Tennis champs crowned at Zephyr Cove

With the heat finally breaking on the final day of the 31st annual Tahoe Tennis Classic, all the sizzle was coming off the rackets of the finalists.

One hundred seventy-four players from nine states participated in the three-day tournament at Zephyr Cove Tennis Club that ended Aug. 3.

The closest final was in the 7.0 mixed doubles match, with the winners having never played together until this tournament. It took three sets and two tiebreakers for Tina Fobel of Zephyr Cove and Kurt Massing of Tyler, Texas, to beat Eric and Katie Hetrick of Benicia 7-6, 5-7, 7-6.

While it was common for husbands and wives to be playing mixed doubles, the Rittimans of Zephyr Cove were a mother-son combo. Holly and Mitch Rittiman were runner-ups in the 8.0 mixed doubles. Mitch Rittiman then partnered with his dad, Ross, to win the men’s 8.0 doubles.

Ross, Mitch and Holly Rittiman

Winners of the Tahoe Tennis Classic are:
• Combined women’s 7.0 doubles: Louise Brown of Vallejo and Eric Hetrick of Benicia defeated Brenda Stewart and Tracey Samoluk of South Lake Tahoe 7-5, 6-2.
• Combined women’s 8.0 doubles: Christina Fegert and Krista Kip of Reno beat Sharla Freeman of Ashland, Ky., and Charna Knerr of Stateline 6-3, 6-0.
• Combined women’s 9.0 doubles: Carol and Holly Tretten of Reno beat Christina Fegert and Krista Kip of Reno 6-2, 6-4.
• Combined women’s 10.0 doubles: Kristi Cargill of Sacramento and Holly Tretten of Reno defeated Kim Iliffe of Mill Valley and Colleen Warren of Coronado 6-4, 6-3.
• Men’s 50 doubles: Ryan Johnston of South Lake Tahoe and Rob Wheatley of Palm Desert defeated Randy Houston of Palm Desert and Mark Peterson of Truckee 7-6, 6-3.
• Men’s 65 doubles: Gregory Shephard of Napa and Tad Yukawa of Palm Desert beat Bill Matthews of Ranch Mirage and Jess Torres of Alta Loma 4-6, 6-3, 7-6.
• Combined men’s 7.0 doubles: Bart Tretheway of Chicago and Ray Tretheway of Sacramento beat Mark Allione of South Lake Tahoe and Phil Sheridan of Zephyr Cove 6-2, 6-4.
• Combined men’s 8.0 doubles: Mitch and Ross Rittiman of Zephyr Cove defeated Denis Diehl and Steve Reid of Reno 6-2, 7-6.
• Combined men’s 10.0 doubles: Blake Beavers of Tyler, Texas, and Mickey Navarro of Waco, Texas, beat Michael Kiskinen of El Dorado Hills and Paul Thompson of Rancho Cordova 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
• Combined mixed 7.0 doubles: Tina Fobel of Zephyr Cove and Kurt Massing of Tyler, Texas, beat Eric and Katie Hetrick of Benicia 7-6, 5-7, 7-6.
• Combined mixed 8.0 doubles: Karla Johnston and Adam Turner of South Lake Tahoe beat Mitch and Holly Rittiman of Zephyr Cove 6-3, 6-3.
• Combined mixed 10.0 doubles: Blake Beavers of Tyler Texas and Kim Iliffe of Mill Valley beat Keri Mills of Davis and Paul Thompson of Rancho Cordova 7-6, 7-5.

All players were guaranteed a minimum of two matches during the three-day tournament. Besides the six courts at Zephyr Cove, play was also at Lake Village in Stateline and Pinewild in Marla Bay.

This was the first year the nonprofit Zephyr Cove Tennis Club Foundation ran the tournament. The foundation is operating the facility on behalf of Douglas County, which owns the courts. The goal is to make Zephyr the best place at Lake Tahoe to play tennis.

Zephyr Cove Tennis Club Foundation President Carolyn Wright, right, honors Tahoe Tennis Classic founders Hersch and Sheryl Herschmann. Photo/LTN

At the annual players’ dinner on Aug. 2 the foundation honored Hersch and Sheryl Herschmann for creating the tournament and running it for three decades.

Foundation President Carolyn Wright expressed appreciation for their efforts for the last 30 years and said how it took a dozen people this year to do what just the two of them were able to do each year.

The tentative dates for the 2015 Tahoe Tennis Classic are July 30-Aug. 2. With more people participating, it is evolving into a four-day tournament.