SASKATOONEXPRESS - July 27 - August 2, 2015 - Page 15
A star could be born at Houghton Boston Tennis Classic
Darren Steinke Saskatoon Express t is possible a future tennis star might hit the court in Saskatoon for the Houghton Boston Tennis Classic. When the local International Tennis Federation futures tournament first hit the courts at the Riverside Badminton and Tennis Club back in 2011, a 21-year-old Vernon, B.C., product named Vasek Pospisil won the singles title. Since that time, Pospisil has risen to 30th in the world among men’s singles players, won the Wimbledon doubles title with American partner Jack Stock last year and made it to the quarter-finals in the singles draw at this year’s tournament. When the main draw starts at this year’s Houghton Boston Tennis Classic, Bruce Garman, who is the tournament’s spokesperson and a long-time administrator at Saskatoon’s Riverside club, is curious if another budding star is in the 32-player field. “I think that is the exciting thing for us,” said Garman. “You kind of wonder who the next one is. “We’ve got a couple of Canadians who will be seeded. Some of the younger guys, this might be where they break out. If they can win a few rounds here and get into the semis and the final, then they start to believe that they can win at this level.” The main draw runs through to Aug. 2, while a 16-team doubles draw is scheduled to run all week. The doubles final is slated for 6 p.m. on July 31, while the singles championship will be held at noon on Aug. 2. Garman said the first tournament in 2011 is still the most memorable due to Pospisil’s win. Another big
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memory came in 2012. “It was also very cool, when (Filip) Peliwo came the next year from Wimbledon,” said Garman. “He won the junior Wimbledon. On the Sunday night, he gets to party with (Roger) Federer and (Maria) Sharapova. “Then, he has to get up the next morning and fly to Saskatoon from London. He got here late at night. He was a tired, but happy, boy. He had to play a match two days later, and he lost in the first round. He was coming down from this amazing high. The crowds came to see him and cheer.” Peliwo won the boys’ singles Wimbledon title a day after Westmount, Que., product Eugene Bouchard took the girls’ singles championship. While Bouchard has gone on to capture some star moments in women’s play before encountering struggles, Peliwo is still in search of a breakthrough since entering professional men’s play in 2013. The 21-year-old Vancouver product will be in Saskatoon likely as the third-seeded player. He is ranked 465th in the world. North Vancouver’s Philip Bester, who is ranked 340th in the world, is expected to be the event’s top seed. This year’s singles champion will be presented a championship trophy named in honour of Kay Nasser, who is a long-time tennis enthusiast, philanthropist and community leader. “The one big thing I guess it shows is that tennis is a game for life,” said Garman. “Here is somebody who late in his 80s is still a member of the club (and) is still a supporter. “Here is somebody who shows you the joy of the game and is still out there having fun and encouraging.” The Houghton Boston tourney contains players who
Vasek Pospisil won the Saskatoon tournament in 2011 (Wiki Photo)
come from various different points around the world. The total prize money is $15,000 US, and the singles champion takes home $2,000 US. Garman said players come to events like the Houghton Boston tourney in the hopes that it can be a springboard to bigger things in the game. For a week, it gives Saskatoon a little bit of an identity on the world tennis map. “It is huge for us partly for the interest it generates,” said Garman. “It gives us profile. It gives us exposure.”
Cam Hutchinson & Friends: The British Open was a tragedy
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orben Rolfsen, on 67,000 fans turning out at Lambeau Field for Brett Favre’s induction into the Packers’ Hall Of Fame: “For the people who couldn’t be there, he texted them a pic.” • I wondered during the nasty forest fire season how members of the military and others were outfitted to battle the blazes. Did they go to Canadian Tire and purchase all the shovels? • TC Chong, on European Tour Pro Emiliano Grillo of Argentina having a oneshot lead over Vaughn Taylor and Brian Harman after the first round of the RBC Canadian Open: “Yes, our national open championship draws the biggest names in golf. Even World Ranking #256 -- Eldrick T. Woods -- passed on it.” • From @UberFacts: “One in four Americans believes that God decides who wins the Super Bowl.” The other three believe the winner is decided by Bill Belichick. • Bill Littlejohn, on Mark Cuban comparing DeAndre Jordan’s return to the Clippers to make-up sex: “Whose? John Wayne and Lorena Bobbitt’s?” • From Rolfsen: “Scotland, fallen kings, stormy weather, ancient legendary land -was that the British Open or Macbeth?” • Congratulations to the Toronto media for turning the Pan Am Games into an event Canadians actually cared about. • From @OMGFactsSex: “Three per cent of women plan house chores during sex.” The other 97 per cent text. • Littlejohn, on Santa Claus throwing a terrible first pitch at a recent Tigers game: “The good news for him is that it wasn’t in Philadelphia.” • From Rolfsen: “Zach Johnson, the big winner at the Open Championship. The big loser? Tourism Scotland.” • The Huffington Post has moved its coverage of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign from the news pages to the entertainment pages. Shouldn’t the stories be in the comics section? • In this space a year ago, the question was asked: What is going on with Corey Chamblin? Inexplicably, he became the “great I am.” It continued at training camp this year when he talked about “him” winning the Grey Cup. It was no surprise here when he blew a gasket a couple of weeks ago. The signs were already there.
• Why is Alex Hall still a Saskatchewan Roughrider? • Chong, on 23-year-old Californian Andrew Hawryluk eating at Chipotle Grill daily for 153 consecutive days: “Remember how Jared got rich by teaming with Subway? Andrew has reached out to Charmin, Scott and Cottonelle.” • Rolfsen, on Tiger Woods missing the cut at The Open: “He was probably distracted by the Ashley Madison hack.” • From @UberFacts: “40 per cent of people would not go on a second date with someone who tipped less than 15 per cent at dinner.” Clearly, this does not apply to Tiger Woods. • Edmonton is removing – at a cost of $500,000 -- eight kilometres of bike lanes because they were underutilized. Fear not, Saskatoon cyclists; Edmonton is a winter city. • From @CappyD: “Hey Riders. Lots of empty seats. What’s up? Is there a tractor pull in town?” For some reason, I never grow tired of tractor pull, get off my lawn, Leaf and Rod Black jokes. • A radio show has segments with Chris Cuthbert and Glen Suitor. Listening, you would think Cuthbert was the analyst and Suitor the play-by-play person. That’s not good. • Rolfsen, on 42-year-old Met Bartolo Colon saying he wants to keep pitching “until someone comes and takes the uniform off” him: “I hope he doesn’t mean that literally.” • From @KeithOlbermann: “19 Kids and Counting cancelled to be replaced by a new series on GOP presidential hopefuls called 19 Kids and Counting.” • Why do Saskatoon police take so much heat for arresting people for swimming in the river? They are enforcing a bylaw. • From Littlejohn: “The Dodgers’ starting pitching beyond Kershaw and Greinke is very suspect. So it’s not ‘Spahn and Sain and pray for rain,’ it’s ‘Clay and Zack, then we have a heart attack.’” • Chong, on U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham posting a video on YouTube of him destroying his cell phone with a bat, chainsaw and golf club after Donald Trump gave out his number: “Let’s hope he wasn’t driving at the time.” • From Rolfsen: “Has PETA complained about that surfer punching the shark yet?”
Views of the World
Sandoval doesn’t get stomach stapled
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By RJ Currie oronto has hired long-time Devils GM Lou Lamoreillo. Who but the Leafs would add a 73-year-old as part of their youth movement? • Defections have been a big story during the Pan Am Games. Two Cubans left the baseball team during tune-up games in the U.S., and this week four Phillies asked for asylum with the Blue Jays. • After round one at the Canadian Open, Emiliano Grillo was the name atop the leader board. No wait, that might be the name on my barbecue. • Our expression of the day is “Too little, too late.” Example: CFL announcer Rod Black reportedly lost his voice last year — for eight days, right after the Eastern Final. • Sabres centre Ryan O’Reilly was charged with DUI after his truck ran into the wall of a Tim Hortons in Ontario. Note to O’Reilly: That’s not what they mean by “drive thru.” • Tiger Woods said he still has his sights on Nicklaus’ record 18 majors. It was so inspiring, I mailed another marriage proposal to Anne Hathaway. • Wimbledon saw another early exit for Eugenie Bouchard, who also drew a dressDC20194.G27 Darlene code violation for her black bra. That’s
rough: penalized for the one thing in her game that’s been uplifting. • A 108-year-old threw the first pitch at a recent Mariners game. Evelyn Jones credits her longevity in part to over 100 years of laughing — mostly at the Cubs. • Big news from Green Bay as Brett Favre’s No. 4 Packers jersey was retired last weekend. This week the jersey changed its mind. • The U.S. women won the World Cup Final — their first championship since 1999. Abby Wambach blames the 16-year drought on being forced to play on natural grass. • Ciara, who sang the anthem at the MLB All-Star game, is dating Seahawks QB Russell Wilson. By some counts, that makes Wilson 1 for 2 in recent do-or-die scoring passes. • Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval is not in the new issue of ESPN: THE BODY. If he was, he’d be the first professional athlete to fill a two-page spread without lying down. RJ’s Groaner of the Week One of the Deflategate balls sold at auction for $44,000. This means it won’t become a Brady family air-loom.