The USTA Florida Male Player of the Year was Frank Vermeer of Jacksonville.
When last year’s ITF Seniors World Individual Championships were held in Palm Beach Gardens, the event kick-started results for Frank Vermeer, who reached the final before losing a tight three-setter. Since then the Jacksonville resident has been on a tear at USPTA, ITF and USTA League events.
The director of tennis at Deerwood Country Club finished 2014 at No. 2 in the USPTA Grand Prix Men’s 45 rankings. This year he sits at No. 1 after winning the USPTA Clay Court Championships in May in singles, doubles and mixed; and in September finishing runner-up to doubles partner Jeff Cohen, and winning the doubles, at the inaugural USPTA Masters Invitational.
Last year and in 2012 he represented the USTA Florida Section with his team at the USTA League Men’s 5.0 Nationals. His wife, he says, also keeps him on point as a former professional player, and they have won two Husband-Wife Gold Balls. He is also been active as a local USPTA president, is a USPTA Florida board member for 2015, and is active assisting local charity organizations such as the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation.
The weekend also included educational sessions, an XGLOsive black light tennis mixer, the Ironman Tennis Challenge, the Starry Night Awards Dinner & Dancing, and the Sunday Breakfast with the Stars awards among other activities for the more than 200 tennis volunteers in attendance.