By SDCN Staff
La Jolla, CA–The singles semifinals in four age divisions of the USTA National Women’s Senior Hard Court Championships continued Thursday at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.
Top-seeded Julie Thu of West Lake Hills, Texas advanced to the 50 and over semifinals with a strong performance as she defeated fifth-seeded Jennifer Bishop of Toronto, Canada, 6-3, 6-0 in 65 minutes.
Bishop served at 3-4 in the first set, but Thu dropped only five points in sweeping the next eight games to close out the match and set up a semifinal encounter against fourth-seeded Joanna Stewart of Bellevue, WA.
Second-seed and former singles champion Dina McBride of Thousand Oaks, CA also moved into the 50 and over semifinals as she eliminated fifth-seeded Joanne Price of Pasadena 6-2, 6-2 in 48 minutes.
“My opponent was very tricky. A lot of variety in her game. She was fun to play and made me think out there. She never gave me the same ball twice. Very creative, a very good player,” said McBride about her opponent, third-seeded Kathryn Settles of Claremont, CA in the semifinals.
After coming up short in last year’s 50 and over singles final, McBride was asked about her expectations in this year’s event.
“I’m not trying to think about winning or losing. I’m just trying to get back to enjoying singles and get my game to where I feel it’s fun to play,” she responded. “I’m still not where I want to be. I’m not feeling the ball the way I want yet. I’m just trying to take each match and try to get a little better.
In the 60-and-over singles draw, top-seeded Shelly Works of San Antonio advanced when her opponent, fifth-seeded Vicki Cosio of Palm Desert, CA withdrew before starting their quarterfinal match due to an injury. In the lower half of the draw, second-seeded Gayle Prejean of Dallas got past unseeded local entrant Diane Ghiron of Encinitas 6-3, 6-3.
In the 60 and over singles semifinals, Works faced unseeded Ann Whitney of Bellingham, WA, and Prejean played fifth-seeded Marianne Dundon of Martinez, CA.
In the 70-and-over semifinals, Top-seeded Andrea Barnes of Palo Alto, CA, took on third-seeded Becky Timmis of Peachtree City, GA. The other semifinal featured fourth-seeded Lisa Musgrave of Palatine, Ill, against unseeded Kandy Chain of Los Angeles.
Barnes got off to a quick start in her quarterfinal match on Wednesday and managed to close out the match 6-0, 6-4 over unseeded Margaret MacHoian of Crownsville, MD.
Top-seeded Susan Kimball of Oak Bluffs, MA, and second-seeded Betty Wachob of Panama City, FL each scored impressive straight-set quarterfinal victories in the 80 and over singles division to advance to Thursday’s semifinals.
Kimball cruised past Hanni Seitz of Monterey, CA 6-1, 6-2, and Wachob defeated Sharon Ploor of Franklin, WI 6-3, 6-0. Kimball met defending champion and third seed Carolann Castell of Kirkland, WA, and Wachob played fourth-seeded Catherine Anderson of Del Mar.
The USTA National Women’s Senior Hard Court Championships features top players from across the country in the 50, 60, 70, and 80 and over age divisions. Events include singles and doubles. USTA gold, silver, or bronze balls will be awarded to the first, second, and third-place finishers in all women’s events.
The USTA National Women’s Senior Hard Court Tennis Championships are part of the International Tennis Federation’s World Tennis Masters Tour, which provides a worldwide competitive circuit consisting of individual singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events for each five-year age increment from 30 and over to 90 and over.
The La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club welcomes tennis enthusiasts to view the tournament and will offer free admission to spectators each day of the event. Tournament attendees and spectators may dine on-site at the Club’s Snack Bar during the tournament. On-site parking is available for a nominal fee.
Wednesday’s results:
Women’s 50 Singles
Quarterfinals
Julie Thu (1), West Lake Hills, Texas def. Jennifer Bishop (5), Toronto, Canada 6-3, 6-0, Dina McBride (2), Thousand Oaks, CA def. Joanne Price (5), Pasadena, CA 6-2, 6-2, Kathryn Settles (3), Claremont, CA def. Jennifer Cherneski (5), Edmonton, Canada 6-2, 6-1, Joanna Stewart (4), Bellevue, WA def. Christine Anzai (5), San Diego, 6-2, 6-2.
Women’s 60 Singles
Quarterfinals
Shelly Works (1), San Antonio, TX def. Vicki Cosio (5), Palm Desert, CA walkover (injury), Gayle Prejean (2), Dallas, TX def. Diane Ghiron, Encinitas 6-3, 6-3, Ann Whitney, Bellingham, WA def. Anna Zimmermann (5), Indianapolis, IN 6-4, 6-3, Marianne Dundon (5), Martinez, CA def. Lori Robertson (3), Kula, HI 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-0.
Women’s 70 Singles
Quarterfinals
Andrea Barnes (1), Palo Alto, CA def. Margaret MacHoian, Crownsville, MD 6-0, 6-4, Becky Timmis (3), Peachtree City, GA def. Carolyn Mathes, Fallbrook 6-1, 6-0, Kandy Chain, Los Angeles def. Kathleen Heinze, Oakland, CA 7-5, 6-4, Lisa Musgrave (4), Palatine, Ill def. Sherri Bronson, Scottsdale, AZ 6-1, 6-4.
Women’s 80 Singles
Quarterfinals
Susan Kimball (1), Oak Bluffs, MA def. Hanni Seitz, Monterey, CA 6-1, 6-2, Betty Wachob (2), Panama City, FL def. Sharon Ploor, Franklin, WI 6-3, 6-0, Carolann Castell (3), Kirkland, WA def. Charleen Hillebrand, Long Beach, CA 6-3, 6-0, Catherine Anderson (4), Del Mar def. Yvonne Merrick, Walnut Creek, CA 6-1, 6-2.
