VanPubTennis

Second week, Stanley Park Open

The Open draws are out and singles competition got under way yesterday. No Philip Bester this year. He is back to his normal schedule of playing Challengers or Futures tournaments around the world. Last Sunday Philip won for Canada a stirring come-back victory against Equador, in Davis Cup, played in Guayaquil. That was a wild affair, with gangsters and gunfire. Read about it here.

It was a surprise to see that the name of Daniel Chu, former singles (2006,2007), and doubles (2003) winner at Stanley Park, was missing from this year’s tournament. Turns out Daniel is this week competing a Futures event in Mississauga, Ontario. Intriguingly, the name of Henry Choi, a former singles champion at Stanley Park (2008, 2009) is also listed in the draw in Mississauga. Henry is the number one seed in our men’s singles draw here. Are there two Henry Choi’s playing this level of tennis in Canada? Or is there only one, figuring on losing early down east, and jumping a plane to get to Stanley Park?????? The plot thickens.

Other returning champions in the Open draws are:

Max Brown (MX 2008, 2010)
Nick Coutts (MD 2006, 2010; MX 2009)
Sinziana Chis ( WD 2008, 2009)
Teresa Dobson (WD 1991, 1993; WS 1994)
Patrick Flint (MD 2006, 2007, 2010 )
Graeme Kassautzki (MS 2005; MD 2007, 2008)
Kelly McNabney (WD 2020; MX 2008, 2009)
Monica Neveklovska (WD 2009, 2010; MX 2006)
Nicoletta Ratiu (MX 2010)
Kris Santoso (MS 1994, 1997;  MD 2000, 2008; MX  2007)
Jerry Turek (MS 1995; MD 1994, 1996, 2003, 2005, 2009 )

 MS = Men's Singles
 MD = Men's Doubles
 MX = Mixed Doubles
 WS = Womens Singles
 WD = Women's Doubles

My apologies to any past champs I have missed. You can see above that the winningest players in the Open draws are Kris Santoso (five championships) and Jerry Turek (six championships). They are this year teamed up in the doubles draw, seeded three. Look for them to be around for Finals Sunday, very likely facing the second winningest players among the men, and the winningest doubles team, last year’s champions, Nick Couts and Patrick Flint.

This week there is the Juniors Challengers draw using the courts in the mornings. The Open draws start after lunch, with the Open doubles, my own favourite events, beginning this aft. Adult draws compete after working hours, in the evenings. More soon.