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Sunday, May 06, 2001

With all due respect to Mark Twain, the reports of the death of tennis have been greatly exaggerated.

At least more people are buying more tennis stuff than ever before.

For the second consecutive year, sales of tennis balls are on the rise according to the Tennis Industry Association. There were 6.7 percent more balls sold in 2000 than in 1999, which had a 5.4 percent increase from 1998.

More rackets are being sold, too. The biggest area of growth is in the entry-level category of rackets (under $50), which indicates that new players are taking up the sport. Sales in 2000 are up nearly 15 percent over 1999.

The TIA projects a 6 percent increase in balls, rackets and other tennis equipment during 2001 that is expected to reach $260 million.

May celebration

There will be free clinics and festivals this month at a number of locations in the city to celebrate May as USA Tennis Month, starting Saturday at Mellon Park and May 16 at West Park.

USA Tennis Month is part of the USA Tennis Plan for Growth, a five-year, $50 million commitment to increase tennis participation throughout the country.

District campus courts

The 30th-ranked Presbyterian College Blue Hose (20-10) defeated California, 5-0, in the first round of the NCAA Division II women's East Region tournament in Clinton, S.C. California (10-10) was down, 2-0, before the match started because it brought only five players and had to forfeit at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles.

The Robert Morris women completed a record-setting season by reaching the semifinals of the Northeast Conference tournament. The Lady Colonials set a school record with 14 victories and Nora Peters' 14 wins at No. 2 singles were a school record. She established the record for wins at No. 1 singles last season with 17.

The Robert Morris men, under Coach Eric Ratchford, lost to University of Maryland-Baltimore County in the final of the NEC, 4-0. Junior John Hollis became the Colonials' career leader with 51 wins in doubles and moved into second in singles wins with 48, 10 behind Mark Wallace.

Duquesne freshman Alina Klinova and sophomore Leia Zingone were named to the Atlantic 10 women's All-Conference team by a vote of the league coaches. It was the first time the Dukes had two players selected.

Klinova and Zingone helped the Dukes to a fifth-place finish in the A-10 tournament to tie the school's best finish.

Allegheny's Katy Trostle, a junior from Knoch, is second-team All-North Coast Athletic Conference. Teammates Carrie Perkis and Janie Senchak, a junior from Chartiers Valley, are third team.

We're No. 1

The Stanford men and women are No. 1 in the latest WingspanBank.com Collegiate Tennis rankings. Stanford's Alex Kim and Laura Granville are No. 1 in men's and women's singles, respectively. Stanford's Lauren Barnikow and Lauren Kalvaria are No. 1 in doubles. Virginia's Huntley Montgomery and Brian Vahaly are the top men's doubles team.

Stanford (21-1) is favored to defend its NCAA Division I men's team championship and the Stanford women (24-0) are the team to beat after being the runner-up to Georgia last year.

Oldies but goodies

Val Wilder will defend his singles title in the National Men's 40 Indoor Championships that will be at the Oxford Athletic Club East for the seventh consecutive year. The singles and doubles competition will run May 18-23.

Honorees

Carnegie Mellon's Peter Moss, the coach of the men and women's teams, received the Allegheny Mountain District award as the Coach of the Year. Rochelle Seilhammer of the Oxford Athletic Club East in Monroeville is Pro of the Year and Fox Chapel Racquet Club received a plaque for Organization of the Year.

Where to go

Tom Fleming will be the instructor for free clinics every Saturday morning, beginning May 26, at Settlers Cabin Park. For more information, call 412-928-8241.