Singles players in 10 women's divisions and 11 men's battled through the elements of the summer months playing for bragging rights in the Ultimate Tennis League. Pinellas players captured five women's titles and five men's.
   This month's feature highlights our area's winners and runnersup.
   Third time was a charm for St. Petersburg's Kathy Moll when she beat Tampa's Ashley Barnes 3-6,6-3,6-3 in the women's 5.0 championship match. In two previous encounters, Ashley finished first with three-set victories.
   "I won the 4.5-minus in the 2007 summer season and was moved up two levels to 5.0," said Kathy. "Each season I got a little bit better, but I was surprised to win this final. In the third set, I lost the first four games, but then I mixed it up and hung in there.
   I had played tennis and other sports growing up in Philadelphia, but then didn't play for about 20 years until I moved to Florida 18 years ago."
Kathy Moll
   Felicia Fortosis played volleyball at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Calif., and started playing tennis less than 3 years ago. That didn't keep her from winning her first season of Ultimate Tennis at the 4.5 level.
   "I grew up playing team sports, so when I started playing tennis, I fell in love with singles," said Felicia. "When my family moved here, we joined the St. Petersburg Country Club and decided to check out the tennis there after participating in a tennis demonstration at Lake Vista Park."
   Felicia was the topseed in the playoffs and won the final 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 against this still-tired writer!

Felicia Fortosis
   Suzanne Jones had a good feeling about her chances to win the 4.0 division playoffs if she played well. In the season, Suzanne and Suzy Petrocelli had split wins - Suzanne won on the soft courts and Suzy won on the hard. In the deciding match, Suzanne rebounded from a second-set loss to win 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 and moves to the 4.5-minus division for the fall season.
   "I first joined the league in 2002 to meet other players and to get exercise, and, of course, you get more exercise with singles," said Suzanne. "About four years ago, I won the 3.5 division and have played in 4.0 nine seasons, so it was good to win and move up."
Suzanne Jones
   Luanne "Luby" Bartels first started playing tennis 20 years ago, took seven years off, began again in 1996 and has not stopped. Playing primarily for fun and exercise, Luby limited her league play to the summer months when scheduling with her kids was easier.
   "I was undefeated during the season, and was determined to win, even though I may not be any better a player, although I get to the ball much better," said Luby. "I was relieved to win the final and look forward to competing in the 3.5 when I play again."  
"Luby" Bartels
   At the urging of teaching professional Gail O'Connor, Helen Rimensnyder competed in her first singles league and beat Dunedin's Karen Miller in the 2.5 final.
   "I've played tennis two years and joined Ultimate Tennis last year," said Helen. "I don't play as much as I would like to, and was pretty much just taking lessons. Then Gail told me I needed to play people and she encouraged me to get out there. Now, I just wish I could play more and am looking forward to being in the 3.0."
Helen Rimensnyder
   Jay Perrett had earned all-state honors for his high school tennis play in Connecticut, but then he took 20 years off. At the encouragement of his mom - an avid player - Jay started to play again and was 7-0 in the 4.5-minus division. Even so, he was surprised he won the title in a 7-5, 6-4 battle against Riverview's Carlos Sanchez.
   "Carlos had a fabulous forehand, especially, and a great second serve to the backhand side," said Jay. "I was able to grind it out for the win. I've spent a good deal of time reading and picking out details of the game and I've been able to implement some things that have helped me go to the next level of play."
Jay
Dumitru
   Dumitru Ionescu played tennis off and on for about 10 years while he played professional volleyball in Romania because he thought it was a good complementary sport for his volleyball. After he retired from volleyball and came here about 15 years ago, Dumitru began playing more tennis and in just his third season of competition won the 4.0 title in a three-set final match.
   Tim Littler grew up playing tennis in Clearwater and on Clearwater Beach, then gave it up for college, marriage and kids. He started playing again and found the Ultimate Tennis League the best way for him to play. Tim won the 3.5 division in 2000 and again this year with a three-set win over Richard Sorkin of St. Petersburg.
   "I have a pretty good serve, and it was on the day we played it was on," said Tim. "We're both lefty players and I had played another lefty earlier in the playoffs, which was good practice for me. I like to serve and volley, yet I was surprised I won."

Tim Littler
David
   When David Nedrow was laid off from his banking job, a friend mentioned the singles league. The league was his first organized play and he overcame a first-set loss to win the final in three sets over Pinellas Park's Jeff Lebo.
   "I played tennis into my 20s and then stopped for 15 years," said David, 43. "It was a good league and I was surprised to win my division."    
   Zac Marsh, 28, grew up playing tennis in the Countryside area and returned to the sport after college, where he played soccer at Greensboro. A bike accident sidelined Zac for a couple of years and when he returned this summer, he won the 3.0 division with a hard-fought 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 score.
   "I lost the first two of three matches, but then I got more consistent," said Zac. "I finished fourth in the division and was really surprised to win it all. He (Glenn) was good and we had similar styles."   
   Other finalists not already mentioned in the feature include Keith Lyle (5.0), Chris Oppenheimer (4.0-minus) and Martin Champagne (2.5).
   The fall schedule has been published, but the league is always looking for substitute and replacement players. Go to www.ultimatetennis.com for more information.