Teams Named - How was I notified that I had been selected for the USA Team?

Click here->Teams Named to Represent the USA
The USTA announced the players who will represent the United States of America at the 28th ITF Seniors & Super-Seniors World Team Championships. The nation’s top tennis players in age groups from 35 to 80 will compete against 375 teams from 38 countries around the globe, Oct. 12-18, in Antalya, Turkey.

The ITF Seniors/Super-Seniors World Team Championships is the most coveted team event on the ITF Seniors circuit. Since its inception in 1981, the number of competitors attracted to this event has increased year by year.

This year’s tournament boasts an all-time record, with more than 1,000 players scheduled to compete for their respective titles in each division. In all, there are 374 teams competing -- 225 teams in the Seniors division and 149 Super-Senior Teams. The Seniors (35-55) and Super-Seniors (60-80 for men and 60-75 for women) World Team Championships are held yearly in countries all over the world. South Africa, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the United States have each taken their turn hosting the Seniors and Super-Seniors World Championships.

So, how did I get named to be part of the USA team?
Currently I am the #1 player in the country in the Men's 35's in Singles and Doubles (with Jim Slonac). But selection is not based soley on ranking. Teams are selected based upon significant direct and indirect wins and losses against USTA players in the same age division. Results in Category I National Championships are more important than other events, results on the surface of the competition are more important than results on other surfaces, and recent results are more important than earlier results. Results from a different age division may be considered but will be less important than results in the age division being considered. Both length and strength of a playing record will be considered. I was first sent a letter on May 16, 2008 (this letter also goes out to about 6-10 other prospective players) from USTA headquarters asking me to consider my availability for acceptance---but not yet selection---for the USA World Team and to send back asap. Then, I was later notified this summer in mid-June 2008 that I had been selected!!!! I was at dinner with Stacy at the home of Ralph and Wendy Casone when I received the call from Jim Nelson, from the USTA Senior International Competition Committee (along with our Captain Andy Lake, Willie Dann, and Jim Slonac). I was really excited and honored ---and still am! I truly is a dream come true! I was "Living the Dream" as we tennis players like to say!

This great news came just before I headed to Europe to train on Clay with Slonac, play 2 clay tournaments and 1 grass tournament, tour Europe, and go to Wimbledon. And yes, I did have a seat at The Wimbledon Final---it was only the greatest tennis match of all time!