The New York Racquet & Tennis Club hosted the Silver Racquet Invitational and New York Open Handicap on 8-11 November 2012. In conjunction with the tennis, the club hosted an invitational squash doubles tournament, paired doubles racquets, and US Amateur Racquets (singles and doubles). In squash, Whitten Morris (NY) and Trevor McGuinness (PA) prevailed in a decisive three games over the all-Bantam team of Baset Ashfaq (NY) and Addison West (NY). In racquets, the indefatigable Jonathan Larken (NY) dropped only one game en route to his fourth US Amateur singles title. In the US Amateur Racquets Doubles, Larken teamed up with Guy Devereux (NY); the two subdued the competition with an enviable combination of power and consistency, marking Larken’s sixth and Devereux’s fifth title. In the Silver Racquet paired doubles rackets, Kendrick de Koning (NY by way of CO) and Giles Palmer (NY by way of UK) edged past the team of Larken and Arthur Whitcomb (NY). Throughout a busy weekend of great sport, the club executed equally brilliant social events. A strong racquets contingent decorated the 60 strong stag dinner on Thursday night and carried on through with >400 glittering others to Saturday night’s exceptional Fall Dinner Dance.
The tennis events featured 62 players competing in four draws, the Silver Racquet Invitational and the A, B, and C flights of the NY Open Handicaps. In the Invitational, eight players vied for the title which was bound to have a new champion for the first time in three years. Early round play warmed up the semifinalists for each of Saturday’s thrilling three set semifinal matches. Lex Miron (NY) and Bill Barker (DC) went to battle first. Barker’s great gets and hard volleys dispatched Miron’s measured length and precision targeting in the first set. Miron’s movement improved with his shot selection as he leveled the match in the second set. Barker was relentless in the decisive third set, winning timely deuce games and a berth in the finals. The second semifinal pitted Danny McBride (DC) against Jeremy Wintersteen (BOS by way of ME). A familiar position for last year’s semifinalist, Wintersteen shook off McBride’s good play in the first set and leveled the match at one set all with his characteristic steadiness. Wintersteen carried momentum best in the latter part of the third set and came away victorious. The Barker/Wintersteen final was another three set epic. Wintersteen got off to a good start on the service end and took the first set. Barker followed with effective angles in the second set, pushing the match to a final set. The third set provided for some great tennis; Barker and Wintersteen seemed to test each other with every ball, probing for weakness and finding only rarely small openings. The set trudged to five games all but Barker held firm and prevailed in the final game.
The NY Open Handicaps included 60 players across three flights. In the A finals, Zach Sacks (NY) upset the current World Rackets Champion James Stout. In the B finals, Tom McGinnis (NY) defeated Arthur Whitcomb (NY) in a close battle of sparring partners. In the C finals, the squash doubles maven, Matt Sharnoff (NY) upended Adrian Camacho’s (DC) run to the finals.
Tennis results:
Silver Racquet Invitational Tennis (8 competitors): W. Barker def. J Wintersteen, 3/6, 6/4, 6/5
NY Open Handicap A (14 competitors): Z. Sacks def. J. Stout, 8/3
NY Open Handicap B (24 competitors): T. McGinnis def. A. Whitcomb, 8/6
NY Open Handicap C (22 competitors): M. Sharnoff def. A. Camacho, 8/3
