Middlebury, Vermont
June 29, 2008
 
Local Tennis Players in Varied Championship Competition
 
 
Marcus Causton of Shoreham entered an Open Wheelchair Tennis Tournament June 5-8 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York. Matches were played in the Arthur Ashe stadium.
After winning his round of 16 match 6-4, 6-4, he eliminated the number 2 seed, Frenchman Sebastien Husser, in the quarters, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(3). Husser has been ranked as high as number 32 in the world.
The semi final match went three sets before a loss to the eventual runner-up Joel Dembe of Lynden Ontario, Canada, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3. Dembe is the number 2 player in Canada, and is ranked 51 in the world.
Causton's performance earned him enough ranking points to become number 156 in the world.
Causton regularly plays at Middleubury Indoor Tennis (MIT) and at the public courts in Shoreham. He is competitive and more with players up to the nominal advanced level.
Two of the threee Mixed Doubles Teams playing at MIT won their league in the fall 2007 season, thereby earning an invitation to the Sectional Tournaments in Portland, Maine, June 20-22, 2008. The advanced intermediate "Aces" led by Chris Murray of Middlebury went 5-1 last fall. The advanced level team "Hicks n Chicks," Stephanie Foley of New Haven, Captain, tied their division at 4-2 but was declared winner via the tie-break scoring system of the USTA. At the June 2008 Sectional Tournaments, which included 73 teams from all of New England, both groups had 1 win and 2 losses in the opening round robin format, and therefore did not qualify for later rounds.
Joining Murray on the Aces are John Ballard, Curt Gross, Roger Kimberly, Lee Randlett (all from Middlebury); Michele Butler (Bristol), Karen Didricksen (Bridport), Karen Lueders (Lincoln), Carrie Wulfman and Marty and Patty Whittemore (Ripton). See photo.

(The USTA changed some skill ratings in mid-season which prvented Sharon Gross of Middlebury and Bob Kesner of Waltham from competing in the Sectional Tournament.)

Stephanie recruited husband Jim Foley, Chris Murray (Middlebury), Woody Jackson, Sarah Peluso, Rachel Teachout (all of Cornwall); and added a strong group of out-of-towners: Frank and Aimee Babbott, Mireille Brettell, Robert Bromley, Heidi Greer, Kristen Kenosh, Dennis Langdell, Sarah Szafir and Andrew Shinn.
Two of the six adult playing at MIT in the spring season qualified for the district Tournaments in August, also in Portland, Maine. The brand new womens' team, the "Sweet Spots" captained by Cinny Lawrence of Addison, won their division with a 5-1 record in play April through June. Other members of the emerging intermediate level team are Barbara Beatty, Julia Hunt (both of Middlebury), Angela Drexel (Cornwall), Judy Fyles (Orwell), Edwina Ho, Heather Potter, Jill Thomas (of Shoreham) and Nancy Iwanicki (Leicester).
Repeating the performance of a handfull of past years, the advanced intermediate "Midd Hit Men" have clinched their league title with a present 7-0 record. The team will also compete in Maine in August in the District Tournament. Joining captain Curt Gross are John Ballard, Roger Kimberly, Chris Murray, Lee Randlett (all of Middlebury), Graham Clarke (Shoreham), David Ignat (Ripton), Jim Inglis (Bridport), Caleb Kenna (Brandon), David McCluskey (Salisbury), Eric Rice (Charlotte) and Tim Wilcox (Rochester).