Pinecrest, representing the Florida section, finished second at the USTA League 8.0 Mixed Doubles National Championships in Tucson last month, losing 2-1 to a Mill Creek, WA team in the championship match.
Earlier in the day, Pinecrest defeated a team from Washington, D.C., 2-1, in the semifinals.
The Pinecrest team plays at Coral Pine Park and is captained by Robin Connell and features Miguel Fundora, Donna Kass, Renzo Velis, Leslie Stein, Adam Rosales and Nastasha Rodriguez.
The top four teams this year were Pacific Northwest (Mill Creek, WA), Florida (Pinecrest), Mid-Atlantic (Washington, D.C.) and Midwest (Toledo, OH). This year’s USTA League Mixed Doubles National Championship drew the top 44 teams from around the nation.
The USTA League is celebrating its 31st anniversary this year. Established in 1980, it has grown from 13,000 participants in just a few parts of the country in its first year, to over 779,000 players across the nation today, making it the world’s largest recreational tennis program.
The USTA League was established to provide adult recreational tennis players throughout the country with the opportunity to compete against players of similar ability levels. Players participate on teams in a league format administered by the USTA through its 17 Sections. The league groups players by using six National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) levels, ranging from 2.5 (entry) to 5.0 (advanced).
USTA League is open to any USTA member 19 or older. It features adult and mixed doubles divisions, as well as a senior division (age 50) and a super senior division (age 60).