2019 Lake Invitational Recap

October 14, 2019
Franklin Lakes, NJ

Final Draw Results:

2019 The Lake Invitational Men's Premier.pdf

2019 The Lake Invitational Men's Premier.doc

2019 The Lake Invitational Men's Open.pdf

2019 The Lake Invitational Men's Open

2019 The Lake Invitational Women's Open.pdf

2019 The Lake Invitational Women's Open.doc

The first Grand Prix of the 2019-2020 season was a smashing success. The Indian Trail Club combined the large platform tennis competition with the club’s 60th anniversary by hosting a party for its members to enjoy watching the best paddle players in the country. More than 400 spectators attended the men’s semis and finals on Saturday afternoon at the newly expanded facilities.

WOMEN

The weather for Friday’s event couldn’t have been more perfect, slightly overcast but lacking the rain that had been predicted earlier in the week. Temperatures were extremely comfortable. The top four seeded teams made it to the semifinals.

FRIDAY

Third seeds Ana Brzova (and Indian Trail paddle professional and local favorite) and Roxy Enica played together for the first time. They faced top seeds Cynthia Dardis and Amy Shay. Dardis just recently started to play again after her season-ending shoulder surgery. Brzova/Enica won a close 6-4 first set, but errors started to creep into their game. Dardis/Shay went up 4-1 in the second set. Once Brzova/Enica cut down on their errors, and Brzova added some well-timed blitzes while Enica contributed her excellent rollers and a variety of overheads, the third seeds came back to win the second set 7-5.

In the other semifinal, the veteran team and second seeds Kerri Delmonico and Lauren Gebbia were never in danger against the fourth seeds, Jessica Guyaux and Myrthe Molenveld, winning 6-3, 6-2.

 

Roxy Enica maks ESPN TOP 10!

SATURDAY

In the finals, Brzova/Enica came out strong. After winning the first set at 6-3, and taking a 2-0 lead in the second, it looked like they would cruise to the title. Delmonico/Gebbia weren’t done yet, however, and held serve for the first time in the match to turn the second set around, winning 6-3. Brzova/Enica were able to stop their slide and impose their physical, aggressive game again in the third set, with a score of 6-3, earning them the title.

MEN’S PREMIER

With only 15 teams contending for the Premier draw title, the competition was fierce from the first round. The top seeds, John Hughes and Marc Powers, had to fight off two match points in the third set to survive their first round match against Rifat Biktyakov and Louis Volclair. The fourth seeds, Juan Arraya and Jeff Morneau, dropped a set in their first round match against Lucas Green and Victor Vidal and then barely eked out their quarterfinal match against Ryan Baxter and Thomas Murphy. Murphy, new to the top ranks of the game, showed tremendous volleying skills at the net, closing tight and punishing his opponents if they tried to drive past him.

With two long three-setters under their belt, and Morneau struggling with some cramping, it looked like Arraya/Morneau might not have anything left against Powers/Hughes in the semis. After quickly losing the first set 6-1, they came back to take the second set 6-2. The third set was all Hughes/Powers, however, and the top seeds went on to win the match by a see saw 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 score.

The other side of the draw was less dramatic, with only the third seeds, Brian Compton and Scott Kahler, needing three sets to knock out Nathan Crick and Randy Lofgren and gain a semifinal spot. After a competitive 6-3, 6-4 win over Max LePivert and Anton Protsenko, the second seeds, Marek Czerwinski and Graham McNerney, only dropped one game in the semis against Compton/Kahler.

FINALS

Hughes/Powers kept it close for a set, but Powers’ arm injury that he struggled with all tournament caught up to him. However, it’s important not to take anything away from Czerwinski/McNerney, who played outstanding, hard-hitting paddle, and proved too great an obstacle for the top seeds to overcome.

MEN’S OPEN

With 24 solid teams, the draw was rather unpredictable. When the second seeds, Dan Hansen and Nick Raho, had to default due to injury, and the fourth seeds, Evan Ambrose and Pat McNally were bumped out in the round of 16, the field became even more interesting. Jerry Albrikes and Karl Levenat put up a good fight against third seeds Christopher Chiu and Andrew Orban, but lost in three sets, 5-7, 6-5, 7-5.

Up-and-coming and unseeded Chris Humphreys and Jeremy Court did not drop a set during their romp through the Open draw, winning a tight semifinal against Jeremiah De Jose and Hall-of-Famer Mike Stulac, 6-4, 7-5. and taking the Open title from third seeds Chiu/Orban, 6-3, 6-0.

Many thanks to Bevinn Romaine, Mike Azbill, Mike Gillespie, Ana Brzova, and the staff at the Indian Trail Club. The attention to detail at this beautiful, incredibly paddle-invested facility never fails to impress at the big events.

Men's Premier Final L to R Finalists Marc Powers/John Hughes Winners Marek Czerwinski/Graham McNerney



Men's Premier, Main Draw Winners are Czerwinski and McNerney (Mike Gillespie, tournament director, middle)



L to R Men's Open: Winners Jeremy Court/Chris Humphreys Finalists Andrew Orban/Christopher Chiu



L to R Women's: Finalists Kerri Delmonico/Lauren Gebbia Winners Ana Brzova/Roxy Enica



Over 400 watched the men's semis and finals

Men's Flickr Album


Women's Flickr Album