By Jackie Finn, USTA.com
The top U.S. players ages 50 to 60-plus are ready to take on the world. Twenty-four players have been named to the United States squads for the ITF Seniors World Team Championships, slated for June 19-24 in Helsinki, Finland.
The ITF Seniors World Team Championships is the highest-ranked event on the ITF Seniors Circuit for male and female players in the age categories 50-60. Team USA will compete against 25 other countries in the team competition, with the ITF Seniors World Individual Championships to follow, June 25-July 2, also in Helsinki.
The American teams will be looking to defend three titles from last year’s competition: the Austria Cup (Men’s 55), the Maria Esther Bueno Cup (Women’s 50) and the Alice Marble Cup (Women’s 60).
Below is a list of players representing the United States in each competition:
Fred Perry Cup – Men’s 50 & over
1. Mitchell Perkins, Seattle
2. Ken White, Elma, N.Y. (Captain)
3. Jeffrey Burnett, North Palm Beach, Fla.
4. Douglas Elly, Springfield, Mo.
Austria Cup – Men’s 55 & over
1. Michael Tammen, Portland, Ore. (Captain)
2. Val Wilder, Fort Worth, Texas
3. Michael Fedderly, Palm Desert, Calif.
4. Alex Behar, Trophy Club, Texas
Von Cramm Cup – Men’s 60 & over
1. Daniel Waldman, Washington, D.C.
2. Chris Bennett, Marlton, N.J
3. Paul Wulf, Salem, Ore.
4. Tom Smith, Alpharetta, Ga. (Captain)
Bueno Cup – Women’s 50 & over
1. Fran Chandler, Jackson, Tenn.
2. Shelly Works, San Antonio (Captain)
3. Judy Newman, Scotts Valley, Calif.
4. Vesna McKenna, Hollywood, Fla.
Maureen Connolly Cup – Women’s 55 & over
1. Diane Barker, Daniel Island, S.C.
2. Susan Wright, Grand Junction, Colo. (Captain)
3. Vicki Buholz, Dallas
4. Cynthia Trower-Johnson, Plano, Texas
Alice Marble Cup – Women’s 60 & over
1. Tina B. Karwasky, Glendale, Calif.
2. Carolyn Nichols, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
3. Wendy McColskey, Durham, N.C.
4. Sherri Bronson, Scottsdale, Ariz. (Captain)