Hundreds of high school players enjoyed the boys’ and girls’ Pete Brown First Serve Tournaments in San Diego. The two events were held in the spring and fall respectively, and they were designed to jumpstart high school tennis by offering positive competitive experiences to players ranked below No. 150 in the USTA Southern California final tennis rankings in the previous year.
“The First Serve Tournament allows players to get to know each other better before the season starts,” said tournament organizer Coach Don Ackerly of Valhalla High School. “It also gives coaches to a chance to get a feel for potential lineups.”
Patrick Henry High
In the girls’ First Serve Varsity Division, congratulations went to first-place San Dieguito High, and the finalist was Our Lady of Peace Academy. The Junior Varsity Division was won by Rancho Bernardo High, and finalist was Patrick Henry High. Kudos to the boys’ Varsity Division champion La Jolla Country Day, and the Junior Varsity Division was won by Rancho Bernardo High.
Rancho Bernardo High
In total, over two dozen teams competed in the First Serve Tournaments. The fun dual match format hosted with three singles players and three doubles teams listed in order of strength. Each team member plays the corresponding athlete from the other, for example player No. 1 vs. No. 1 and No. 2 vs. No. 2 etc. Each match consists of a six-game proset, with a set tiebreak at 5-5, using no-ad scoring. The winner is the team with the most matches won. In the event of a tie, the team with the most sets won gets the nod. If there is still a tie, the victory goes to the team with the most games won. Players may compete in singles or doubles throughout the day, but only singles or doubles in a given match.
Special thanks to Coach Don Ackerly, Varsity Coach Ron Marquez of Cathedral Catholic High, and Head Junior Varsity Coach Shannon Ackerly of El Camino High for their efforts to make the Pete Brown First Serve Tournaments a huge success in San Diego.
The next Pete Brown First Serve Boys Tournament will be held on February 24, 2018 at Valhalla High School, and possibly Granite Hills or Grossmont High Schools in San Diego. For more information, contact Coach Don Ackerly at k1434h@aol.com.
El Camino High competed in the First Serve Tournament