A Busy Summer in EPD!

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The 2008 Mecco Cup

About the USTA Pro Circuit: With 95 tournaments throughout the country and more than $3.2 million in prize money, the USTA Pro Circuit is the pathway to the US Open and tour-level competition for aspiring tennis players and a frequent battleground for established professionals. Last year 1,090 men and women from 74 countries competed on the USTA Pro Circuit for more than $3.2 million in prize money and valuable ATP and WTA Tour ranking points. Maria Sharapova, Andy Roddick, James Blake, Justine Henin, Nicole Vaidisova, Andrew Murray and David Nalbandian are among today’s top stars that began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit.
About the Mecco Cup: For the eighth consecutive year, the stars of the USTA Women’s Pro Circuit returned to the Lehigh Valley for the 2008 Mecco Cup. Luke Jensen, the 1993 French Open Doubles Champion, served as the honorary chairperson. The 2008 Mecco Cup, a $50,000 USTA Women’s Pro Circuit tournament, took place at Westend Racquet Club in Allentown, PA from Sunday, July 6th through Sunday, July 13th. The main draw for this USTA Women’s $50,000 Challenger featured 32 professional singles players and 16 doubles teams. The qualifying tournament included an additional 32 world-class players. Admission to all sessions through Friday, July 11th was FREE. Tickets for Championship Weekend – Saturday, July 12th and Sunday, July 13th –cost $7, though patrons could instead choose to donate tennis racquets in lieu of the admittance cost.

Proceeds from the 2008 Mecco Cup were donated to the Miracle League and KidsPeace Children’s Hospital. . The Miracle League of the Lehigh Valley allows special needs youngsters to participate in a baseball league of their own, giving them a chance to play ball in a safe and supportive setting. The hospital helps local kids and teens who suffer from traumas and emotional pain in their young lives. The only such hospital dedicated just to children in a 75-mile radius, it provides them with a deeper level of care than they could receive at home or in their communities.

www.themeccocup.com

2008 Keystone Games…Record Breaking Wins: Tommy Meyer, Blue Mt. Region/Bernville broke the record for Gold Medals at the Keystone State Games held from July 22-25. Tommy won 6 Gold Medals, including: 18 and Open Singles, 18 and Open Doubles with his brother Michael, Blue Mt. Region/Bernville and 18 and Open Mixed Doubles with partner Martha Blakely, Blue Mt. Region/Wyomissing Hills. For his efforts, Tommy was also awarded the Outstanding Athlete Award for Tennis. He previously won this award in 2005 when he and brother, Michael, each won 4 Gold Medals.

Martha Blakely won 3 Golds, including: 18 Singles and both18 and Open Mixed Doubles with Tommy Meyer.

Michael Meyer won 5 Medals, including: 2 Gold in 18 and Open Doubles with his brother Tommy, 1 Silver in Open Mixed Doubles with partner Jenna Hessert, Capital Region/Dillsburg, and 2 Bronze in 18 Singles and 18 Mixed Doubles with partner Katrina Lynn, Pocono Region/Berwick.

Katrina Lynn won 4 Medals, including: Gold in 18 Girls Doubles with partner Corinne Jones, Nittany Region/State College, a Silver both in Womens Open Singles and Womens Open Doubles with her sister Sara, and a Bronze in 18 Mixed Doubles with Michael.

Sara Lynn won a Silver Medal in 16 Singles.
Shawn Bittinger, Blue Mt. Region/Reading, won 2 Gold Medals, including: 16 Singles and 16 Doubles with partner Mitch Gettis, Blue Mt. Region/Reading.

Grant Lin, Blue Mt. Region/Robesonia, won a Gold Medal in Boys 10 Singles.

Akshay Damany, Lehigh Valley Region/Allentown, won a Silver Medal in Boys 18 Singles.

Nolan Perugini, Blue Mt. Region/Reading, won a Silver Medal in 14 Singles.

Ian Goodwille, Blue Mt. Region/Sinking Springs, won a Bronze Medal in 14 Singles.

Ryan Knarr, Blue Mt. Region/Robesonia, won a Silver Medal in Mens Open Doubles with partner Jared Howat, Delaware Valley Region/Exton.

Andre Fick, Blue Mt. Region/Pine Grove, won 2 Golds, including: 12 Singles and 14 Doubles with partner Elbert Mets, Capital Region/Hummelstown.

Tournament Results:  http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=59676

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14th Annual Lehigh Valley Tennis Classic: Wheelchair Tennis is one of the fastest growing wheelchair sports. Good Shepherd and the LVCIL Freewheelers held their 2008 Tennis Classic the weekend of June 27-29 at Lehigh University. This tournament is the premier June wheelchair tournament held on the east coast. The mission of the “Freewheelers” is to promote and unite wheelchair sports for people with or without disabilities in the Lehigh Valley. With that mission in mind, in addition to singles and doubles wheelchair matches, the tournament included the “One Up One Down” fun match where teams, consisting of a wheelchair and a stand-up player, competed against each other. Late Friday afternoon, Lehigh Valley player volunteers arrived at Lehigh’s Lewis Tennis Center to partner with wheelchair players who were in the valley for the tournament. Great competitive matches were enjoyed by players and spectators alike.
Note: The Freewheelers are a supported service of the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living Inc., a non-profit organization serving people with disabilities in the Lehigh Valley.

http://journal.rcn.net/freewheelers/

Tournament Results:  http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=59640

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Lehigh Valley SportsFest…Be in it, or … just be there!!!: The mission and purpose of Lehigh Valley SportsFest is to promote sports in the Lehigh Valley by offering local athletes the chance to compete in the sport of their choice as well as offering spectators the opportunity to see a variety of great competitions in city and county parks and recreational facilities throughout the city of Allentown.
Oakmont Tennis Club hosted the SportsFest 2008 tennis competition which was held the weekend of July 22nd – 27th.

www.sportsfest.org/