September 28, 2012 Naples Daily News
by Tom Rife
Exhibition at Sterling Oaks: There will be a tennis exhibition match this Friday at 5 p.m. at Sterling Oaks north of Naples. It will be a mixed doubles match featuring former college stars Roddy Cantey, Sara Witten, Ally Aguilar and future college player Christopher Barrus. The exhibition is open to the public. The bar and restaurant will be open for the spectators as well.
July 13, 2012 Naples Daily News
by Tom Rife
Open house Saturday: Sterling Oaks will hold an open house this Saturday starting at 8:30 a.m. The event is open to the general public and will showcase what Sterling Oaks has to offer to prospective members. A special introductory offer of 13 months for the price of 12 months will be given to new members who join before Aug. 31. Open house festivities will include a tour of the grounds, a free clinic, round-robin play, and an exhibition match featuring Franco Mata, Nestor Nunez, Jorge Vargas and Christopher Barrus.
June 7, 2012 Naples Daily News
by Tom Rife
Exhibition at Sterling Oaks: Paul Barrus, the new tennis director at the Club at Sterling Oaks, says the club will host an exhibition Friday evening at 5. It will be open to the public. The match will be mixed doubles featuring Pavel Slozil, former ATP star and WTA coach, Christopher Barrus, No. 1-ranked junior from New Jersey, along with former college stars and local pros Alejandra Aguilar and Samantha Samotin.
May 17, 2012 Naples Daily News
by Tom Rife
Barrus joins Sterling Oaks: The Club at Sterling Oaks north of Naples announced this week that Paul Barrus Jr. will be its new tennis director. He most recently served as the director of tennis for the Marco Island YMCA and director of the Elite Juniors Tennis Program at Naples Community Tennis Center. Barrus’ professional experience also includes director of tennis at World Tennis Club in Naples and teaching positions at Atlantic City Racquet Club and Shore Racquet Club, both in New Jersey. Barrus, a USPTA certified tennis professional, was born in Pennsylvania, grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Villanova University with a degree in economics. He has been married to his wife, Beth, for 20 years, and they now live in North Naples with their three children.
April 12, 2012 Naples Daily News
by Tom Rife
Exhibition Friday at Sterling Oaks: A free doubles exhibition featuring four of the area's strongest players is set for Friday evening on the stadium court at The Club at Sterling Oaks north of Naples. Featured players are Jesse Witten, Roddy Cantey, Tyler Manring and Jicham Zaatini. The public is invited. For more information, check the Web at SterlingOaksTennis.com.
March 22, 2012 Naples Daily News
by Tom Rife
Mixed doubles today at Sterling Oaks: A free mixed doubles exhibition featuring four of the area’s best known players will take place at 5 p.m. today on the Stadium Court at the Club at Sterling Oaks. The event is free and the public is invited. Scheduled to play are Pavel Slozil, Myke Loomis-Landauer, Jose Pastrello and Sara Witten. For more, check the web at SterlingOaksTennis.com.
March 15, 2012 Naples Daily News
By Tom Rife
Mixed dubs at Sterling Oaks: A free mixed doubles exhibition featuring four of the area’s best-known players will take place at 5 p.m. Friday, March 23 on the Stadium Court at The Club at Sterling Oaks. The event is free and the public is invited. Scheduled to play are Pavel Slozil, Myke Loomis-Landauer, Jose Pastrello and Sara Witten. For more, check the web at SterlingOaksTennis.com.
Local tennis column: Sneaky Pete's tournament at Sterling Oaks from Feb. 18-25
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By TOM RIFE
Naples Daily News
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Posted February 2, 2012
NAPLES —For good reason, it seems, local tennis players get a little bit sneaky this time of year. The logic is that another Sneaky Pete’s Tennis Championship looms Feb. 18-25 at The Club at Sterling Oaks. This will be the 13th annual tournament. A sneaky little drop shot or a surprise lob could come in handy.
Divisions will include 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 men's and women's singles and doubles, as well as 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0 mixed doubles. Play is limited is two events per person.
Longtime Sterling Oaks club members Ross Lake and Victor Lisabeth played key roles in developing the tournament and in taking it to Sterling Oaks.
“There are plenty of tournaments for high-level players, but very few for the everyday player,” Lisabeth said. “Our idea was to develop a tournament that celebrates the typical club-level player. In our first year we had 55 players and we paid for the entertainment out of our own pockets. Last year, over 150 players participated. This year we expect even more.”
The entry fee is $35 per player for either singles or doubles or $60 for any two events. Entry fee includes a tournament T-shirt, a $10 Sneaky Pete's gift certificate for the first 175 entries, and a free player party Feb. 25, rain or shine.
Winners and runners-up in all divisions win additional gift certificates.
“We've been the sole sponsor of the event since our restaurant opened,” said Sneaky Pete's co-owner, Peter Walker. “Co-owners, Joe and Carla Hall and my wife, Joan and I, feel that it's important to give back to the community that has been so good to us over the years. My wife, and I have had a chance to play in the tournament a few times, and it's really a great event.”
To register, go to sterlingoakstennis.com and click on Sneaky Pete's in the events menu. The registration deadline is Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 11:59 p.m. Draws will be posted on the same website Friday, Feb. 17 at noon.
March 1, 2012 Naples Daily News
By Tom Rife
Sneaky Pete’s wraps up: The 13th annual Sneaky Pete's Tennis Championships wrapped up this past weekend at The Club at Sterling Oaks north of Naples. Winners included Robert Eiceman (3.0 men's singles), Brian Williams (3.5 men's singles), Rick McGrath (4.0 men's singles), George Linginton/Art Majerus (men's 3.0 doubles), Tom Carollo/Brian Williams (men's 3.5 doubles), Daryl Dean/Jeff Macie (men's 4.0 doubles), Selma Dadligil/Susan Portscher (women's 3.5 doubles), Patricia Silverstein/Edda Theiss (women's 4.0 doubles), Angela Mitrisin/John Schaffer (7.0 mixed doubles), Karin Hiby/Rick Blossom (8.0 mixed doubles). For all match results, go to sterlingoakstennis.com and click on Sneaky Pete's in the events menu.
Tennis: Sneaky Pete's tournament under way in Naples
Pam Hill and Shelly Turner advance to the second round of women's 4.0 doubles play on Feb. 18, 2012 in the Sneaky Pete's Tennis Championship at Sterling Oaks in Naples. The tournament is scheduled to conclude on Feb. 25. Contributed photo
Sharon Wilson hits a backhand winner in a 4.0 women's doubles match during the Sneaky Pete's Tennis Championship that runs until Feb. 25 at Sterling Oaks in Naples. Contributed photo
Spectators watch early round action at the Sneaky Pete Tennis Championship at Sterling Oaks in Naples. Contributed photo
Tom Haas and David Spahn advance to the second round in men's 4.0 doubles during the Sneaky Pete's Tennis Championship that runs until Feb. 25 at Sterling Oaks in Naples. Contributed photo
February 23, 2012 Naples Daily News
By Tom Rife
Sneaky Pete’s event to conclude: The 13th annual Sneaky Pete’s Tennis Championships wrap up Saturday after a weeklong run at The Club at Sterling Oaks north of Naples. The championship match in the NTRP men’s 4.0 singles division will pit Rick McGrath against either Mark Templeton or Uli Simmersbach at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. To get into the finals, McGrath upset top-seeded Ron Vererka 7-5, 3-6, 11-9. The men’s 3.5 singles final will match top-seeded Charles Nagy against unseeded Brian Williams at 4 p.m. Friday. Wolfgang Weiher and Robert Eiceman will square off for the men’s 3.0 singles crown at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Seven doubles titles also are up for grabs.
February 16, 2012 Naples Daily News
By Tom Rife
Sneaky Pete’s action Saturday: Another Sneaky Pete’s Tennis Championship begins Saturday and runs throughout the week at the Club at Sterling Oaks. Divisions will include 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 men’s and women’s singles and doubles, as well as 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0 mixed doubles. Play is limited to two events per person. Winners and runners-up in all divisions win additional gift certificates. Registration ended Wednesday. Draws are to be posted at sterlingoakstennis.com beginning Friday at noon.
February 9, 2012 Naples Daily News
By Tom Rife
Sneaky Pete’s action nears: Another Sneaky Pete’s Tennis Championship looms Feb. 18-25 at the Club. Divisions will include 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 men’s and women’s singles and doubles, as well as 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0 mixed doubles. Play is limited is two events per person. Last year, more than 150 players participated. The entry fee is $35 per player for either singles or doubles or $60 for any two events. Entry fee includes a tournament T-shirt, a $10 Sneaky Pete’s gift certificate for the first 175 entries, and a free player party Feb. 25, rain or shine. Winners and runners-up in all divisions win additional gift certificates. To register, go to sterlingoakstennis.com and click on Sneaky Pete’s in the events menu. The registration deadline is Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. Draws will be posted on the same website Friday, Feb. 17 at 12 noon.
January 26, 2012 Naples Daily News
By Tom Rife
Super Seniors play on: This week, the Florida Super Seniors Grand Prix 2012 tour is being played at the Club at Sterling Oaks with a record 264 entrants in North Naples. Larry Turville, David Nash and Fred Drilling are some of the featured players this week. Fans are welcome to watch the play free of charge, now through the finals on the weekend.
January 13, 2012 Naples Daily New
By Sheila Mesulam
Open house: The Club at Sterling Oaks is having a tennis open house from 2 to 5 p.m. Jan. 22 at 822 Sterling Oaks Blvd., Naples. The event features demonstration clinics and an adult round robin, tours of the tennis facilities, clubhouse, fitness center and junior Olympic-size swimming pool. Register at stelingoakstennis.com or call 239-566-1800. There will be a drawing for a free one-month trial membership.
January 12, 2012 Naples Daily News
By Tom Rife
NAPLES —Want to see an up-and-comer in tennis in action? A free women’s doubles tennis exhibition is on tap today at the Club at Sterling Oaks on U.S. 41 north of Naples. It will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Featured players will include Sterling Oaks’ own 14-year-old resident-in-training, Anya Kondrasov, Abigail David (19) and Vivienne David (15), whose family owns the Naples Tennis Shop, as well as 14-year-old Mary Haffey of Naples.
Kondrasov began playing tennis at age 5 and has been coached by her father her entire life. Her tournament play began in California, and after the family moved to Colorado, she quickly reached the No. 1 ranking in the Girls 18s when she was just 13 years old. She reached the top 10 of the Intermountain Juniors Girls 18s at the same time.
After moving to Florida and Sterling Oaks in June, Kondrasov has turned her focus from local USTA events to international-level competition. She recently returned from her first International Tennis Federation Girls 18 event in St. Lucia, where she reached the quarterfinals in singles and semifinals in doubles.
The other three girls in the exhibition also have far-reaching aspirations in tennis. The public may attend at no charge. Sterling Oaks is about halfway between Naples and Bonita Springs on the east side of U.S. 41.
