Review of Teams playing for the World Seniors
Team Cups in Antalya, Turkey 2007
Maureen Connolly Cup
(W55+) –
H Worland, K Ballard and A Avis. Our own NSW
"home-grown Baby Boomers" – friends since childhood.
This year our Aussie Stars are defending the Cup for the third
time after winning it for the first time in Philadelphia in 2004.
Liz Allan and Carol Campling were both there in 05 with Kerry and
last year it was Liz, Kerry, Helen & Adrienne. This will be the
first time without Liz, and with Helen’s steady improvement over
the past two years, we are confident the Aussies can hold their
own, against any of the thirteen teams entered this year.
Helen
at No 1 Singles will be ably supported by Kerry at No 2, and with
Adrienne there, they will have a choice of pairings for the
Doubles. All three were Doubles Finalists last year in the
Individuals. They will expect to have strong opposition from
arch-rivals Great Britain, USA and France, who possess players of
high calibre, Marjorie Love, Tina Karwasky, Diane Hill and Nicole
Hesse-Cazaux – any of whom could cause an upset, depending on
form. Go Aussies! Go Get Gold!
Kerry Ballard & Helen
Worland (NSW)
Maria Esther Bueno Cup (W50+) – P Bongetti, L Mortimer
and K Young. A team of Victorians – all experienced International
players. They will be contending with 15 other teams, and an
in-form Paula
Bongetti
joins Lyn Mortimer and Kerri Young, who can both draw on
experiences from their Final in Durban last year. Hopefully they
will fire right from the start, with Diane Fishburne’s team USA,
the "team to beat," as last year’s No 2 is down to #3. Austria and
Great Britain will be ones to watch, with South Africa also having
plenty of depth. Put France in there, and we’ll have a battle to
the Semi-Finals. Go Vics! Let’s find the Gold.
Paula Bongetti & Lyn
Mortimer (Vic)
Margaret Court Cup (W45+) – B Foster (NSW), L Swaysland
(NSW) and R Evans (QLD). Following Australia’s creditable
performance in placing second last year, Leanne is joined by
Wagga’s experienced
competitor,
Brenda Foster, and a very excited "livewire" Ros Evans from the
Sunshine state. USA, GB, France and Australia are lining up as
possible semi-finalists again in 2007. The team will need to watch
out for the "dark horses" and capable singles players like
Catherine Suire being placed in the No 2 position. A total of 15
teams will be in contention, (up from 11 in ’06).USA has a great
lineup – and could be the favourites. These girls will be playing
at Belek, surrounded by the men so "focus, girls" and Go, Aussies,
Go Get Gold!
Brenda Foster & Leanne
Swaysland (NSW)
MEN'S CUPS:
Austria Cup (M55+) – A Rae (VIC), M Bates (QLD), R Watts
(VIC). Rae and Bates are seasoned campaigners, plus some "new
blood" in Russell Watts, his first time in the World Teams! They brought home the
Gold in 2006, and 2005, so let’s have a repeat performance, and make
it
three in a row, fellas! A total of 19 teams are in the contest,
compared to only 14 last year. It won’t be the proverbial "piece
of cake"! Teams from claycourt specialist countries could upset
the applecart! Mexico, Netherlands, Slovenia, Finland and Austria
will have teams this year, so it could be very interesting. The
USA will be their biggest hurdle.
Andrew Rae (Vic)
Fred Perry Cup (M50+) – G. Busby (VIC), W. Pascoe (NSW),
B. Osborne (VIC). Last year fourth out of
15, but with entries UP,
who knows what they can do? 20 teams in this year’s event will
make it heavy
going. Who knows how teams from Argentina, Sweden,
Slovenia, Moldova, Denmark and Belgium will affect the seedings?
It will be very interesting. With the World No 1 (Glenn Busby) on
our side, anything could happen! He is supported by 2005 Singles
Finalist, Wayne Pascoe, who, with Bruce, was in the winning team
in Perth 2005. So France, USA and Spain, watch out! With Bruce
Osborne (also a World doubles titleholder in 05), keeping the boys
in line, we have a formidable squad.
Glenn Busby (Vic)
Dubler Cup (M45+) – R. Grant (WA), S. Arms (VIC), M. Ford
(QLD). This year Roger & Mike are joined by Simon Arms, and having
won the bronze in a walkover in 2006, will be hungry for better
this year on the
clay. A frequent visitor and winner of several
tournaments, Takamichi Hirooka will head a team of young guns from
Japan, which didn’t enter a team last year. (They could spell
trouble!) A star-studded USA will be the "team to beat" with
Wilder, Adams and Fedderly lining up again. But the "bigger they
are, the harder they fall" so, Go Guys! Bring them to their knees!
Mike Ford (QLD) and Simon
Arms (Vic)
Tony Trabert Cup (M40+) – G. Westwood (NSW) and
A.Schuelke (SA). Both these players have been there before, and
with 22 teams in there, it will be a tough call. Last year’s
Semi-finalists are all there again, with France, Netherlands,
Austria and USA fielding strong teams once more. New teams are
coming from Moldova, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Czech
Republic, as well as Italy and Lithuania. The winners, France,
have relegated their #1 Singles player to #4 – that’s scary! Our
boys will be trying to better their position from tenth, and we wish them the best form and good luck.
Italia Cup (M35+) – B Rose (NSW), M Richards (SA), R
Traforti (SA). This year’s highest number of teams (23) in any Cup
– so the boys will have a battle on their hands. Martin and Rino
are joined by "new blood" from NSW at No 1 Singles position,
Brendon Rose, who will travel for the first time in Seniors
competition. Let’s hope that brings us good fortune, and a spot in
the semi-finals! Spain was untroubled in the Semis or Finals last
year – so they should be the favourites. Finalist, France has a
new #1, and there are new teams from Moldova, Romania,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Switzerland and Tunisia. The competition is
hotting up! Let’s hope we don’t get into the same group as the
seeds this year.
Helen
at No 1 Singles will be ably supported by Kerry at No 2, and with
Adrienne there, they will have a choice of pairings for the
Doubles. All three were Doubles Finalists last year in the
Individuals. They will expect to have strong opposition from
arch-rivals Great Britain, USA and France, who possess players of
high calibre, Marjorie Love, Tina Karwasky, Diane Hill and Nicole
Hesse-Cazaux – any of whom could cause an upset, depending on
form. Go Aussies! Go Get Gold!
Bongetti
joins Lyn Mortimer and Kerri Young, who can both draw on
experiences from their Final in Durban last year. Hopefully they
will fire right from the start, with Diane Fishburne’s team USA,
the "team to beat," as last year’s No 2 is down to #3. Austria and
Great Britain will be ones to watch, with South Africa also having
plenty of depth. Put France in there, and we’ll have a battle to
the Semi-Finals. Go Vics! Let’s find the Gold.
competitor,
Brenda Foster, and a very excited "livewire" Ros Evans from the
Sunshine state. USA, GB, France and Australia are lining up as
possible semi-finalists again in 2007. The team will need to watch
out for the "dark horses" and capable singles players like
Catherine Suire being placed in the No 2 position. A total of 15
teams will be in contention, (up from 11 in ’06).USA has a great
lineup – and could be the favourites. These girls will be playing
at Belek, surrounded by the men so "focus, girls" and Go, Aussies,
Go Get Gold!.jpg)
three in a row, fellas! A total of 19 teams are in the contest,
compared to only 14 last year. It won’t be the proverbial "piece
of cake"! Teams from claycourt specialist countries could upset
the applecart! Mexico, Netherlands, Slovenia, Finland and Austria
will have teams this year, so it could be very interesting. The
USA will be their biggest hurdle..jpg)
going. Who knows how teams from Argentina, Sweden,
Slovenia, Moldova, Denmark and Belgium will affect the seedings?
It will be very interesting. With the World No 1 (Glenn Busby) on
our side, anything could happen! He is supported by 2005 Singles
Finalist, Wayne Pascoe, who, with Bruce, was in the winning team
in Perth 2005. So France, USA and Spain, watch out! With Bruce
Osborne (also a World doubles titleholder in 05), keeping the boys
in line, we have a formidable squad.
clay. A frequent visitor and winner of several
tournaments, Takamichi Hirooka will head a team of young guns from
Japan, which didn’t enter a team last year. (They could spell
trouble!) A star-studded USA will be the "team to beat" with
Wilder, Adams and Fedderly lining up again. But the "bigger they
are, the harder they fall" so, Go Guys! Bring them to their knees!