Salmon Arm tennis tourney draws high-calibre players from throughout B.C. Interior

More than 100 tennis players were hard at work over the Labour Day weekend, competing in the SASCU Open Tournament.

According to Salmon Arm Tennis Club tournament director Winston Pain, the three-day (Sept. 4-6) event saw the largest number of competitors to take part in a club event since the 1980s. COVID-19 safety protocols were in place, however, so not all competitors, or their supporters, were at the club’s outdoor (and indoor) tennis courts at one time.

Pain said the weather was perfect for most of the weekend except Saturday night, when matches were moved to the indoor courts. He said visiting players marveled at the Salmon Arm Tennis Club/Askew’s Tennis Centres’ three indoor and four lit outdoor courts, and that the facility is truly the envy of tennis communities in the Interior.

As far as tournament action on the courts went, Mary Manley and Marietjie Bonthuys were the only local players to win an event, Ladies A Doubles. Pain said Manley played her usual solid style, and Bonthuys’ hard-hitting ground strokes and volleys carried the day.

Elena Audy, of Kelowna, played exceptionally well to win the ladies A Singles.

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“The Mixed doubles A final showcased two high level Kelowna female juniors that impressed the crowd with power and movement in a very entertaining final,” said Pain.

Pain was impressed with the high-calibre players competing in the Men’s A singles draw, and said a number of the male competitors played university (collegiate ) tennis previously and were, or are, highly ranked in the province.

“Matt Martin from Nelson won the A Singles in a hard fought battle against 20 year old Calvin Thalheimer (Kelowna),” said Pain. “They wowed the viewers with incredible shot making.”

Tournament results were as follows:

• Men’s A Singles: Matt Martin (Nelson) beat Calvin Thalheimer (Kelowna) 6-4, 7-5;

• Men’s B Singles: Gerry Reinhardt (Vernon) beat Bill Spencer (Salmon Arm) 6-2, 6-3;

• Men’s A Doubles: Uri Yarkoni/Michael Bitcom (Kelowna) beat Matt Martin/ Robert Oleksiuk (Fernie)

6-1, 4-6, 10-5;

• Men’s B Doubles: Gary Edwards/Joe Mcfadden (Vernon) beat Norm Monteith/Tony Klancar

(Kamloops) 7-7, 6-3;

• Ladies A Singles: Elena Audy (Kelowna) beat Meryl Ogden (Vernon) 6-4,6-2;

• Ladies B Singles : Terry Mindel (Kamloops) beat Wendy Hulko (Kamloops) 6-2. 4-6, 14-12;

• Ladies A Doubles: Mary Manley /Marietjie Bonthuys (Salmon Arm) beat Krista Martens (Kelowna) and

Meryl Ogden (Vernon) 6-4,7-6;

• Ladies B Doubles: Sandra Blair/Kathryn Kuzemchuk (Kamloops) beat Leslie Colier /Maureen Chale

(Kamloops) 6-3,6-3. All Kamloops final;

• Mixed A Doubles: Makena Moore /Calvin Thalheimer (Kelowna) beat Joachim Nierfeld / Naomi

Schraeder (Kelowna) 7-6,6-4. All Kelowna final;

• Mixed B Doubles: Gary Edwards (Vernon) / Veronica Podalski(Kelowna) beat Sandra Blair /John

Childerley (both Kamloops) 8-2.

For more information about the Salmon Arm Tennis Club and upcoming events, visit clubspark.ca/salmonarmtennisclub.

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