Top Players Take Home Honors in USPTA’s $7,500 Masters Invitational
The best of the best were on display last week at the second USPTA Masters Invitational, with several of the USPTA’s top Surface Championship winners taking home a portion of the $7,500 prize money. The second annual USPTA Masters Invitational was held during the USPTA World Conference at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, Calif.
This tournament, which replaced the International Championships, gave USPTA-certified Professionals an added opportunity to showcase their skills and earn more prize money.
Stefano Ianni of Miami earned the men’s open singles division title after defeating William Noblitt of Raleigh, N.C., by a final score of 6-3, 6-3. The pair partnered up later in the week to take home the top prize in the men’s open doubles division.
Agata Cioroch of Atlanta, was the top woman in the tournament after earning the women’s open singles division title with a decisive victory over Ekaterina Morozova-Pomier of Houston, 6-2, 6-3.
Floridians had a strong showing at the tournament. Franco Mata of Naples, Fla., won the men’s 35 singles division after a close match with last year’s title winner Paulo Barros of Fort Myers, Fla., with a final score of 4-6, 7-5, 7-6.
Longtime tournament participant Jeff Cohen of Boca Raton, Fla., won the men’s 45 singles division crown after edging Frank Vermeer of Jacksonville, Fla., 6-3, 1-0.
Rob Horsch of Laguna Niguel, Calif., and Kevin Gillette of Meridian, Miss., paired up to earn the men’s 45 doubles division title when Cohen and Vermeer withdraw in the finals.
Mike Fedderly of Palm Desert, Calif., went down to the wire with Kie Foreman of Pebble Beach, Calif., but came up victorious with a win 6-2, 6-0 for the men’s 55 singles division title.
The USPTA Masters Invitational featured the top point earners from the four USPTA Surface Championships in 2015-16 who were selected to compete based on their finish. After an early registration period, registration was opened up to all certified members in good standing. Divisions included men's open singles and doubles, men's 35 singles and doubles, men's 45 singles and doubles, men's 55 singles and doubles, and women's open singles and doubles. The total prize money for the event was $7,500.
Full results of the 2016 USPTA Masters Invitational are available on setteo.com
For more information on the USPTA Surface Championships and Masters Invitational, visit uspta.com/tournaments.
2016 USPTA Masters Invitational Winners
Men’s Open Singles
Winner: Stefano Ianni (Miami)
Runner-up: William Noblitt (Raleigh, N.C.)
Score: 6-3, 6-3
Men’s Open Doubles
Winners: Stefano Ianni (Miami)/William Noblitt (Raleigh, N.C.)
Runners-up: Franco Mata (Naples, Fla.)/Jicham Zaatini (Naples, Fla.)
Score: 6-2, 6-4
Women’s Open Singles
Winner: Agata Cioroch (Atlanta)
Runner-up: Ekaterina Morozova-Pomier (Houston)
Score: 6-2, 6-3
Women’s Open Doubles
Winner: Miranda Rodriguez (Skokie, Ill.)/Ekaterina Morozova-Pomier (Houston)
Runner-up: Cari Buck (Manhattan Beach, Calif.)/Sara Morse (San Diego)
Score: 6-2, 6-0
Men’s 35 Singles
Winner: Franco Mata (Naples, Fla.)
Runner-up: Paulo Barros (Fort Myers, Fla.)
Score: 4-6, 7-5, 7-6
Men’s 35 Doubles
Winner: Juan Martinez-Arraya (Old Greenwich, Conn.)/Patricio Misitrano (Darien, Conn.)
Runner-up: Juan Garcia (San Diego)/Francois Castejon (San Diego)
Score: 7-5, 6-4
Men’s 45 Singles
Winner: Jeff Cohen (Boca Raton, Fla.)
Runner-up: Frank Vermeer (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Score: 6-3, 6-1
Men’s 45 Doubles
Winners: Rob Horsch (Laguna Niguel, Calif.)/Kevin Gillette (Meridian, Miss.)
Runners-up: Jeff Cohen (Boca Raton, Fla.)/Frank Vermeer (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Score: Withdraw
Men’s 55 Singles
Winner: Mike Fedderly (Palm Desert, Calif.)
Runner-up: Kie Foreman (Pebble Beach, Calif.)
Score: 6-2, 6-0
Men’s 55 Doubles
Winner: Craig Koessler (Wilsonville, Ore.)/Sal Castillo (San Antonio)
Runner-up: Michael Smith (Fair Oaks, Calif.)/Ken Dehart (San Jose, Calif.)
Score: 7-5, 6-4
About the USPTA
Founded in 1927, the USPTA is the global leader in tennis-teacher certification and professional development. With more than 14,000 members worldwide, the association raises the standards of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches and promotes a greater awareness of the sport.
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