Platform Tennis League Cincinnati - Week 2 Recap

Flight 1: Brocky Survives Tiebreakers, Goes 4-0

Brian Brockhoff started the season with a perfect 4-0 record on a court featuring two former city champs (Brockhoff, Brad Pierce), an age group national champ (Vince Prop, 55s) and two ex-college tennis players (Evan Webeler - DePauw & Dale Dobnicker - Eastern Kentucky). The 5-man court had several close sets and two tiebreakers - with play lasting over two hours. The other flight one match was played at Losantiville - click results to see how that turned out.

Flight 2: Heldman, Fovel Initiate New Talent

Matt Allare - a former 4x Ohio HS champ (2 singles, 2 doubles) and one of Ohio State's all-time winningest players - made his Platform Tennis League debut this week. The 6'5"-ish Allare (I don't believe there is an instrument that accurately measures people that tall) is an intimidating presence on the tiny PT court. But 60+-year-old Jim Heldman (again - no truly accurate process for measuring PT players that old) was unfazed & somehow found enough hiding places to take the first set against him. As Allare was getting a feel for paddle tennis he said, "I feel like I should just kill it." Curious to see what would happen I said, "Yeah ... Do that!" Of course I figured he'd smack something crosscourt at Jim, and since Jim only comes in about 2-steps, I figured "What's the worst that can happen?" Wrong - he laid into one of Heldman's 30-mph meatball serves and took it straight down the line. Jim & I agreed that it was the hardest hit ball we'd ever seen on a paddle court - and that's a combined 50+ years of paddling (is that what we're doing called?) Newcomer Anthony Palmenter, a former Xavier University tennis player, participated as well - each went 1-2 on the court. 

The later session included the debut of local tennis pro & former Cincinnati Met tennis champ Tony Teufel. Teufel played college tennis at U. of Louisville and Wright State. In a similar setup, Teufel also went 1-2. John Fovel & newcomer Kyle Wilkens assisted in the initiation process, each going 1-2.

Brett Decurtins went 3-0 on a court filled with upper-tier flight 2 players and Kevin McClorey made a successful jump to flight 2 also going 3-0. Click results to see what happened on all seven flight 2 courts. 

Flight 3: Winning Debut for Spray & Izenson

Steve Spray and Dan Izenson made their league debuts in matches played at Losantiville CC. Each went 2-1. Click results for more.