Congratulations to the South Florida Women’s Doubles Tennis League team for another victory. It was partially due to Co -Captain Andrea Andrade for her exceptional insight into the line ups and relentless angles and drop shots.
However, there is more to the story. Andrade was just one of the finely-tuned athletes to play on the team. Johanna Escalante and Cristina Freitas were supporting the first position with Escalante commanding the base line and Freitas sneaking in for the net shot win and also giving excellent back court shots.
Andrade and Melissa Gonzalez were always popping real winners at the net with angles and angles galore. Isabel Wawa displayed the Djokovic wisdom of always turning smart defense into winning offense and dropping and angling at net when the opponents were scrambling around at the back court!
Wawa was often supported by her partner Teresa Alvarez who was always there for the put away net shot or the surprising short spin serve. Dominic Barba whipping her spins and drop shots all over the court helped Mari Pili pull off many victories with her high forehand lob spin return which the opponents never figured out how to return!
Of course the team’s busy traveler, Claudia Plata, always dropped in for the win right off her airplane from Colombia. Jet lag worked well for her as she placed the ball all over that court where no player was able to keep up with her and than her final blaze to glory would be that penetrating backhand cross court that nobody ever returned.
The backhand whips of Valentina Verde always complimented any partner especially Gaby Pino whose forehand top spin cemented Verde’s backhand strength. Then Cecilia Guerrero left-handed consistency and Ceci Maglione’s drop shot return off the serve and her lob volleys always gave us one more point. Ceci and Ceci made the opponents breathless.
Eli Romero’s strong ground strokes from anywhere on the court, forehand or backhand, always set up her partner for the net put away who was in that last match Mariana Salvioli. Jackie Surbaran and Maristela Britto crushed with Surbaran’s lefty ground strokes and Britto’s overhead smash right out of the court and over the fence like a home run!
Ely Cora also had a tricky lefty ground stroke which was always setting up her partners for the net shot and often times she would be there to put away her own follow up net shot as she was good at serve and volley.
Cecilia Pissane, the queen of consistency, was always drilling winners and Mitche Escanella, our forever Duracell battery, ran down every shot on the court even when the opponents thought they had a winner.
The hard forehand return winners of Solange Cancian and the backhand whips of Maria Odon dipped the scales heading the team to 100 percent. Claudia Taboada, our singles player, adjusted to the doubles court just fine. She was consistency plus from the baseline and often times threw in a great net volley that shocked the opponents.
Sandra Orozco was always crushing away with her backhand and handled that backhand court like a pro. And Andrea Varona and Luisa
Alonso, fighters to the end, blew the opponents way with their knowledge of the open court and where to place that ball for a winner.
What a team. We just couldn’t get enough of that little bouncing ball. All the players were grand masters in the venerable art of gamesmanship and everyone is very proud of them on the court and off the court as they display professionalism where ever they venture.
As team captain, I am proud to represent this team because it is packed with camaraderie – and that is Doral at its finest. Most importantly the team was always gracious in both victory and defeat.
Tennis is the sport for a lifetime. What would we do without the “puh” of the strings on rubber? Get out and play everybody and have some fun. Doral is waiting for you!
Barbara Finley is a long time tennis player and an active member of the Doral community. She is also the undisputed leader of the Doral champion team. Because Finley’s experience, her sacrifice and dedication, she has earned the respect and affection of the entire community.
