It was the kind of day Keith Mumford would have enjoyed.

The sun was shining brightly. Not a cloud in the sky. The tennis courts were full of people exchanging ground strokes and compliments for a nice shot. Off the court, folks were greeting each other and catching up on each other’s lives.

“Every year, Keith is in charge of the weather, without question,” said Ginny Wortham, president of the Richmond Tennis Association.

It was the fourth annual Keith Mumford Memorial Doubles Shootout Tournament at the Country Club of Virginia on June 1. And everything went exactly the way Keith would have wanted it — if only he had been able to attend.

Keith died on June 28, 2009, after a courageous, six-month battle for a new heart ended at the VCU Medical Center.

“I say this at the end of every day that we have this,” said Emily Mumford, his wife. “It’s bittersweet. I just wish he was here because he would have loved it. He would have thought it was a great day. All the people, all the socializing.

“He loved really, good competitive tennis, but he also loved sitting around afterward, with a beer, catching up with friends. It’s not a sad day. It’s a happy day. All the people he loves are together. I just always feel like he’s watching and thinking that it’s a perfect day.”

It was a far from perfect occasion when Keith was stricken on the court at the Westwood Club playing the game he loved one day in late December, 2008. He suffered a massive heart attack and was rushed to nearby St. Mary’s Hospital.

Keith was eventually moved to VCU Medical Center, where he lost one of his legs and went blind in one eye while being kept alive until a matching heart could be found. Eleven days after the transplant, he died of sepsis, an infection that occurred in the hospital.

“He didn’t die at all from what he went in there with, he died from a hospital infection,” said Lee Mumford, his father.

Lee also believes that a bout with Hodgkins’ disease when Keith was 14 may have contributed to the heart attack later in life.

It didn’t keep him from playing on the team at St. Christopher’s with his younger brother, Chris, or from walking on to the squad at Vanderbilt University. In both cases, Keith had to work harder than everyone else to make it – and he did.

“He was an ordinary, average guy,” said Lee Mumford. “He became a really good club player when he got older. He loved the competition. He loved the camaraderie. And I think that’s the essence of Keith.”

The tournament has grown each year and drew a record number of players (134) for this year’s event.

“I think the tennis community here has picked a guy that is one of them,” said Lee Mumford. “He’s not a Tom Cain. He’s not a Chris Mumford. He’s one of them and they’ve sort of rallied around that, and this thing has taken off.”

A junior event on May 31 that attracted 75 kids preceded the doubles tournament. It included a clinic and games with Richmond pros followed by a pizza party. Youngsters from 4 to 14 were invited to take part in the event.

“When we first came together, we tried to come up with an idea for the weekend that would involve everybody,” said Julie Ogborne, director of special events and a teaching pro at CCV. “It’s such a great family event. We literally have people from age 4 to age 70.

“It’s special to have everybody of all ages come together. I think, really, he touched a lot of people, and they all have the opportunity to come and be a part of it. Every year it gets bigger. For 134 people to come out, it means they’re coming out for him. That’s fantastic.

“It’s really special to work on this because I feel like it’s not work at all. I know he’s smiling looking down on us.”

Keith never won any big tournaments like the city or the state, but he never stopped enjoying the competition. On more than one occasion, he was awarded the sportsmanship trophy for the way he conducted himself on and off the court.

In every sense of the word, Keith conducted himself like a gentleman, and that was appreciated by all who knew him. As well as his family, which includes Annie, 14, Mary Elizabeth, 13, Sally 11, and Henry, 8, who might be the tennis player in the group.

“We’ve been doing this for four years now,” said Chris Mumford. “And this is the best way that I could ever ask for to try to stay in touch with my brother. All the people he’s grown up with. All the people I’ve grown up with in this town playing tennis. It’s the way I stay connected to him.

“I think the most amazing thing with the tournament is it’s the best example of something growing out of nothing that I’ve ever seen. It’s not like this was my brainchild. This was created out of friends that Keith has made over the years, and it’s happened and it’s grown.

“It sustains itself. Everybody shows up. It’s a real testament to my brother and the kind of guy he was. It’s unbelieveable. I had no idea that this would happen. But I have no doubt that we’ll be able to do this for the next 20 years.”

Garrett Horsley was one of his doubles partners and realizes Keith’s impact went beyond tennis.

“I think it’s becoming almost like the Anthem Challenge [between area clubs each year],” said Horsley. “A lot of people have this on their calendar. He was a bright guy, friendly, but a competitor on the tennis court. He enjoyed his tennis friendships but he was a lot bigger than just a tennis player.”

After the tournament, Bryan Bostic plays host to a party for the players and any friends of Keith’s who want to attend at his home on Westham Station Road. Party-goers can make a donation, which goes toward the Keith Mumford Scholarship Fund at Vanderbilt for a tennis scholarship.

“I think the essence of this whole thing is the love of the game and love of family, and Keith epitomizes that,” said Bostic. “He did that from being a young kid on the court until, really, the day he ran into a problem and died.

“He believed in it and had his family involved in it. Nothing’s changed and we all want to honor that. That’s why we’ve put this together. It’s a lot of fun. Great turnout, year after year. It’s really exciting.

“It’s [party] been a fund-raiser as much as it’s been a fun party. It’s a great way to unwind and talk about the game and talk about Keith. It’s an honor to do it. I know it’s [scholarship] meant a lot to the family and it means a lot to us. I know Keith would be proud of that.”

Wortham may have summed up the day in Keith’s honor best when she said, “I feel like you feel the spirit of Keith around you all the time. It’s not about winning and losing. It’s just about playing tennis on a beautiful day and remembering a great man.”

Main Draws – Championship Finals
Men’s Open – Paul Caldwell/David Caldwell def. Ed Butterworth/John Snead 8-3
Men’s 35s – Chris Mumford/John Bristow def. Jason Kinder/Ben Hall 8-5
Men’s 45s – Joe Cappellino/Kevin Rotty def. Will Kaufmann/Dan Carey 8-6
Men’s 55s – Brian Beveridge/Kevin Garrahan def. Tom Bryan/Paul Dickinson 8-0
Men’s 65s – Dan Woods/Gerald Augst def. James Elder/Philip Lilienthal 8-6
Women’s Open – Margie Walsh/Anna Fuhr def. Ginny Wortham/Mason Davis 8-6
Women’s 35s – Julie Ogborne/Kirsten Elim def. Katie Willett/Townsend Westermann 8-0
Women’s 45s – Tammy Mavromatis/Chris Witherspoon def. Brooke Hatcher/Lori Jennings 8-2
Women’s 55s – Mary Miller/Cille Allen def. Tarja Kostin/Donna Moody 9-8

Consolation Draw Finals
Men’s Open – John Hudson/Al Thomas def. Nick Hardesty/Greg Meleski 8-6
Men’s 35s – Clifford Foster/Charles Valentine def. Jon Morris/Matt Schon 8-0
Men’s 45s – Wes Atiyeh/Bill Carli def. Mike Westhoven/Carey Donovan 8-2
Women’s Open – Karolyn Hall/Sharon Dunsing def. Nathalia Esteves/Sydney Lindsey 8-4
Women’s 35s – Lisa Makepeace/Helen Horsley def. Janann McMillan/Jessica Stephens 8-2

Two well-know tennis players from the Richmond community, Kevin Long and Travis Miller, are featured in the Bizz Buzz of the Times Dispatch. Read full article.

From the time he stepped on the court as an eighth-grader at Collegiate in Prep League competition until his final match in May, Brady Straus never lost to anyone in the private-school league, which includes some pretty formidable opposition.

The final two seasons of that amazing five-year run came when Straus was the Cougars’ No. 1 singles player.

Even though it is a remarkable achievement, the unbeaten streak is not what Straus considers his biggest accomplishment.

Since Straus joined the top six, Collegiate has won five consecutive Prep League championships. Prior to that, the Cougars had never won even one league crown. For good measure, Collegiate added back-to-back Virginia Independent Schools state titles in 2009-10.

“That’s what I’m most proud of,” said Straus. “We hadn’t won for so many years and we were the last Collegiate sport to not win at least one Prep League title. We won it my first year and we’ve continued to win. We’ve won two state championships in that time also.

“In terms of accomplishments, not individually but as a team, is what I’m most proud of.”

That statement probably defines Straus’ illustrious career at Collegiate better than anything.

“Brady is the epitome of character and a team player,” said Collegiate coach Chris Conquest. “It’s so overused, I know, but he always put the team in front of himself. He never lets you know that he’s hurting. I’m just at a loss for words to describe him.”

As if the pressure of staying unbeaten wasn’t enough, Straus had to deal with the sudden death of his father, Raymond, to a heart attack at the beginning of his freshman season. Assistant coach Wes Atiyeh helped him during that period.

“Wes was like a second dad to me for much of my high school time,” said Straus. “I can’t even put into words how much he meant and how much he helped me through some of those terrible days and bad matches.”

Another factor about the unbeaten record is that Straus never gave up his other passion, soccer, to concentrate on tennis. Playing for the Cougars in the fall certainly took time away from the court, when he could have been improving his game.

“The soccer experience is more about the team than anything,” said Straus, who is heading to the University of Virginia in the fall. “That’s what I loved about it so much. You have 20 guys that are all playing for each other in such a physical sport.

“I think it might have taken away some of the development I could have had by taking such long stretches off [from tennis] and taking months to get back into it. But I don’t think it took away from me mentally or how much I love my tennis team.

“Soccer got me in such good shape for tennis, and the weight room was so much more intense. No regrets about that at all.”

Straus played No. 3 singles as an eighth-grader, moved up to No. 2 behind Max Schnur as a freshman and took over the top spot  his  final two years when Schnur left for Columbia. Straus lost only three matches overall but none in the Prep League.

    “I definitely knew but I didn’t really think about it much,” he said. “I didn’t think it was a huge deal. I just focused on each match and tried to get the point. It wasn’t like I was thinking during the match about having to win this match to keep the record.

“I just wanted to win and get another point for the team. But it’s definitely a proud accomplishment.”

Yet another example of how Straus thinks more about other people than himself came when he took a recent service trip to Costa Rica with his schoolmates to teach lacrosse to kids in a remote beach village.

“We brought different equipment for them to use and play with,” said Straus, who isn’t a lacrosse player himself but traveled with others who play the sport. “Basically, all I needed to do was throw and catch, so I thought I could handle that.

“It was a really good experience. It’s a lot different from what I usually do in everyday life. Being in a poor town and really having nothing to do but play with the kids and sort of enjoying everyone who was there.”

Straus will be leaving for college soon, but his legacy at Collegiate will live long after he’s gone.

“To me, Brady has really set the standard for the type of character, the type of person, he is,” said Conquest. “Max put us on the map but Brady has kept us there. He kept the whole thing going. We’re going to miss him.”

*********

Several other seniors made their mark on the local high-school scene this spring.

Brett Moorhead, Cosby’s No. 1 player, helped the Titans reach the Central Region team final and Group AAA semifinals before capturing the state singles championship for the second straight year. Moorhead is going to James Madison.

Moorhead’s schoolmate, Lauren Denuel, the No. 1 player for the girls’ team, won her first Central Region singles title and made the state final before losing.  Denuel is heading to South Carolina to pursue a nursing degree.

Abigail Randolph and Brittany Hsieh played key roles in Mills Godwin’s run to the school’s 10^th Group AAA state girls’ crown. Randolph was the Eagles’ No. 1 player and Hsieh played No. 4. Randolph is going to Methodist (N.C.) University and Hsieh to U.Va.

Last but not least, Jake Gore helped Midlothian capture the Central Region boys’ team championship and advance to the semifinals of the state tournament. Gore, who played No. 2 singles, is also heading to Virginia.

Win A Trip for Two to the 2013 US Open

Package Includes:

• 2 President’s Box passes for either Tuesday, August 27th or Thursday, August 29th
  • Seating in the President’s Courtside Box
  • Lunch in the President’s Dining Room
  • Hospitality in the President’s Suite
  • Access to courtside seating in Louis Armstrong Stadium
  • Access to all other courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
• 2 Loge level seats for Wednesday August 28th for both day and night sessions
• $1500 towards travel, lodging, and food expenses

Tickets are $100 and only 200 tickets will be sold.

To purchase a ticket Email rtasecretary@gmail.com

The winner will be drawn during the finals of the McDonalds Mid Atlantic Clay Court Tournament in July.
Winner does not need to be present to win.

Salisbury Country Club in Chesterfield County will host the Mid-Atlantic Clay Court Championships for its 14th year. The tennis tournament will begin July 9 and conclude on July 14. The tournament has more than doubled the size of the draw, the number of sponsors, and the number of spectators, since its first year. This year we are expecting college players, local pros, and coaches from all over the country. Our goal is to attract top ranked professionals with our $7000 singles winner purse and many other exceptional amenities that the event has to offer.

Scott Steinour, the tennis director at Salisbury Country Club says, “We are so proud of how this tournament has grown over the last fourteen years. We are also extremely grateful to our sponsors, without whom this event would be impossible. This event also demonstrates what an impressive tennis community is right here in Richmond. This tournament draws not only top players, but the most appreciative and knowledgeable fans imaginable.”

The winners of the Men’s and Women’s singles competition will each receive $7,000. The tournament’s major sponsors include McDonald’s, Virginia Cancer Institute, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Brown’s Volkswagen, Keiter, Livewire, Asset Protection Group, Mr. Able Propane and Commonwealth Surgical Solutions. For more information about the tournament, the payouts, the schedule of events, and to register, please log onto www.midatlanicclaycourts.com.

On July 7, at noon, POPTAP along with Salisbury Country Club will host the 2nd Annual Golf event for sponsors and guests.

Salisbury Country Club is located at 13620 West Salisbury Road in Midlothian. Information about the club is available at www.salisburycountryclub.com or by calling 804.794.6841.

The standings are updated every week. Go to our Events page to see the tournament schedule for the summer.

RJTC Standings- July 2

RJTC Standings- June 26

RJTC Standings- June 12

RJTC Standings- June 4

RJTC Standings- May 29

RJTC Standings- May 22

Shaquan Hawkins knows all about Arthur Ashe and what the native of Richmond accomplished during his illustrious tennis career.
That included his shocking upset of Jimmy Connors at Wimbledon in 1975 and being ranked No. 1 in the world at one point.

“I’m going to Wimbledon one day,” said Hawkins, after a workout on one of the new 36-foot courts for beginners at Westover Hills Playground, which is located just off the grounds of the Westover Hills Elementary School on the South Side of Richmond.

If Hawkins continues to improve and works hard at his game, there’s no limit as to how good he can be. Wimbledon, which is the pinnacle of tennis, may not be out of his reach, just as it wasn’t for Ashe, who grew up on the city’s North Side.

“It’s fun,” said Hawkins. “I play a lot of other sports and it’s way different. In tennis, you travel more places.”

Hawkins, 10, was one of four youngsters practicing recently on the courts that were completed in May as part of a project by the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation to improve what used to be one of Richmond’s hot spots to play.

“It was tremendous tennis,” said Harvey Graves, who spent a lot of time playing there in the 1980s and ‘90s. “In fact, you had to be on the court every day no later than 4 o’clock or you couldn’t get a court until after 9 o’clock that night.

“We also had a tennis program over there as well. This guy, Ben Orcutt, ran a tennis ladder, and you had to work your way up the ladder. We had a list on the side of the building every day for who played who to get to the top of the ladder.”

In addition to hosting several major tournaments each year, Westover Hills featured top players like Richard Eramian, John Lanier, Dennis Collins, Larry Jones and William Lightfoot. “A lot of talent came through there,” said Graves.

“I miss those days. The tennis was terrific. Good competition. People played, I guess, until the wee hours of the morning most days. There was a Safeway right out front there, and we’d go get a little orange juice and food and come right back to the courts.”

But those courts fell into disrepair and weeds covered six of them before the transformation. The four QuickStart courts, which are mainly for kids 8-and-under or those who are just starting to learn about the game, were built where the former courts were located.

The courts are smaller, as are the racquets, and the balls don’t bounce as high, making it easier to get back over the lower nets.

“We’ve been trying, along with the Richmond Tennis Association, for almost four years to get a tennis complex in the city that has the QuickStart courts,” said Victor Rizzi, citywide tennis coordinator for the Parks and Rec Department.

The QuickStart courts are the only ones like that in the city, Rizzi said. Three other regulation-size courts were resurfaced and painted with blended lines (making them look 60 feet long) so that kids 10-and-under and adults can play at that distance.

Four of the original 10 courts remain at the playground to be used by adults.

“We were able to accomplish this through part of the $25,000 grant the city received for being named the third-best tennis town in the country” in an Internet vote conducted by the United States Tennis Association in 2010, Rizzi said.

The Department of Parks and Recreation has committed to putting blended lines on new or refurbished courts in the city.

“This is part of the city’s 10-year plan to repair and replace the courts [at Westover],” said Joe Grover, past president of the RTA. “They were all covered with weeds. We prevailed on them to put in the short courts to make this a family-friendly complex.

“Parents and little kids, eight and seven and six-years-old, can come and play on these courts any time of day. If we have a supervisor here, which is one of the things we’d really like to do, they could teach on these courts and have a really great community program.

“I’m hoping we can make that happen. We’re just starting to talk about how we might create a stronger partnership [with the city] for delivering tennis in the summer. We’d like to see RTA and Parks and Rec co-operating in that area.”

Grover said the hope is to also have blended lines installed on courts at Broad Rock, Byrd Park, Bryan Park and Battery Park.

If the enthusiasm shown by Hawkins, his cousin, Taquan Bradshaw, 12, Talik Bryant, 10, and Osmand Harris, 12, the other day is any indication, the project has the potential to be a huge success and restore Westover Hills to its former glory.

The Richmond Times Dispatch announced the 2013 All-Metro Boys tennis team and Boys tennis player of the year. Congratulations Brett Moorhead for being named Player of the Year and to all the players on the All-Metro team! Full article and information at the Times Dispatch

ALL-METRO FIRST TEAM 

Greg Akerman, Douglas Freeman, sophomore
Justin Cerny, Trinity Episcopal, junior
Brett Moorhead, Cosby, senior
Danny Polk, Hanover, junior
Brady Straus, Collegiate, senior
Shyam Venkatasubramanian, Henrico, junior

ALL-METRO SECOND TEAM 

Mouhamed Gueye, Armstrong, senior
Jonathan Hartson, Colonial Heights, sophomore
Paul Mendoza, Cosby, freshman
Kieran Raphael, Clover Hill, senior
Trent Singleton, Douglas Freeman, senior
Tate Steinour, Midlothian, freshman

The Richmond Times Dispatch announced the 2013 All-Metro Girls tennis team and Girls tennis player of the year. Congratulations Lauren Denuel for being named Player of the Year and to all the players on the All-Metro team! Full article and information at the Times Dispatch

ALL-METRO FIRST TEAM 

Connor Brewer, Collegiate, senior
Lauren Denuel, Cosby, senior
Caroline Mosberg, Deep Run, junior
Paula Nemeckova, Lee Davis, sophomore
Abigail Randolph, Mills Godwin, senior
Keerthana Shankar, Mills Godwin, sophomore

ALL-METRO SECOND TEAM 

Charlotte Bemiss, St. Catherine’s, junior
Jamie Cochrane, Cosby, senior
Alissa Rosen, Trinity Episcopal, freshman
Ashay Sood, Clover Hill, junior
Melissa Tomlin, Prince George, senior
Emily Wills, Atlee, sophomore

Want to see one of the best juniors in the country display his shot-making skills? You don’t have to go any further than Salisbury Country Club Wednesday afternoon to watch Walker Duncan of Atlanta take the court.

Duncan is among a group of players co-seeded 17^th in the McDonald’s Mid-Atlantic Open Clay Court Tennis Championships, and he’s scheduled to play his opening match at 2 p.m. against Sunny Hwang.

The teen-ager is with a group from Life Time Athletic at Peachtree Corners in Norcross, Ga., that is here this week for the McDonald’s tournament, which began Tuesday and continues through Sunday.

Heading up the delegation is former Richmonder Trip Baisden, who is director of adults at Life Time Athletic, formerly known as the Racquet Club of the South. Baisden brought seven juniors last year and doubled the number this time.

“Basically, a lot of these kids are going to play [USTA] National Clay Courts next week, and they needed a warm-up, clay-court tournament,” said Baisden, who served as director of tennis at both Westwood Club and the Midlothian Tennis Club.

“So this was perfect timing to have a good, competitive tournament for the kids.

“Last year, they liked it so much and when I got back [to Norcross], they all talked about it, so everybody wanted to come back and play this year. Plus, this is a chance for me to get back and see everybody and say hi.”

Baisden has first-hand knowledge of the high-caliber of play in the McDonald’s tournament, since he was here when Bill Barnes (lead sponsor) and tournament director Scott Steinour began to tweak the event to make it one of the best in the Mid-Atlantic area.

“Over the years, it’s gotten better and better,” said Baisden, who also worked with Steinour at Salisbury for a couple of years. “The prize money went up. The sponsors went up. I think this event has shown you can still have a successful adult tournament.

“It takes some hard work and that’s what Salisbury and Scott have done very well.”

Two other players in the Life Time Athletic group are co-seeded 17^th  in the men’s draw, Emil Reinberg (Atlanta) and Drew Halbauer (Hilton Head, S.C.), and both won their first-round matches on Tuesday. They will be back in action on Wednesday.

But Duncan is the one who appears to have the most potential. He was ranked No. 1 nationally in the boys’ 16s last year and is currently getting his feet wet in the boys’ 18-and-under division.

“He’s an extremely determined player,” said Sanjay Jayaram, co-director of the junior tennis academy at Life Time Athletic. “He’s very hard-working. He doesn’t like to lose. He brings a lot to every match and has worked extremely hard the past two years in developing an all-around game.

“I think that’s helped him go a long way up in the junior rankings. He’s trying to break through now in the 18s. He’s currently in the top 100 of the 18s right now and his goal for next year is to be in the top 10 of the 18s.”

The Life Time Athletic group includes three girls, including Epiphany Turner, 19, of Memphis, Tenn., the No. 4 seed in the women’s draw.

“She’s been playing on the WTA Futures tour,” said Jayaram. “She’s mainly a doubles player but she’s trying to make her mark in singles, too. But I think it will be a while because she’s actually a better doubles player. But she’s working hard toward her singles ranking.”

Among the players who have worked at the Life Time Athletic facility are Melanie Oudin (quarterfinalist at the 2009 U.S. Open) and Jamie Hampton (ranked No. 31 on the WTA computer). Several boys there have gone on to some of the top colleges in the country.

“This is my first year at the tournament,” said Jayaram. “I’m very impressed with the quality of the players. It’s a big opportunity for our juniors to play some of these college-level players. It’s good exposure for them.”

Baisden said he wants to continue bringing players to the McDonald’s tournament.

“I’ve got the director of the academy and his co-director, Sanjay, who want to keep this on their calendar from year-to-year,” said Baisden. “The girls can go to Virginia Beach after this, and the guys fly out to Memphis and Del Ray.

“It’s a nice little warm-up for them. There’s not a lot of tournaments on clay anymore, so it’s nice to get this one.”

Former University of Virginia star Somdev Devvarman heads the men’s field while Sherazad Benamar of France is the women’s top seed. The singles winners on Sunday receive $7,000 while the runners-up get $3,000.

Play continues Wednesday at 2 p.m. and gets under way on Thursday and Friday at 5. Admission is free.

Arthur Ashe would no doubt have had mixed feelings about the 70^th birthday celebration held in his honor Wednesday evening at the Science Museum of Virginia.

The former Wimbledon champion and No. 1 tennis player in the world would have been embarrassed that everyone was making such a big fuss about him at the gala affair, attended by around 250 of his family and friends.

On the other hand, he would have enjoyed seeing the opening of the Arthur Ashe Learning Center Inspirational Tour exhibit, which will be on display to the public at no charge at the Science Museum from Thursday through July 24.

The exhibit features videos, murals, timelines, memorabilia and interactive challenges that chronicle Ashe’s athletic life and all of the other many activities that consumed him until he died far too young at 49 of AIDS-related pneumonia in New York.

“I think he would be both humbled and thrilled by this,” said Tom Chewning, who co-hosted the event with his wife, Nancy. Despite the difference in the color of their skin, Chewning and Ashe became close friends on and off the court as teen-agers.

“I think he’d be surprised that so many people showed up,” continued Chewning. “I think he’d be happy that they were from everywhere. White and black. Some young people, as well as people from his generation.

“I just think he’d be honored and gratified that what he stood for and what he believed in … that there was more emphasis on that than winning the U.S. Open and Wimbledon.”

Ashe grew up on Richmond’s North Side in the days of segregation, and despite not being allowed to play at popular places like Byrd Park or against other white players his age, he became one of the best in the world at his sport.

Known for his big serve and cat-like quickness on the court, Ashe won the first U.S. Open in 1968, added the Australian Open two years later and shocked the tennis world by upsetting Jimmy Connors in the 1975 Wimbledon final.

He attained the No. 1 ranking in the world at 32 and later served as the U.S. Davis Cup captain after being a member of the squad for a number of years early in his career.  Ashe is the only African-American player to win those three Grand Slam tournaments.

But Ashe’s life was so much more than tennis. He was involved in non-violent protests against bigotry, including the eradication of apartheid in South Africa, founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and wrote a three-volume book about the history of black athletes in America.

But the topic that he never stopped promoting, particularly in the   black community, was getting a good education. And that was the impetus for the Arthur Ashe Learning Center Inspirational Tour to begin in his hometown.

“There is no more fitting way or place to premiere this new, interactive, educational experience,” said Ashe’s widow, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, who co-hosted the event and served as the evening’s emcee.

“We want everyone who visits the exhibit to be more inspired, as Arthur was, towards a life of living up to your full potential, a life of well-rounded achievement, joy, passion, and most of all, hope.”

Upon entering the exhibit room, the first thing visitors should do is watch and listen to the dome introduction video for about seven minutes. It tells you about Ashe from his early years, through his tennis career and wraps up with his many causes.

There are motion paintings of Ashe that “talk” to you about things like service, citizenship and advocacy. There’s also an interactive tennis game and a healthy living challenge, plus a tree of service that details Ashe’s contributions to society and where you can add your own leaf to leave your mark.

Two of Ashe’s best friends on the pro tour, Stan Smith and Charlie Pasarell, were on hand to help Moutoussamy-Ashe present the Heart of Arthur award to Ashe’s brother, Johnnie, for taking his brother’s Vietnam stint so he wouldn’t have to spend time in the war-torn country.

Johnnie Ashe had already served one tour of duty in Vietnam as a Marine, and he went back for another one to keep his brother, who was a Second Lieutenant in the Army, from going overseas. Ashe won the U.S. Open during that time frame.

Johnnie Ashe was presented with his brother’s Army discharge papers and a Rolex watch engraved with “Heart of Arthur.”

Both Smith and Pasarell had some kind words to say about their former friend and foe.

“He had high standards and high expectations of himself,” said Smith. “He was continually trying to improve himself. Always had his nose in a newspaper. He was also a very giving person. We had a really great relationship.

“He would be thrilled with the part where the kids learn about health. The area about reaching out and helping other people. He’d probably be a little embarrassed with the whole show but certainly he’d like to see the areas devoted to the younger generation because tennis was important but education was more important.”

Added Pasarell, “Obviously, he was a great tennis player, but Arthur was so much more. To him, it was about honor, about doing things the Martin Luther King way. He really cared more about others than himself.

“In fact, I used to get angry at Arthur because I would get in a conversation with Arthur and I wanted to find out how he was doing. But that was about a three-second conversation. Somehow, he would turn things around and it was about what I was doing.

“He was more interested in learning how other people were doing that he didn’t want to talk about himself. The other thing was that it didn’t matter what he did, what he felt, what he sacrificed, he would always say, ‘No big deal.’ But he was a big deal.”

The exhibit will move to the New York Hall of Science Aug. 24-Sept. 9 to coincide with the U.S. Open. Eventually, Moutoussamy-Ashe would like for it to find a permanent home. Richmond is a possibility but other cities have told her they would like to have it.

Perhaps the biggest focus of the exhibit is to allow young people to learn about Ashe and his legacy.

“I think this exhibit is really oriented tremendously to children and young people,” said Chewning. “It really describes the dynamics of Arthur Ashe’s life and tells the story of his struggle and overcoming. The story of fairness, inclusiveness and concern for other people.

“How he dedicated his life to be of service. What a great example he set for all of us.”

Three years ago, Michal Ciszek won the McDonald’s Mid-Atlantic Open Clay Court Tennis Championships, upsetting University of Virginia standout Sanam Singh in the final.

The native of Poland also captured the Davenport city singles title on hard courts that same year (2010), giving him a sweep of the area’s two big tournaments.

But that was before he and his wife, Natalia, had two children, and Ciszek was a few pounds lighter.

“I was in little bit better shape than I am right now,” said the 35-year-old. “And there was no kids.”

Ciszek, seeded No. 11 in this year’s McDonald’s event, is still good enough to hold his own against many of his younger competitors, as he showed Thursday in beating high-school hotshot Brett Moorhead 6-4, 6-3 in the fourth round at Salisbury Country Club.

“I am still playing not bad,” he said. “It’s just physically, I have a hard time keeping up with the young guys from college and the tour guys who are here this week.”

Moorhead, who won back-to-back state Group AAA singles championships while playing for Cosby High School, gave Ciszek all he could handle in the grueling match.

“He’s good player,” said Ciszek. “He played well. I’m just happy that I won. I served very well, so that saved me. Short points. A lot of free points. In my case, that helps a lot.”

As he was being interviewed, little Sophie (21/2) was running all over the place, while Kate (five months) was in her mother’s arms.

With his family getting larger and his duties as a teaching pro at Willow Oaks Country Club keeping him busy, this is the only tournament that Ciszek plays now.

“It’s a nice event,” he said. “The facility is great. It’s well-organized. It’s fun to play here. There’s a lot of people always coming out to watch. I don’t come here and hope to win the tournament. I just come out because it’s fun to be part of it.

“I am busy at Willow Oaks. I don’t have time to practice or work out. With two kids at home, it’s just impossible. I keep saying I’m going to get in shape but it never happens.”

Ciszek will meet fifth-seeded Cameron Silverman, who plays No. 1 for Elon, in the round of 16 on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Ciszek and No. 10 seed Martin Stiegwardt were the only local survivors in the men’s draw. Stiegwardt, an assistant men’s and women’s coach for Virginia Commonwealth University, advanced by defeating Richmonder Christopher Radke 6-2, 6-1.

Former Collegiate star Max Schnur, a rising junior at Columbia University, put up quite a battle against fourth-seeded Michael Shabaz before falling 6-3, 7-6 (7-2). Schnur was up 4-1 in the second set but   the ex-U.Va. standout rallied.

Former Mills Godwin High ace Kyle Parker, co-seeded 17^th, made third-seeded Frenchman Clement Reix sweat before pulling out a 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 victory.  Eighth-seeded Hunter Koontz (Deep Run) was ousted by No. 15 Adam Lee 6-4, 6-2.

Two other Richmonders went down in tight matches. Michael Holt (Mills Godwin) lost to No. 13 Gary Kushnirovich 6-3, 6-4, while Tyler Carey (Cosby) was beaten by No. 12 John Richmond 7-5, 6-2.

Top-seeded Somdev Devvarman and second-seeded Singh both took the court for the first time and neither had much trouble reaching the final 16.  Play is scheduled to get under way on Friday at 5 p.m. and run until midnight.

The Arthur Ashe Learning Center Inspirational Tour exhibit will be on display to the public at no charge at the Science Museum through July 24. The exhibit features videos, murals, timelines, memorabilia and interactive challenges that chronicle Ashe’s athletic life and all of the other many activities that consumed him until he died far too young at 49.

The Washington Kastles played to a sold out Kastles Stadium at the Wharf Saturday night July 20th.  The breeze from the Potomac kept a sultry night bearable for the fans.

Thirty Metro Richmond Tennis Club members were on hand to flash “Refuse to Lose” cards provided by the Kastles organization and cheer for the “home team”.

The crowd helped the Kastles to emerge victorious over the New York Sportimes by the slimmest of margins-21-20.  The Kastles posted two consecutive undefeated seasons 2011 and 2012, a WTT record, and tied the 33 game winning streak record held by the LA Lakers 1971-72.

Martina Hingis, Raj Ram, Bobby Reynolds and Anastasia Rodionova played for the Kastles while Captain Murphy Jensen, a French Open doubles champion with his brother Luke, and Leander Paes, a winner of thirteen grand slam titles, watched from the side line.

MRTC kids formed a player tunnel to high five the players who sprinted into the Stadium through columns of smoke and cheers from the fans.  The kids returned from the match with Kastles T-shirts, free tennis racquets and a heart full of memories.

A few spaces are still available for the upcoming College Week Tennis Camp. These camps are for tournament players with an interest in playing college tennis and will introduce your child to college team practices with nearly 30 hours of personalized tennis instruction. They will include team practices, strategy from world-class coaches, and a daily break for lunch.

Top National Coaches to attend College Week

UVA – National Champs!  Brians Boland, Andres Pedroso and players

• #1, 4, 29, 35 ranked singles players in the nation.
• #2, 18, 30 ranked doubles teams in the nation.

Oklahoma – John Roddick.  #13 in the nation!
Notre Dame – Bob Bayliss.  #31 in the nation!
Virginia Tech – Jim Thompson.  #39 in the nation!

The camps are held at Willow Oaks Country Club and run 10:00am- 4:30pm daily.

2013 College Week Camp Brochure 2013

Congratulations to Somdev Devvarman and Jim Cain!

The winners of this year’s raffle were drawn on Sunday, July 14^th immediately following the women’s final of the McDonalds Mid Atlantic Clay Court Tournament held at Salisbury.  The overwhelming success of this year’s raffle allowed us to have two winners, both drawn by one of the ball kids at the tournament.

The proceeds of this year’s raffle will benefit junior tennis in Richmond. 

Five years ago, Wayne Motley was having a lot of trouble with high blood pressure and couldn’t last a set against his peers on the tennis court.

Fast forward to the present day, and Motley has not only gotten his blood pressure under control, but he’s able to stay on the court as long as it takes to win, and as of July 1, he’s the top-ranked player in the Mid-Atlantic in the 45s singles division.

“I tell you, I’ve stepped up,” said Motley, after winning the Davenport City Seniors 45s singles championship on Sunday, beating Tracy Jones 6-0, 6-2 in the final at Willow Oaks Country Club. “I’m playing as well now as I’ve ever played in my life.

“I feel like I’m about 30, 35 years old. I do it for the fun now. I really, really enjoy it. No temper tantrums. Whenever I do miss a shot, I think about why, the fact that I’m still out there. I just smile and go on to the next shot.”

Motley, 51, used to play No. 1 singles for Virginia Union University and could hold his own with most players in the open division of the Davenport City tournament. Now, he’s taken his game to a higher level, as Jones can attest after Sunday.

“He just overpowered me,” said Jones, 49, a former University of Richmond player. “He was on top of me the whole match. I was having to go for more than I wanted to. I was always on my heels. He’s a tough player.”

Most of Motley’s tournaments these days are in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia.

“Back when I started taking the medication [for high blood pressure], I was really sick,” said Motley, who owns and operates a lawn service. Luv2Work. “I would play in tournaments, but I couldn’t last half a set.

“Each year, it got better and better. My goal, when I found out how tough they were up there [NOVA and Maryland], was to become number one in the Mid-Atlantic. As the medication began to become a part of my system, I got stronger and stronger.

“I told the guys, after a while, I’m going to be sticking with you, and over a period of time, that’s what happened.”

These days, no one wants to see Motley in their half of the draw, whether it’s locally or north of Richmond.

“It’s a lot of fun and I stay in shape,” he said. “I tell people all the time, if you’re going to stay in shape at this age, it has to be a lifestyle. It can’t be I just want to go in the gym and work out. There’s too many other priorities.

“So it has to be something you do as a lifestyle. Mine is tennis and some basketball. I love it.”

The men’s 50 singles title went to someone who doesn’t live in Richmond – it’s supposed to be limited to folks who live in metropolitan Richmond — and grew up playing against the likes of John McEnroe, Tim Mayotte and Paul Annacone.

Mark Deckwitz, who lives in Warrenton and flies corporate jets, outlasted Steve Sedlock 6-4, 6-2 in a well-played match on a hot afternoon with temperatures in the upper 80s.

“I couldn’t make a draw,” explained tournament director Jim Wood of Deckwitz’ entry in the field of four. “Well, he got in and I made the draw, then I found out he wasn’t from Richmond. I just felt like if he wants to come all this way and play, I’m going to let him play.

“You saw what we had for a draw. So in desperation, that’s why we did it.”

Deckwitz was raised in Stony Brook, on the north shore of Long Island about 15 miles from New York City. That’s where he played against Annacone, McEnroe and Mayotte, all of whom went on to have illustrious pro careers.

“I played McEnroe twice, got one game each time,” laughed Deckwitz. “I beat Mayotte in juniors when we were 16 or 17.”

Deckwitz might have tried the pro tour himself but “my knees let me down. My legs and my feet were too weak.” He received a partial scholarship to the University of Florida but had knee surgery as a freshman and wound up at Florida Atlantic.

The 54-year-old didn’t appear to have many weaknesses against Sedlock, who is a New Jersey native and remembered playing against Deckwitz once when they were juniors.

“He’s got an extremely good game, very solid,” said Sedlock, 49. “I had some opportunities there in the first set. He was able to hold me off when I had a few break chances late in the first set, and that was the difference.”

Deckwitz fought off the hot weather by using an ice pack during changeovers and dousing himself with cold water. When it was over, his wife, Janey, jokingly asked, “Want me to take you to the emergency room?”

“Basically, I thought I would fold, certainly if it went to a third set,” said Deckwitz, who used a two-handed forehand to send winners down the line and crosscourt. He also made effective use of drop shots and lobs to pull out the victory.

***********

According to Wood, there were a total of 22 entries for the 28 city senior events, the lowest number that he has seen. The only women’s event played was 45 doubles, which had two entries.

“It’s been going down every year,” said Wood. “We blame it on this and we blame it on that, but then again, we need to do more to promote the tournament. We need to get pro-active on making sure the word gets out.

“I don’t know if it will get any bigger but you can keep tweaking it and trying. If you don’t try it, you’re guilty of not doing anything and that’s dumb. We ought to do something. Find something that we can do to make it fun.”

Wood said the sponsoring Richmond Tennis Association should consider moving the tournament to September, when the temperatures are cooler and players are not on vacation or involved in USTA League playoffs.

“I think the whole tournament, including the open division, should be moved to September,” said Wood. “We wouldn’t have any conflicts or very few. The college players could play. High school players could play. All the leagues are done.

“Right now, I’m desperate for any warm body that will play in my tournament.”

         DAVENPORT CITY SENIOR RESULTS

All Finals

Men’s 45 singles – Wayne Motley d. Tracy Jones 6-0, 6-2.
Men’s 50 singles – Mark Deckwitz d. Steve Sedlock 6-4, 6-2.
Men’s 60 singles (round robin) – Winner: David Carter. Runner-up: Ron Atkinson.
Men’s 65 singles – Tom Robertson d. Ed Smith 6-2, 7-5.
Men’s 70 singles – James Robertson d. Tom Neal 6-2, 6-0.

Men’s 45 doubles (round robin) – Winners: Sedlock- Chuck Albertson. Runners-up: Richard Neisz-Kevin Ogborne.
Men’s 60 doubles (round robin) – Winners: James Dugger-Ed Thornton. Runners-up: Carter-Larry Lovings.
Men’s 65 doubles (round robin) – Winners: T. Robertson-Robert Musick. Runners-up: Smith-Ed Brooks.

Women’s 45 doubles – Martha Condyles-Julie Ogborne d. Sissy Johnson-Valerie Jones 6-1, 6-1.

On October 12-13, 2013, the Westwood Club in Richmond will play host to a new event presented by USTA/Virginia Tennis – the Virginia Club Challenge. This event will determine the best overall club within the state. The winner of the Anthem Club Challenge will automatically be entered into the Virginia Club Challenge. Read the full article here

Event Flyer

Congratulations to the following champions and finalists of this inaugural CCV singles event!  All champions have qualified for the Davenport and Company Richmond Rated Championships on August 24 at Byrd Park.

Championship Finals