175-plus tennis players set for annual ZC tourney

A who’s who of the Tahoe-Reno region will descend upon the courts at Zephyr Cove next week for the 33rd annual Tahoe Tennis Classic.

More than 175 players from multiple states are entered into the all doubles tournament. The four-day tournament (July 28-31) has 11 divisions.

Spectators are welcome to watch the action for free at Zephyr Cove Tennis Club.

Young sensation Angelina Spinnato is likely to turn a lot of heads. The 12-year-old from South Lake Tahoe is starting to make a name for herself. She is partnering with Robin Twining in the women’s C division.

However, that duo could face No. 1 seeds Becky Darrow and Donna Rockwood. Rockwood was one half of the winning team in 2015.

Tournament director Bob Beutenmiller calls Ryan Johnston Tahoe’s most skilled player. Johnston, who recently won the USTA NorCal Grand Prix singles title, regularly plays in Sacramento and San Francisco leagues and tournaments. He will partner with Mohamed Irfan Lakdawala of San Francisco. Their toughest competition will come from the Reno duo of Jeffrey Mullen and teaching pro Craig Gorbach. Mullen is the highest rated player in the Reno area.

The women’s A division features last year’s runner-up as the early favorite: Carol and Holly Tretten, a mother and daughter team from Reno. Local teaching pros Ginny Ungar and Susan Cowan will give them tough competition.

The most balanced division this year will be the women’s B division. Six teams have a legitimate chance to claim the championship: Mary Heller-Barbara Van Fleet, Maureen Snyder-Caryn Jones, Dawn Perkins-Carolyn Richert, Christy Wurster-Sara Catania, Joyce Youngs-Sally Huttenmayer and Kae Reed-Tracey Samoluk.

The largest event in terms of teams is the mixed doubles B division. A strong seeded team will be Lori and Tony Grbac from Roseville. Jim Bilicki and Lorraine Daniel from Rancho Mirage, Kathy Brown and Steven Reid from the Reno area, and Mark Silva with Christine Wurster from Placerville will dominate the division.

For a full list of the various divisions and competitors, go online.

There is also still time to enter. The deadline to do so is July 24.

The nonprofit Zephyr Cove Tennis Club Foundation runs the Classic and is responsible for the tennis facility owned by Douglas County. The tournament is the club’s largest fundraiser, which allows it to provide an array of tennis opportunities for the public, including free junior programs.