Freeman had a deep lineup of 4.5 players to choose from: Matt Sumrall, Odion Dibua, Jason Kern and Red Benzon. Pat Albro, Kris Knutson and Alex Ellingson were the 4.0's and Chad Luhan and Troy Ralls played the 3.5 line. The team advances to Palm Springs for Nationals, which is played in a strange format.
Tri-Level is a lot of fun, but the participation rates are abysmal. Let's face it, 3.5 players and 4.5 players rarely travel in the same tennis circles. I would think there will be or has been some discussion in USTA circles about getting rid of it.
While it maybe hard to form teams for Tri Levels it is a really fun event. The Houston team will get to play some tennis and then get to watch some pro tennis at the BNP Paribas Open. To be able to play at the Indian Wells tennis facility is what makes the event so special.
ReplyDeleteThe time of year makes it tough since it's so close around the holidays. Too bad it can't swap places with the combo tournament that happens around Fall time.
ReplyDeleteHuge advantage for San Antonio that got to use 2009 ratings. They crushed all the women.
ReplyDeleteI think the difficulty comes from 3.5s and 4.5s not running in the same circles. I would also imagine it is difficult to form a team since the local event is basically a couple weeks after the year-end ratings come out. Most people don't know the people at the new ratings. Would be nice to have this event at the end of the year and not the beginning.
ReplyDeleteIt is a showcase for what these captains "think" will be the better non-self-rated players at each level during the summer.
This is actually the first time they've had tri-level in January. I think it's been in December in the past which is better.
ReplyDeleteThere is a problem when one city gets to use 2008 year-end ratings, other cities are forced to use 2009 year-end ratings and others get to use a mix. The San Antonio womens team is a good example - 5.0s playing against 4.5s, 4.55s playing against 4.0s and 4.0s playing against 3.5s. Doesn't seem right.
ReplyDeleteit's ridiculous that there's no uniformity in rules. since there is a sectional competition it should NOT be up to the local leagues to set their own rules. TTA needs to get their heads outta' their asses on this one.
ReplyDeleteis Knutson really a 4.0? He won most of his 4.5 matches
ReplyDeleteYes, the other women teams had the cards stacked against them this year with San Ant women having Rachel Kensing, a 5.0 Nationals player, and Evonne Allerkamp (a bona fide 5.0), who easily beat Connie Hsiao 2 years ago at Sectionals, both playing 4.5. Becki Pollock played for UH and she was one of their 4.0 players. The delta really stood out because they benefitted from the "Old" DNTRP system while the rest of the Section had to go by the new computer ratings. Even with all the teams using the same ratings scale, the SA team would have been hard to beat. They are a very good team and should do well at Nationals.
ReplyDeleteNone of the starting 6 on the SA team would have played at the level they played this weekend.
ReplyDeleteknutson is a 4.0 singles player, but a 4.5 doubles players. which is understandable, cuz he's not getting any younger.
ReplyDeleteKnutson lost on purpose to get down to 4.0.
ReplyDeletethat's a bunch of crap. if you want to lose on purpose and get bumped down. why not just play and lose 0,0. he went out there to try to win, but ended up losing, cuz he couldn't hang. excuses, excuses. at least now, he belongs in the right division
ReplyDeleteI hope Tosha is reading this. This is not whining, it's about everyone playing by the same rules. The TTA needs to make it more consistent as far as when the local tourney for Tri-Level is played. It would be like all teams using 2009 Year-end Ratings for the summer league but some teams get to use 2009 Mid-year ratings. Not fair. Teams are not competing on the same playing field.
ReplyDeleteThe first test of the new rating scheme is upon us. The HTA Houston Open. Will participation be up or down?
ReplyDeleteI think participation will be pretty high for the "Coke" b/c it always is. The other tournaments might suffer though. We'll have to look here for talk leading up to it though. Seems like the tourney blog has been nearly shut down by spam.
ReplyDeleteLost Forest is this weekend. Anyone who plays that tourney have some thoughts on the turnout for this one. It looks low to me.
ReplyDeletelost ghetto has not been updated. however, the open draw should be interesting. the draw this year will be smaller, but more known local players. can't wait to see the draw once it comes out. i don't see sarosh's name in the draw so far, but sure wish he's plays to see if he's improved this year.
ReplyDeletethe coke is always a great tourney to see who's who leading into summer league. last year it was omon that won and he turned out to be the top dawg in summer league.
ReplyDeleteword on the street is that sarosh is playin' his best ball right now, fwiw.
ReplyDeletesarosh is sarosh. his style can only get him so far, but not top 4.5.
ReplyDeletelost forest draw is out and the open draw looks good. moser and omon to play second rd.
come on, sarosh can't compete agaist someone like moser. sarosh recently lost to diep and morales. this is his 3rd year in 4.5 and he still hasn't made an impact.
ReplyDeleteIs Moser a top 4.5 in league. IMO Omon should beat Moser Pretty easy.
ReplyDeletelast time they played, it went 6-4 in the third set at the coke. omon has improved to a 5.0 player with potential to win open tourneys. moser has also improved since then. with the bump ups, he is now a top 4.5 in league. he recently beat carpenter, who is a solid 5.0 player. omon does have an advantage, cuz he will have an very easy 1st rd.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Jason Freeman and the entire Houston men's Tri-Level team. They played awesome tennis throughout the weekend and were clealy the best team in the competition. Well played guys!
ReplyDeleteIt was a pleasure to meet Jason and Red and I enjoyed spending some time with the other guys from Houston as well. Your Houston team has a bunch of great guys. I hope you all kick butt at Nationals! Thanks for a good time last weekend.
Best wishes,
- Bob Bender
Nice class and sportsmanship Bob. This is what tennis is about!!!
ReplyDeleteSo, registration begins for Summer League. Let the blogging begin....
ReplyDeleteI would have had a strong tri level team to field but there wasn't any publicized way to sign up...ittle toomuch secrecy
ReplyDeleteIn the future you need to contact the HTA but I believe they send an email flyer to the entire membership.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it so hard to post anonymous anymore. I have to hit Post Comment with Anonymous profile and then I'm asked to hit Post Comment again and at that time I have to enter a cryptic key word.
ReplyDeleteI thought the new posting set up was a pain too until I saw what happened to the Houston Tourney Tennis blog. It's been completely taken over by spam. If this new set up helps, it's worth the hassle for sure
ReplyDeleteThe tourney blog is having issues with spam and such. This switch can be enabled very easily though.
ReplyDeleteSummer league is almost here. Predictions? Trash talk? Dark horses?
ReplyDeleteIt's too early to talk about summer league when we don't even know what team everyone will be on.
ReplyDeleteLOL. You can say that. Half of our middle-of-the-pack team (based at a private club) got bumped up a level. Now, we're having to face the fact that we can't all play on the same team this summer. Our options are:
ReplyDelete1. Make two teams - not enough players
2. Everyone plays up - we'll get annihilated
3. Sit out the summer and just play intraclub - the likely winning option.
Nice work, USTA. Way to grow tennis!
You forgot option four: The bumpups play and tank their way back down again.
ReplyDeleteI opt for #4
ReplyDeleteopt #4 is known as "the knutson"
ReplyDeleteopt #4 is also known as the "Sienna Plantation 4.5"
ReplyDeleteIt will take at least 1 year for the ratings to even out. So unless you plan on not playing USTA leauges in the future, you have to play in one of the leagues. The spring league would have been better and it counts toward your YE rating, where as the fall league does not (so some posters have claimed in past postings.)
ReplyDeleteUnless your team has a realistic chance of advancing to Sectionals, the majority of the teams play to have fun and hopefully get better. I agree that getting annihilated is no fun, but sitting on the sidelines is no better.
Throw your hat in the ring this year, and hope that the ratings will balance itself out soon.