DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – USTA Florida Tri-Level League teams from Orlando and Jacksonville advanced to Indian Wells, Calif., to represent the USTA Florida Section after capturing men's and women's titles at the USTA Florida Tri-Level Playoff Championship, held Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2015 at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach.
Tri-Level League is a doubles format designed to provide a unique team league opportunity to members by combining players of differing NTRP levels (3.5/4.0/4.5) on teams in local and sectional competition. For more info go to www.ustaflorida/leagues.
The women's winners were comprised of players from Orlando, but representing Marion County and finished first in a six-team round robin. The Marion County/Orlando team and a team from Orange/Seminole counties finished tied with 4-1 win-loss records, but the tiebreak of more individual match wins went to the Marion County/Orlando women.
Captained by Stephanie Schwartzberg, the Marion County/Orlando squad included players Shannon Hurley, Teresa Ferrarini, Corin Rombach, Bobbi Carter, Cristina Shams, Susan Silberbusch, Stephanie Weinard, Mimi Tran and Kristee Garrity.
The regional men's winners from Duval County/Jacksonville, the only men's Tri-level league in the USTA Florida Section in 2014, automatically advanced to the 2015 BNP Paribas Open Tri-Level Championships on March 20-22 in Indian Wells, Calif., held during the ATP/WTA BNP Paribas Open.
Captained by Chris Neblett, the Jacksonville team is comprised of Jason Collins, Carlos Celis, Claudio Carrara, Richard Levin, Durga Goodupu, Louis Saig, Mike Dailey, Anthony Pizzi, Steve Lucas, David Boehm, Flavio Soares, Michael Abernathy, Andres Gutierrez, Butch Ross, and Chase Foy.
The Florida men's and women's winners will compete against teams from the 17 USTA sections across the country to determine the men's and women's national champions.