Florida's Ultimate Tennis League (UTL) Championships were held on May 12 and 13 at the Bardmoor Golf and Tennis Club in Largo, Florida. Twenty-one divisions (9 women’s and 12 men’s) were hotly contested on a sunny Mother’s Day, which left some mothers with victory smiles and others anticipating the upcoming summer season. Women's divisions ranged from 2.5 to 5.0 and men's ran from 2.5 to 6.0, with division champions representing 12 Florida cities. The sweetest of the spoils went to Men’s 6.0 Champion, Kent Wright, who pocketed $500 and earned a new pair of K-SWISS 7.0 tennis shoes. The UTL’s top woman player, Sarah Taweel of Clearwater, champion of the 5.0 women’s division, took home a 12" Champion’s Tray and a gift certificate for a pair K-SWISS 7.0 tennis shoes.
What is Ultimate Tennis?
For those not familiar with the Ultimate Tennis League, over 14,000 men and women play singles matches in a well-organized, internet-driven league that offers the most flexible competitive format in the tennis world. Finding an organized doubles league is not very difficult with United States Tennis Association (USTA) Team Tennis flourishing across the country. However, for singles aficionados, the going can be as tough as a fifth set tiebreak in mid-August.
Tennis players who enjoy competitive singles play have long had the option of playing USTA sanctioned tournaments, but those tournaments are usually on weekends, cost a pretty penny, and you are only guaranteed one or two matches. In Ultimate Tennis, your entry fee, equal to or less than most USTA tournament fees, guarantees you seven weeks (more if you make the playoffs) of competitive tennis, and matches are tailored to your schedule; not just on weekends.
Ultimate Tennis Fills Singles Gap
League Founder and Director Scott Nunn pointed to the lack of organized competition for singles players at the community level as a primary reason he founded Ultimate Tennis. After graduating from University of South Florida in 1989, Nunn served as Director of Tennis for Van Dyke Farms Tennis Center in Odessa, Florida, and that is where Ultimate Tennis (then known as K-Swiss Ultimate Tennis) was born. Asked how the league came into being, Nunn responded, “I could see that the biggest section of the tennis population that was underserved was singles players…so we went after the singles market and put together a format that was conducive for players, particularly working people...”
As Ultimate Tennis continues to expand (California and Texas come on board this summer), some might perceive the UTL as competition for local tennis clubs and long-standing leagues. Nunn insists that such is not the case: “As we open up in other cities, the idea is that our program should be complementary to what is going on there. We don’t want to be seen as a competitor to the USTA or anybody else. We want to be something that is stimulating a segment of the tennis population that hasn’t been serviced, and that’s going to make more tennis players and more league players for all leagues.”
Flexibility Defines Ultimate Tennis
One of Ultimate Tennis’ strong suits is flexible match scheduling in both time and place. That, too, was specifically designed to serve the population that Ultimate Tennis targets. After conducting focus groups to determine the format of the league, Nunn decided to take the UTL in a different direction than the fixed time and place leagues. In discussing that direction, he recounted, “We wanted people to be able play out of the neighborhood courts or park courts, apartment communities, as well as the clubs, and that would ultimately help grow tennis.” Regarding the flexible scheduling Nunn said, “We wanted to do something that was at the other end of the spectrum. You’ve got your team-based, fixed days and times leagues over here, and we’re on the other side, which is a flexible, individual format.”
The ability to schedule league matches at your local home court any day of the week appeals to a vast segment of the tennis population. Beata Abbs of Odessa, Florida, who has been playing in the UTL league for 6 years, is a staunch supporter of Ultimate Tennis. Despite losing to Allison Griffin of Bradenton, Florida in women’s 2.5 final, she still wore a smile after the match and applauded the flexible format: “I like the format of it. It’s great for me. I’m a working person and I can schedule the matches around my travel and my job.”
Ultimate Tennis Perfect for Hi-Tech World
In our hi-tech world, a user-friendly web presence is essential for success. Ultimate Tennis’ website is that and more. Designed by Ultimate Tennis partner Jeff Stuart and maintained by Solvi Szawranskyj and Shann Laccabue, the UTL’s website provides a vast array of information. In addition to the standard information about the league, players can access league calendars, point standings, match results (including those of potential opponents) with head-to-head match-ups, and more. Questions posed via the website are usually answered within 24 hours. If tennis on the go suits your lifestyle, then Ultimate Tennis serves up the best game in town.
Register Now for K-Swiss Ultimate Tennis
Players of all levels in Southwest Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Northern California; and Texas can still sign up for the summer league by the May 16 deadline. League play begins June 2 and runs through July 29, with playoffs beginning August 1, and Championships August 25 and 26. Regardless of how you slice it, Ultimate Tennis is clearly a cut above!
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