'Best Town' label could stay a while
How long will Charleston be known as the best tennis town in the United States? Always, you say.
That may be true, but it's uncertain how long Charleston will own the USTA's official title of America's Best Tennis Town.
"At this point, no decision has been made on (whether to hold the Best Tennis Town contest in) 2012," Chris Widmaier, the USTA's managing director of corporate communications, said Thursday from New York.
Thus, as it now stands, Charleston has at least one bonus year to hold the title after gaining the recognition at the 2010 U.S. Open. The USTA has announced that the Best Tennis Town competition will not be held in 2011.
"It (BTT contest) may be back in 2012 ... two years of it have been very good," Widmaier said, referring to Midland, Mich., winning the initial Best Tennis Town title in 2009 followed by Charleston the second year.
Thursday's news from the USTA contradicts a local tennis website's report that Charleston "will hold the title for the next three years."
The USTA is currently changing gears, breaking away from the focus of last year's Best Tennis Town contest and concentrating on its new Quick Start 10-and-under program, which is the biggest initiative in American youth tennis in decades. "We will take a break from Best Tennis Town in 2011 and those efforts will go to 10-and-under tennis. That's not to say it (BTT) won't be back in 2012," Widmaier said.
He said the USTA is building, resurfacing or redesigning 3,000 tennis courts around the country to fit the court dimensions (36 feet for 8-and-under and 60 feet for 10-and-under) of Quick Start tennis.
Cremins Challenge
Most of veteran College of Charleston basketball coach Bobby Cremins' attention is on the hardwood, but the fifth annual Cremins Tennis Challenge is already in the works. The event that's geared toward raising funds for C of C athletic scholarships is scheduled for May 13-14 at Family Circle Tennis Center.
The Friday session will open with round-robin play in the afternoon, then continue with a cocktail party that evening. On Saturday, the schedule calls for breakfast, more round-robin play and lunch.
Team, individual and court sponsorships are available. Contact the C of C Cougar Club (953-8255 or eiflerak@cofc.edu).
Local notes
--St. Andrew's sixth annual Lucky Shot Tournament is March 11-13 at the St. Andrew's Parks and Playground complex on Playground Road. The entry deadline for the adult tournament is March 9 at 11:59 a.m. The event will have NTRP-rated divisions in singles and doubles for men and women. Register at usta.com/tennislink, using the tournament ID number (704119611). Contact tournament director Philip Burke (fillup@standrewsparks.com).
--The USTA Flex League is back. Registration is open until next Sunday. The season begins March 6 and runs through April 30. The Flex League is unique in that players can choose their home court and can play matches on any tennis court. Contact Vickie Nash (761-6097 or nashvm@yahoo.com).
--Mixed doubles registration for both adult and senior 2.5 (adult mixed only), 5.0 (senior mixed only), 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0 will begin March 6 and run through April 12.
--Super senior mixed doubles registration continues until Friday. Players reaching at least their 60th birthday in 2011 are eligible to play super seniors. There will be leagues for 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0. Matches will be played on Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
--The Tri-County Elementary and Middle School League will begin play March 7 with approximately 120 teams.
--Boys high school tennis begins in less than two weeks. On March 1, Porter-Gaud opens at home against Wando and Bishop England goes to Pinewood Prep in matchups of possibly the top SCISA and High School League teams in the area.
Reach James Beck at jamesbecktennis@gmail.com. See his columns on pro tennis at ubitennis.com/english.
