011, winning the 45 Hard and Indoor singles titles, and was a finalist in doubles at the Hard. Her teammates will be Mariana Hollman, Winston-Salem, NC; Judy Newman, Scotts Valley, Calif., and Jarilyn Joseph, Pacific Palisades, Calif., the playing captain.
Following the ITF Seniors World Team Championships, the World Individual Championships will take place from Feb. 12-19. The World Team and Individual Championships will be held at the following locations: Balboa Tennis Club, La Jolla Tennis Club, Barnes Tennis Center, La Costa Resort & Spa, Morgan Run Club & Resort, La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club and San Diego Tennis & Racquet Club.
For complete list of players representing the US
click here.