Leach Varma Win ITF Longboat Key 55s

Rick Leach and Vivek Varma did it again. They won Level 2: Longboat Key Senior Clay Courts in today’s final 67 62 63 vs Billy Harris and Steve Pittman.

It’s the fourth title of 2023 for the nine-time Grand Slam title winner and former ATP world no.1 Leach and Varma, a former All-American at Division II Swarthmore College.

Leach and Varma lost a break lead in the first set due to the particularly fine play of Harris, a former elite player at NBTA and frequent hitting partner with Tommy Haas, and Pittman, a top ranked senior player in the 60s division and alum of Texas A&M.

Varma struggled to hold serve, losing it three times in a row before finding his rhythm after he and Leach lost the first set 8-6 in a tiebreaker.

Before a packed gallery at the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center, the most decorated and accomplished player began to emerge. Leach, rumored to be a “hired gun” by Varma, was not strikingly or outrageously dominant but his consistency, smart placements, and aggressive play started to take a toll on the underdogs. The final score was 67 62 63 with championship point being a service winner on a serve and volley by Leach. Both Leach and Varma used Babolat racquets.

In October, Leach and Varma defeated Oren Motevassel and Joe Purdue 76 60 in the final of the National 55s clay courts, the first loss in two years for the runner-ups.

Earlier in the week Leach/Varma defeated Mark Harrison and Fredrik Skoglund in the semis 63 60 and Phil Mihm and Alan Amero 60 62 in the quarters.

Varma is said to be a highly successful businessman from Mercer Island, Washington and a former speechwriter for Bill Gates. Leach was no. 1 in the world in 1990 and was on the Davis Cup winning US team in 1990, he won all four matches played with Jim Pugh that year. He won NCAA titles at USC in 1987 and 1986, with his dad Dick Leach as the head coach. Leach’s pro career spanned from 1987 to 2011. He later coached Leander Paes and Scott Lipsky to win grand slam titles. He won 46 ATP doubles titles and achieved a career doubles match record of 648-390.

Their court demeanor was professional and intensely focused at all times. Both seemed in a trance-like focus and never wasted any movements or made any unnecessary comments. The match looked comparable to a Grand Slam final and it was an honor and privilege for all to see.

A couple of highlights of the match…

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ZzLtwATqW/?img_index=2

Babolat · ITF · Longboat Key · Rick Leach · Vivek Varma

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