Same Old: Tierney Wins Again

2008 University Club Pro-Am Doubles

This tournament has been held for eleven years. Sandy Tierney has won more than half the time, even not playing two of those years. This time, playing with University Club professional Nadeem Osman, he escaped in the quarterfinals by the narrowest of margins, a 15-14 fifth game victory over former winner Jamie Fagan and partner Matt Jenson (Sea Island, GA), and then cruised through the semifinals and finals. Their opponents in the semifinal were first time player John Hailer & Ayman Karim (Wilmington) and in the final, last year’s champion Mac Davidson & Pat Malloy. The latter pair had advanced with a tight three game conquest of tournament organizer Lenny Bernheimer & Joe Pentland (New York).

The University Club Pro Doubles Championship and its sister tournament, the University Club Pro-Am Doubles Championship have become an important mid-January fixture on the ISDA Professional Doubles Tour. With 2 sponsors, 72 patrons and 16 amateur players providing financial support for the event, the professionals competed in both the Professional and Pro-Am tournaments for $32,000 in prize money. In addition, the level of play in both brought out sizeable galleries throughout the weekend. This year, the finals reverted to Sunday after brunch and provided a riveting contest between the new combinations of Damien Mudge (NY) & Viktor Berg (Vancouver) vs. Chris Walker (San Diego) & Clive Leach (NY). The former pair won in four entertaining games, notching their second victory in the eight ISDA tournaments played to date.

The North Draw in the Pro-Am was composed of teams that won their first match, but lost in the second round of the main draw. As noted above, Jamie Fagan lost the fifth game by a point when he inexplicably grooved the final serve to Tierney’s lethal forehand, immediately resulting in a reverse corner winner. Jamie & Matt Jenson had an easier time in the North, winning first over Dave Riccio and Union Boat Club pro Preston Quick in four, then disposing of newcomer Court Chilton & Tyler Millard (Toronto) in three abrupt games. Court & Tyler had had their hands full in the semifinals with Mat Sibble & Mark Price (Rye, NY), emerging in four games.

Moving to the West Draw with some hurt feelings and sore muscles were losers of first round matches. Joel Kozol, playing with Chris Walker, lost a long five game struggle with Hailer & Karim, then retired to the massage room where he was declared a “no go” for the next day. He was ably substituted for by Dave Murphy. Jon Hartnett & Ben Gould (NY) rebounded from a disappointing four game loss to first handle Doc Grossman & Doug Lifford (Boston), then survive a five game match with Dave Dali & Ben Howell (Boston) before bowing to Matthew Kozol & John Russell in another five game match in the finals. Jon, with John Hailer, is the current State C champion and viewed this week-end as a tune-up for the States. Kozol & Russell, in the meantime, won four game matches over Jim Bildner & Chris Spahr (Boston) and Marty Stocklan & Damien Mudge (NY) on their way to the ultimate victory in the finals.

The South Draw was reserved for West Draw quarter-final losers. Chris Walker & new partner Dave Murphy eased past the Lifford-Grossman tandem to win a thrilling five game final by a single point over Bildner & Spahr. The match was a steady exchange of forehands between Dave and Jim with Dave making just one more at the end. The fashion plate award of the tournament went naturally to Steve Wolfe who donned pink sweatpants from Victoria’s Secret for each match. He and partner Jeff Mulligan (NY) bowed in four to Spahr-Bildner who wore sunglasses to shield their eyes from the glare. Spectators were not so fortunate.

This year’s event was universally acclaimed the most successful of eleven with generous financial sponsorship, spirited play and full galleries supplemented by a delicious dinner Friday evening and brunch Sunday. Doubles continues to grow at the University Club and Boston in general and with luck may lead to a new court at the Union Boat Club.