Deja Vu All Over Again... 40s Wrap Up and Spring Season to Start

40s finally wraps up as the beginning of 18s starts over the next two weeks.  No rest of the weary.  The DTA should consider the rapid turn around as these players need some time off.  It is the same reason the Combo event usually sucks.  Everyone is done with Cities, Sectionals and Combo is just at a time where players are tired.  This season needs to wrap up sooner.

Congratulations to all the winners.  Sweeney and Wiley defended their title.  Bender took the remnants of the 3.5 team that won it all last year and won it again this year.  Like Yogi Berra said, it is like deja vu all over again.



At 4.5, Mark Sweeney took home the prize.  Every match was close.  Bartzen stood tall but not quite enough to beat the Sweeney.  Mark appeared to call the lines correct every match and was able to get 3-2 wins all weekend.  Congratulations to Mark, he has a great team and Mark is a good guy.  Good luck at sectionals!  I thought TBar would be a little better.  All four teams were pretty similar and Mark's excellent captain's calls were the difference.  I hope he keeps it up. 

Here is a weekend picture of the 4.5 heavyweights between Sweeney and Fikes (could have been Wagner or Harlee as well)

At 4.0, Wiley dominated most of the weekend.  It looks like he had a semi-close call against surprising second place Greenhill.  Most everyone (including myself), picked them last.  Looks like Wiley put out a little softer lineup and had to ride his unstoppable singles guys.  Brian Wilson didn't play for TBar, I'll find out why as he would have been a difference maker for TBar.  Regardless, he can only play one line and they still beat a good TBar lineup 4-1.  The rumors he will play his spares were apparently just that... Best of luck to Wiley, his great team depth should serve him well in the sectionals heat.

This was Wiley versus Peterson.

At 3.5, Bender had a closer than expected final.  I am no 3.5 expert but I thought he would win 5-0.  He has a number of 4.0 bump downs.  Regardless, he still won and Bender adds another city championship to what must be the most overwhelmed trophy cabinet in Texas.  Best of luck in sectionals and I hope Bender does what he has done so many times before.  I hear he has a suite named after him at the various nationals locations.

Almost forgot the highlight clip of Bender and Gardner...

Best of luck to all!!!

Spring Season starts next week for 4.0.  Scheduling needs some serious rethinking.  40s wraps up; Mixed hasn't ended and Mixed playoffs are next week.  All at the same time, the spring season starts.  At least I am able to combine one post but I doubt the DTA was thinking about me when they did that.

Big matches for the opening week...
5.0+ Our own Rossouw and Noel start off against each other.  Since they have been in agreement a lot around here, they can get together complain about Kelly and play some tennis.  Rossouw will win  but that is a lot of Dallas tennis conscience in one place.

TBar has JCC and looks to be pretty competitive.  Oscar's team had to split up but that is not a big deal when you get to keep 3 and you only play five people each week.

Gleneagles shouldn't have much trouble with GH/Barnard's 4.5 heavy team.

Perkison and Wagner have a good match but Perkison has a lot of firepower.  I think Perkison is the favorite to win this flight and will win Saturday.

In 5.0, every week should have great matches.

4.5  Start April 12th.  Woohoo a whole week off for the geezers...

Flight A-- TBar starts with HP Somabut.  Somabut's has a number of 4.0s.  This should be easy sailing for Dick's team.  This flight just isn't that great.  I only gave TBar a nod this week because they are the probable flight winners.  There really isn't a match worth mentioning.

Flight B-- This flight isn't very good either.  The teams that matter are the Lakes, Rossouw and Brookhaven.  None of them play each other.  They all play average teams.  Not a week to get excited.

Flight C-- Fretz/Noel vs Garland Sisk is match of the week.  Sisk has Kelly so he must be the favorite... If only he had any depth to go with him.

Brookhaven and Village play in a few weeks to determine who will really win this flight.  There just isn't much to say about any of these flights.

4.0 Matches start this week.  Why is a mystery but not my actual problem so not sure why I care.

Flight A-- There are no big matches in week 1.  Somabut and Sisk are the probable favorites.  Yet, both of their rosters are players that just don't excite you.Somabut has fewer ho-hum players I don't know most.  I don't most of Sisk's either.

Flight B--In what most think is the most ridiculous flight, you would think there would be a few really tough matches every week.  This week there is only one that has any interest.  Eldorado vs Gleneagles.  Eldorado made the playoffs last year.  Glenegles has some players.  I predict in week 1, Eldorado loses.  No other match worth considering.

Flight C-- In a flight with near nothing, there is not a match to discuss.  TBar plays Oasis...  How do they even field a team?  I don't even recognize a player on Oasis team.. not even a name.  Either they are incredible or really bad.  I suspect really bad!

Flight D-- In a flight that is even worse than Flight C, Brookhaven plays the Village... And not a good Village team.  Fretz plays Huffhines in the only match of near intrigue.  Fretz shouldn't have trouble but it is not like they are world beaters.