Twenty QC Tennis Club players competed in the annual Blind Draw Tournament.
Gloria Bible
The excitement began at Dave and Judy Sypkens’ home with a random draw on Oct. 12. Ten men and 10 women participated in the draw, determining player combinations for this much-anticipated tournament the weekend of Oct. 18.
Chris Moravchik and Steve Arendt celebrate their win.
Gusty, gale-like force winds opened the tournament on the morning of Oct. 18 and challenged players to track the ever-changing, totally unpredictable trajectory of incoming balls. Thankfully, the winds calmed somewhat by the time the afternoon match was played, and players were treated to enjoyable weather for the three remaining weekend matches.
The four players who accrued the most points then competed in the final on Oct. 20. Mike Wagner, a retired USTA official, was on hand to ensure all rules and protocols were correctly followed.
A lively two-set format was implemented and drew many oohs and ahhs from spectators. In the end, Steve Arendt and Chris Moravchik emerged as the first-place holders, with Jack Henry and Cindy Nelson as runners-up.
All that playing, cheering, and spectating worked up some powerful appetites, and there to usher in the celebratory QC Tennis Club annual Arizona Beerfest was the QC Tennis Social Committee of Dinah Shumway, Hilary Wade, Sandy Hirdes, and Joy Olsen. On offer was a selection of Arizona beers and an appetizing array of brats, salads, and desserts.
Many thanks to Dave Sypkens for organizing yet another successful and enjoyable tournament!