Team Southern: Left to right. Hugh Thomson, Emile Rasheed, Andy Steingold, Maxime Buyckx, Captain Drew Meyers, Jim Hinson, Tom Smith, Marty Pearson, Roger Pearce, Al Cannon and Miles Walker. Not pictured: Russell Buchi, John Bailey, Horace Reid, Padg Bolton, Will Jones and Dan Gruetter.

Dunoff Cup held by Team Southern

Team Southern captured its third straight Keith Donoff Men's Challenge Cup at beautiful Bitsy Grant Tennis Center in Atlanta. The event was played with teams from USTA Midwest and USTA Middle States and a second USTA Southern team due to the unexpected withdrawal of the team from Texas.

Southern served as the host section for this year's Cup, and the refurbished Bitsy Gant Tennis Center proved to be the perfect site for this elite competition bringing top players from the three sections.

With Texas withdrawing just a few weeks before the event, Steve Duffel, the former Southern Captain for many years, stepped up and recruited a talented second team from Southern which finished in second place.

Led by Donoff Cup veterans like Padg Bolton (LA), Maxime Buyckx (GA), and Tom Smith (GA), the champion Southern team was dominant, winning 51 matches against the other three teams in the 55, 60, 65, and 70 and over divisions.

The winning Southern Team:

• 55 & over: Miles Walker (GA), Al Cannon (SC), Russel Buchi (TN), John Bailey (AR), Drew Meyers (LA) (Captain)
• 60 & over: Maxime Buyckx (GA) Jim Hinson (SC), Tom Smith (GA), Horace Reid (GA)
• 65 & over: Padg Bolton (LA), Andy Steingold (NC), Roger Pearce (GA), Marty Pearson (MS)
• 70 & over: Hugh Thomson (GA), Emile Rasheed (SC), Dan Gruetter (GA)

Tim Noonan served as Tournament Director and Darren Potkey served as Referee. 

Judy Levering, Renata Marcinkowska set for SC induction

USTA South Carolina and the South Carolina Tennis Patrons Foundation are proud to announce that Judy Levering formerly of Hilton Head Island, and Renata Marcinkowska of Myrtle Beach will be the newest inductees into the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame. 

Both recipients have dedicated countless hours to growing the sport of tennis in South Carolina and throughout the world. Their achievements will be formally celebrated at the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame banquet on December 10 at the Wild Dunes Resort on Isle of Palms. The induction ceremony, held in conjunction with the USTA South Carolina Annual Meeting, is sponsored by the South Carolina Tennis Patrons Foundation, the charitable arm of USTA South Carolina which operates the S.C. Tennis Hall of Fame in Belton. More info

JTT finished third in Nationals

A team based out Atlanta, Ga., representing the USTA Southern Section, finished third at the 2016 USTA Junior Team Tennis U14 Advanced National Championships, held at the Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center in Cayce, S.C., Oct. 13-16.

The 2016 USTA Junior Team Tennis U14 Advanced National Championships brought together the top 28 teams at the under 14 Advanced level from various USTA Sections throughout the country.

The Southern team, also known as ATL Fire, defeated a team from USTA Caribbean Section, 53-25.

The team was coach by Mark Dubin and assisted by captain Shannon Gaudette. Team members included: Adeline Flach, Campbell Harmon, Gray Lewis, Karson Gaudette, Isabella Larson, Jordan McClure, Simon Dubin, Alex Hymel, Haley Gaudette, Emma Bentz, Madison Trinh, Ethan Berry and Anne Marie Hiser. 

Brian Baker

Baker wins twice in October

Tennessee's Brian Baker and Australia's Sam Groth won the $100K USTA Pro Circuit Stockton Challenger. Baker/Groth, seeded second, took down the fourth-seeded Matt Reid and John-Patrick Smith of Australia 6-2, 4-6 [10-2].

A week later Baker teamed up with Mackenzie McDonald to win in the Francis Ford Coppola Winery Fairfield Men's Challenger. 

The wild-card duo prevailed over former University of Kentucky standout Eric Quigley and American Sekou Bangoura 6-3, 6-4. The $100K event was played in Fairfield, Calif.

Williams defeats fellow Volunteer in doubles final

Rhyne Williams had to put aside his loyalty to the University of Tennessee in the doubles final of the Texas Tamale Cup.

Williams and Hans Hatch, of Mexico, defeated former Volunteer Hunter Reese and Jackson Withrow 6-3, 6-3 to capture the doubles titles at the Texas Tamale Cup at the George R. Brown Tennis Center in Houston.

Williams, of Knoxville, Tenn., was a two-time ITA All-American at Tennessee and was ranked No. 1 in the nation in his sophomore year, 2011. Reese, of Kennesaw, Ga., was named an ITA All-American three times in his Tennessee career, which ended in 2015.