Officials kept mum on Sharapova at Cup

Maria Sharapova was actually entered in this year’s Family Circle Cup ... until Friday.

“We didn’t announce Maria (had entered) because we knew she wasn’t going to play, and we didn’t want to disappoint the fans (again),” Family Circle Cup general manager Bob Moran said during Saturday’s qualifying session for the 40th Family Circle Cup.

Sharapova, who lost to Family Circle top seed Agieneszka Radwanska in Saturday’s final of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, entered the Family Circle Cup in November, according to Moran. “Sharapova officially withdrew (from this year’s Family Circle) on Friday,” he said.

A year ago, Sharapova pulled out of the Family Circle Cup on draw-party Saturday after losing to Victoria Azarenka in the Miami final.

Moran had no intention of disappointing the fans again.

“We knew (Sharapova) never had any intention of playing this year,” he said.

But, then again, pro tennis players often change their minds.

State domination
Local juniors took five of the 10 top rankings in the state for 2011 as Jared Pratt (boys 12), Connor Clements (boys 18), Margaret Navarro (girls 10), Elle Halbauer (girls 14) and Narni Summerall (girls 18) all captured No. 1 rankings.

Other state rankings for boys included Zachary Dacuba (10th in 10s), Brant Fenno (third in 12s), Earl Navarro (fifth in 12s), Joel Roberts (seventh in 16s), Adam Elliget (10th in 16s), Matt Mendez (fifth in 18s) and Thomas Spratt (seventh in 18s).

In state girls, other local top 10 players were Emma Navarro (fourth in 12s), Ann Martin Skelly (fifth in 12s), Melanie Allen (fourth in 14s), Samantha Shuster (sixth in 14s), Halbauer (fifth in 16s), Allen (eighth in 16s), Kristina Mathis (seventh in 18s) and Mi’Kola Cooper (ninth in 18s).

Maybank renovation
A practically new Maybank Tennis Center is still on the way. Plans call for the popular James Island complex to get its new facelift this summer.

The Maybank Tennis Center renovation committee is busy these days trying to raise $100,000 to include “wish list” priority items such as two new clay courts, shelters, benches and lighting, according to Amelia Jenkins, the director of development for the Charleston Parks Conservancy.

Contact Jenkins (ajenkins@charlestonparksconservancy.org) for more information on pledges, donations and sponsorship opportunities.

Upcoming events
• Local USTA mixed doubles league team registrations will run through April 16.

• Local winners in the Family Circle Cup’s Club Doubles Championships will go against teams from Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Charlotte, Atlanta, Hilton Head Island, Jacksonville, Rock Hill and Anderson-Greenville-Spartanburg next Thursday and Friday.

• The Summerville Junior Team Tennis League registration will open today and run through May 1. The league will include 8U, 10U and 12U players. Registration is available by going to sctennis.com/summervillejtt. Volunteers are needed to coach teams. Contact coordinator Kathy Peebles (709-8565, kpeebles918@sc.rr.com or mpeebles@sc.rr.com).

• The Charleston County School District Superintendent’s Cup will be held April 28 at Charleston Tennis Center and Maybank Tennis Center from 9 a.m. to noon. Sixty-two teams of teachers will compete. Contact Peggy Bohne at 766-7401.

• The second annual Prinella Haygood Memorial Tennis Championship is scheduled for May 4-6 at Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s Roy Barth Tennis Center. The event will benefit Roper St. Francis Cancer Care, as well as Haygood’s two young sons. Contact Kiawah pro Jonathan Barth (jonathan_barth@kiawahresort.com or 568-1468). Registration for the tournament is available at www.usta.com by selecting Adult/Senior Tournaments, then entering the tournament number (700007412).

Reach James Beck at jamesbecktennis@gmail.com. See his columns on pro tennis at ubitennis.com/english.

Local notes
Local product Anderson Scarpa has committed to play college tennis for NCAA Division I Mercer University. Scarpa has spent his high school years playing for the prestigious Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Teaming with fellow Pinewood Prep star Joel Roberts, Adam Elliget won his fourth consecutive SCISA State Open doubles title last week in Sumter.