SARASOTA, FLA: The West Coast Super Senior Grand Prix at Sarasota (Designated) started this week at Payne Park and I observed the action and listened to some of the stories – here are some observations and anecdotes: Friend Ron Tonidandel is from Cleveland Ohio and plays in the 80s – he says he sleeps in his van to save money and recently finally won his first gold ball in a Father/Son tournament. Ron lost early in Sarasota (his base) but will be featured in the “Gold Balls” doc about senior tennis which will debut at the Seattle Film Festival as “the striver.”
Ron shared some stories: He once ran a tourney where Hans Gildemeister and his brother played the doubles final and the Gildemeister brother was jumping in and out of the service box to distract the server as his brother returned – Ron had to tell Gildemeister this was against the rules which inflamed him in anger. They won the title easily but left a strange impression, also I learned a new fact: I didn’t know that the non returner can actually stand anywhere in the service box of his partner if he wants to – but he just can’t move around or jump around to distract the server. Gonna have to try that one.
I met a senior player George McCabe who I was told has won over 25 gold balls and ITF world titles despite not starting tennis into his 40s though he did say he played other racquet sports previous to tennis – I asked him for the secret to his success and he replied, “Just get the ball back” and also noted about seeing a slow-motion of Roger Federer how his eyes were fixed on the ball during contact. George says the best player he ever played was King Van Nostrand. George plays tomorrow morning at 9:30 and I just may go to see how he plays.
This week I actually saw a player in the 75s wearing a blue helmet on the court. Another guy Bob Gargiula said he once played Bobby Riggs and his hustler buddy – he said he beat the hustler and then he and his partner beat the hustler and Riggs who was “shot by then” and passed away a few years later. They won a hundred bucks. Bob said he was a McEnroe fan until he saw him berate kids in the front row at the Stratton tourney in the 80s – said he could never like John after that though he did like the way he played. George said he called lines for John in Cincy and said John insisted that the officials on court wear Bolle sunglasses so he could see their eyes when he argued their calls, didn’t want lines people wearing mirror shades.
Keep an eye out for the Gold Balls doc. It has a pretty big budget and the details about it definitely have intrigued this writer.—————————————————————————-Day two notes: Actually George mccabe is in the 85s and he won today love and one – he could pass for 65 – Listened to a couple of top guns in the 65s mas Kimball and Will Rodgers talking after a doubles loss saying how he loves Hugh Thompson’s serve and could watch it all day the cohesiveness of it and then the explosion – interesting to hear guys in the 65s talking about players on their circuit they love to watch – Juan Coronel (photo above with his old hitting partner Bjorn Borg) won the 60s back draw – he told some stories about hitting with Borg and Vitas – coaching Gianni Ocleppo if Italy – and seeing a near fight on the satellites of Harold Schoenfeld literally chasing Johan Kriek around the court – Hothead Alert: one guy was serving for the 55s doubles title up a set and 5-1 and lost the first point and fired the ball into the fence at the other end – then he served it out 76 61 – A SF of the 55s also got heated as the one guy who lost was berating the calls of the opponent – One of the linespeople told me that Serena played a match at the Aus Open with the infamous foot fault caller Shino again calling a Serena match for the first time since the incident – Serena protested her being on the court but Serena was overruled and Shino did her job without any controversy – The lineswoman said her husband calls a lot of pro events and was bumped twice by Ferrer and Stepanek stepped on his toe –
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Scoop Malinowski · February 11, 2016 at 10:12 am
Quite impressive how good some of these seniors are – incredible battles out here – pinpoint ball striking – stretch volleys with grunts – I had to audibly yell He got it!! after one amazing lunging stretch volley winner – they said one guy in the 65s or 70s Hank Irvine was in the QF of Wimbledon once – if you want to see some smart high quality tennis go to senior nationals or grand prix event – top players from all over USA are here and even overseas –