Winnipeg, MB (TM) – A capacity crowd was on hand at the Winnipeg Winter Club to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of the 2008 Hall of Fame inductees and to recognize the successes of the top players and volunteers in the province from the past year.

The 3rd Annual Tennis Manitoba Awards Banquet, presented by the Birchwood Automotive Group, was dubbed the Raising a Racquet for Kids fundraiser this year, with all proceeds from the event going toward the development of junior tennis in the province. The evening kicked off with a terrific singles match between Frank Dancevic and Philip Bester, followed by a Doubles Exhibition with Dancevic, Bester, Ellis Ferreira and Winnipeg’s Jared Connell.

The dinner, silent auction and live auction generated a profit of $25,000, providing a tremendous boost for junior development in Manitoba. Tennis Manitoba would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their generous donations toward the live auction: La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries of Winnipeg for the beautiful recliner, Rufus Nel for the RCI vacation, Tennis Canada for the Rogers Cup ticket package and the Rafael Nadal framed picture, Hecla Radisson Resort for the weekend getaway package, Chef Craig Guenther of Urban Prairie Cuisine for the in-home dinner for 6, Taylor Tennis for the one-year membership, Kicking Horse Ski Resort for the weekend ski package, Homer LaCap of Re/Max for the hot air balloon rides and Frank Dancevic for his tennis racquet. A big thank you to Ace Burpee of HOT 103 for his great work during the live auction.

Many great items were also donated for the silent auction. To review the complete list click here.

Tennis Manitoba would like to congratulate Rick Borland, Judy Peake, Matthew Akman and Lloyd Borland for their induction into the Manitoba Tennis Hall of Fame.

Thank you to everyone who supported junior tennis in Manitoba by attending the dinner, donating toward the auctions or sponsoring the event. We look forward to a great year of tennis in 2009!

Tennis Manitoba Awards Banquet

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Winnipeg, MB (TM) – Stephen Dubienski defeated Chad LaCap 6-1, 6-3 to capture the Men’s Open Singles Championship at the Winnipeg Winter Club Open for the third consecutive year. Dubienski did not drop a single set on the road to the championship. He then teamed up with Sean Bailey to take home the Men’s Open Doubles title, earning a 0-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) victory over LaCap and his partner, Geoff Kirbyson.

Clarissa Chen avenged last year’s loss in the Women’s Open Singles final, upending Evann Waschuk 6-1, 6-3 to claim the women’s singles crown.

Waschuk did not go home empty handed, as she earned the Women’s Doubles Championship with Erika Fridrik with a 7-6(9), 6-3 win over Chen and her partner, Anika Campeau.

The complete list of winners included:

Open Events

Men’s Singles Stephen Dubienski def. Chad LaCap 6-1, 6-3

Women’s Singles Clarissa Chen def. Evann Waschuk 6-1, 6-3

Men’s Doubles Sean Bailey / Stephen Dubienski def. Geoff Kirbyson / Chad LaCap 0-6, 6-3,
7-6(5)

Women’s Doubles Erika Fridrik / Evann Waschuk def. Clarissa Chen / Anika Campeau 7-6(9), 6-3

Mixed Doubles Selvi Varathappan / Tony Weekes def. Lisa Lucht / Allan Morrish 3-6, 6-2, 6-0

4.5 Events

Men’s Singles Alan Gardiner def. Trevor Hollins 6-2, 6-1

Women’s Singles Lisa Bayko def. Lea Savatic 6-4, 6-0

Men’s Doubles Andrew Parkinson / Jeff Strome def. Jamie McPetrie / David Scrapneck 3-6, 6-1,
6-44
Women’s Doubles Nina Hession / Lisa Lucht def. Theresa Parrish / Selvi Varathappan 6-4, 6-4

3.5 Events

Men’s Singles Glen Dyck def. Jake Bergen 6-3, 1-6, 6-4

Men’s Doubles Andrew Parkinson / Jeff Strome  def. Dyck & McElroy 5-7, 6-4, 10-2

For complete 2008 Winnipeg Indoor Open draws and results click here.

Tennis Manitoba Open Tour

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Winnipeg, MB (Tennis Canada) – It was a battle of no. 1 versus no. 2 in Sunday’s men’s singles final of the Tennis Canada’s International Wheelchair Tennis Championships, an ITF 2 Series event on the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour held at Uniprix Stadium.

In the end, it was top-seeded Canadian Lee Carter (Winnipeg, Manitoba) who claimed top honours thanks to a 6-2, 6-2 victory over second-seeded American Paul Moran, ranked no 29. With the win, Carter, ranked no. 21 in the world, captured his fourth singles crown of the year- the perfect way to cap a successful season that also saw him represent his country at the Paralympic Games in Beijing this summer.

“I wasn’t happy with how I played earlier this week, but I am glad I could save my best for last,” Carter analyzed after the match. “I served really well and I was able to keep him (Moran) on the defensive which definitely worked to my advantage.”

Carter also took home the doubles title on Saturday alongside partner Corey Blatchford (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan). The top-seeded pair defeated the second-seeded duo of Moran and Yann Mathieu (Trois-Rivieres, Quebec) 6-3, 6-2 in the championship final. The victory allowed Carter to pick up his fourth doubles title of the season while Blatchford improved his tally to an impressive nine doubles triumphs since the beginning of 2008.

Tennis Canada’s International Wheelchair Tennis Championships, formerly known as “La Classique OPHQ” have been contested every year since 1996. Current World no.6 Maikel Scheffers of the Netherlands had won the tournament each of the past three years before Carter was able to break the streak and put the Maple Leaf back on the winner’s trophy.

See also
} Carter sweeps singles, doubles events at nationals
} Carter Captures National Championship

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