Members of the Los Alamos Tennis Club Men’s 3.5 18-and over USTA team are all smiles after their victory in the United States Tennis Association’s Northern New Mexico District playoffs. From left to right are the Bob Nolen, John Sarracino, Kaarthik Sundar, Cihan Ackay, Todd Rodencal, Xianzhu Tang, Jae Chang, and Kannan Ramaiyan. Photo by Harini Ramakrishnan 
Todd Rodencall of the Los Alamos Tennis Club Men’s 3.5 18-and over USTA hits the winning volley in a doubles match against a team from the Sierra Vista Tennis Complex at the Jerry Cline tennis center in Albuquerque June 6, 2018. Todd and his partner Don Dry bested the Sierra Vista team by the score of 6-4, 6-4. Photo by John Sarracino.
Bob Benjamin of the Los Alamos Tennis Club Men’s 3.5 18-and over USTA team serves in a doubles match against a team from the Sierra Vista Tennis Complex at the Jerry Cline tennis center in Albuquerque June 6, 2018. Bob and his partner Cihan Ackay lost by a score of 1-6, 3-6. Photo by John Sarracino.LATC News:
In matches played Sunday, June 3, the Los Alamos Tennis Club (LATC) Men’s 3.5 18-and over team defeated a team representing the Sierra Vista Tennis Complex by a match score of 4-1.
The matches were played at the Jerry Cline Tennis Complex in Albuquerque in windy conditions.
Five matches were played, two singles and three doubles. Both singles matches were closely contested as each went to a third set tiebreaker. In number one singles, Kaarthik Sundar defeated his opponent 6-0, 1-6, 1-0 (10-5). At number two singles Zianzhu Tang came back to defeat his opponent 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-6).
In the doubles, Los Alamos won the number one and two doubles matches. At number one doubles, Todd Rodencal and his partner Don Dry defeated the Sierra Vista team 6-4, 6-4. At the time, their win secured the overall victory for the Los Alamos team. At number two doubles, Jae Chang and Kannan Ramaiyan defeated the Sierra Vista team in straight sets 6-4, 6-2. Finally, at number three doubles the Los Alamos Team of Bob Benjamin and Cihan Ackay were defeated by a score of 1-6, 3-6.
By virtue of its victory, the Los Alamos 3.5 Men’s team will advance to the USTA Southwest Sectional playoffs. This year the playoffs will be held in Albuquerque August 10-12 at several venues. Teams from New Mexico, Arizona, and a team from El Paso will compete to determine the Sectional representative to the national tournament for 3.5 Men, which this year will be held in Orlando, Florida, on October 11-14.
The Los Alamos Tennis Club currently fields teams for 18-and over and 40-and over men at both the 3.5 and 4.0 levels. The Club would also like to field women’s as well as mixed doubles teams in the future.
For more information about the Club’s participation in the United States Tennis Association team matches, contact captains Bob Nolen or Jae Chang for the men’s 3.5 teams, Sergey Kurennoy or Greg Cunningham for the men’s 4.0 teams, and Lorraine Vasilik for the women’s and mixed doubles teams. All captains may be reached vie the Los Alamos Tennis Club’s e-mail ofdirectors@losalamostennis.org.
Team practices for the 3.5 men’s teams will continue through the summer and are generally held at the Urban Street courts for several hours at 7 p.m., Wednesday and at 11 a.m., Friday. Practices for the 4.0 teams are generally held at the Urban Street courts at 6 p.m., Tuesdays and at 11 a.m. Friday.
The Club also sponsors drop-in doubles for all levels of play on Saturdays and lab holidays at the Urban Street courts. The above e-mail may also be used to contact the Los Alamos Tennis Club for more general information about club activities and tournaments. In particular, the 2nd Annual Joel Williams Memorial Tennis Tournament will be held at Urban Park over the weekend of August 18-19. For more information contact the above e-mail.
Xianzhu Tang of the Los Alamos Tennis Club Men’s 3.5 18-and over USTA team returns a backhand against an opponent from the Sierra Vista Tennis Complex at the Jerry Cline tennis center in Albuquerque June 6, 2018. Xianzhe bested his opponent in three sets 4-6, 7-5 1-0 (10-6). Photo by John Sarracino.
Cihan Ackay of the Los Alamos Tennis Club Men’s 3.5 18-and over USTA team returns a forehand ground stroke in a doubles match against a team from the Sierra Vista Tennis Complex at the Jerry Cline tennis center in Albuquerque June 6, 2018. Cihan and his partner Bob Benjamin lost by a score of 1-6, 3-6. Photo by John Sarracino.
Kannan Ramaiyan of the Los Alamos Tennis Club Men’s 3.5 18-and over USTA team follows through on a forehand in a doubles match against a team from the Sierra Vista Tennis Complex at the Jerry Cline tennis center in Albuquerque June 6, 2018. Kannan and his partner Jae Chang defeated the Sierra Vista team in straight sets 6-4, 6-2. Photo by John Sarracino.
Kaarthik Sundar of the Los Alamos Tennis Club Men’s 3.5 18-and over USTA team returns a forehand in a singles match against an opponent from the Sierra Vista Tennis Complex at the Jerry Cline tennis center in Albuquerque June 6, 2018. Kaarthik defeated his opponent in three sets 6-0 1-6 1-0 (10-5). Photo by John Sarracino.
Don Dry of the Los Alamos Tennis Club Men’s 3.5 18-and over USTA team serves in a doubles match against a team from the Sierra Vista Tennis Complex at the Jerry Cline tennis center in Albuquerque June 6, 2018. Don and his partner Todd Rodencall defeated the Sierra Vista team in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. Photo by John Sarracino.
Jae Chang of the Los Alamos Tennis Club Men’s 3.5 18-and over USTA team serves bends low to return a volley in a doubles match against a team from the Sierra Vista Tennis Complex at the Jerry Cline tennis center in Albuquerque June 6, 2018. Jae and his partner defeated the Sierra Vista team 6-4, 6-2. Photo by John Sarracino.