The second half of the 2006 USTA League Tennis Southern Sectional Championships came to a close as twelve teams were crowned League Tennis Southern Sectional Champions. The final round of competition was finished in spite of the threat of thunderstorms.

Teams from South Carolina and Georgia had the best showing among the nine southern states taking home three sectional titles each. Teams from North Carolina endured the toughest defeats, losing in five of six finals.

Including first half play, over 2,000 players will have participated in the 2006 Sectional Championships. In full draws, two groups of five teams compete in round robin play with the winner of each group advancing to the finals. In total, 430 team matches comprised of 1,626 individual matches will be played.

This year’s event has drawn the top 200 teams from throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The teams, which represent various clubs, parks, recreational departments and organizations, have finished at the top of their local leagues and are now vying for a chance to represent the USTA Southern Section at the USTA League presented by CHRYSLER National Championships.

USTA League Tennis was established to provide adult recreational tennis players throughout the country with the opportunity to compete against players of similar ability levels. Players participate on teams in a league format, which is administered by the USTA through its 17 Sections. Men’s and women's team competition starts with the 2.5 division (beginner) and moves up to the 5.5 level (advanced). Adult division teams play two singles and three doubles matches, except for the 2.5, 5.0 and 5.5 levels, which instead play one singles and two doubles matches. In the senior division (over 50 years of age), teams will compete in levels 2.5 through 4.5, and play three doubles matches.

The championship teams will represent the Southern Section at the USTA League Tennis National Championships, where the No. 1 recreational tennis team in the country will be crowned in the various adult and senior skill levels. The national championships are being held in the following locations:

Established in 1980, USTA League Tennis has grown from 13,000 participants in a few parts of the country in its first year, to over 585,000 players across the nation today, making it the world’s largest recreational tennis program. There are over 100,000 adult and senior players in the Southern Section. The program is open to women and men 19 years of age and older. Players from over 100 cities in the nine Southern states experience the team camaraderie and intense competition as play progresses through local, state, and sectional play, culminating in a national championship for each skill level in the fall.

The 2006 tournament is presented by the USTA Southern Section in cooperation with strong local volunteer support. Chrysler is entering its first year as the presenting sponsor and official vehicle of the USTA League Tennis program.
Penn Racquet Sports is in its 19th year as official ball of USTA League Tennis and Bullfrog is an official sponsor of the USTA League Tennis Southern Sectional Championships.

Founded in 1881, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in this country. In addition to owning the US Open and selecting members of the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic teams, the USTA administers a variety of programs nationwide for players of all ages and ability levels. A not-for-profit organization, the association is divided into 17 sections, of which the USTA Southern Section is the largest. The 165,000 USTA members living in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee make up the USTA Southern Section, and account for approximately 25% of the total USTA membership. A professional staff housed in Norcross, GA carries out the USTA Southern Section’s daily operations, but policy is formed and much of the organization’s work is executed via a Board and committee structure of over 200 volunteers. For more information about the types of programs and services offered by the USTA Southern Section visit www.southerntennis.com.

Pictures of the championship and finalist teams can be found online at www.southernleaguetennis.com.

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