Rearte Claims Men's 45 Clay Court
Horacio Rearte Beats Mike Rose to Claim Third USTA Gold Ball
Argentinian, now Boca Raton resident, Horacio Rearte claims singles title, and Charlton Eagle and Paul Smith claim doubles championship.
The 2008 USTA National Men’s 45 Clay Court Championship in Fort Lauderdale, Florida wrapped up with Horacio Rearte of Boca Raton claiming his third USTA gold ball in the singles event, and the team of Charlton Eagle of Delray Beach, FL and Paul Smith of Mission Hills, KS winning the doubles.
Horacio Rearte Earns 3rd Gold Ball
Rearte, the 1999 and 2000 Men’s Open Clay Court Champion, ended the super run of Michael Rose of Ecorse MI, with a 6-2, 6-1 victory. Although Rose battled to the end, the final outcome was fairly obvious throughout the match. Obviously at home on clay, Rearte displayed a splendid mix of spins and touch that stymied just about everything Rose tried.
Mike Rose Fights but Falls
Rose did have some limited success when he brought Rearte to the frontcourt, and when he was able to get there himself. However, although Rose considers himself a hard court player, he rarely tried to throw Rearte off stride with the serve-volley strategy. As was the case with everyone else in the draw, Rearte was simply better from the backcourt.
Rearte a Gracious Champion
Asked what it was like to play Rearte, Rose responded, “Humbling, educating and exciting. I’m disappointed I didn’t get more games, but I’m playing just for points so…an excellent education, a true champion.” In the spirit of a true champion, Rearte complimented Rose on his play, telling him, “I had to work hard trust me. If I don’t play good, you win the points…I had to try harder not to let you get confidence.”
Quality Tennis and Sportsmanship
In addition to the superior quality of play, the manner in which the players conducted themselves was refreshing. Contrary to some of the matches in which there was the bickering over line calls, this match was played in the true spirit of the game. At one point, the Chair Umpire called a ball out (and rightfully so). However, Rose looked a bit doubtful, and asked Rearte for his opinion. Rearte allowed Rose to replay the point.
Spectators commented on how congenial the champion had been in all his matches, chatting, and joking with those in attendance. Given his skill and ability to maintain a relaxed disposition throughout his matches, it is no surprise that Rearte has garnered three gold and one silver ball in six national events.
Rearte Exudes Love of Game
Winning is as much a result of one’s state of mind as it is one’s skill and fitness levels, and Rearte’s state of mind on the court is an obvious asset. Originally from Argentina, Rearte exudes a love for the game as he chats in multiple languages and laughs with any who would care to engage him between points. Asked about his multilingual talents, Rearte replied, “I’ve been traveling for a long time; that’s the beauty of tennis: you travel, you learn languages, cultures, it’s great!”
Watching and listening to Rearte, one might think that he enjoyed the play and the atmosphere at least as much as winning the $1200 purse and the gold ball…Well, almost as much. A USTA National Grass Court Finalist in the Men’s 40, Rearte will try to turn that silver into gold in Philadelphia this August.
Eagleand Smith Take Doubles Crown
In doubles, Eagle and Smith had a spirited contest with Tres Cushing of Colleyville, TX and Kim Forsythe of Frisco, TX. In their second three-setter in a row, Eagle and Smith proved to have the superior firepower in the match of momentum switches. After dominating the first set, 6-1, Eagle and Smith saw Cushing and Forsythe come roaring back to win the second set 6-1.
Cushing and Forsythe were not able to keep the pedal to the metal though, and Eagle and Smith resumed their domination with a score of 6-2 in the final set. No one was surprised at the outcome as Eagle is a former ATP Tour player and Smith is no stranger to winning doubles titles. He had won more than a dozen USTA National Championships with a variety of partners before playing this event with Eagle.
ATP Tour Experience an Edge
When it was all said and done, it was clear that having some ATP Tour experience is an asset when seeking to be crowned champion at one of the national events. Both Rearte (singles champion) and Eagle (doubles champion) have Tour experience, and it showed when it came to crunch time for the gold balls. Congratulations to the champions and to the tournament staff at the Lauderdale Tennis Club that put on a splendid USTA National Men’s 45 Clay Court Championship.
