Gators sophomore works to get better

Vu-Anh Thai (pronounced voo-awn tie) of Zephyrhills knows academics are his top priority, but the 16-year old ranks tennis a close second.

The sophomore is enrolled in the Land O'Lakes High School International Baccalaureate program and plays at No. 1 singles and doubles for the school.

Thai and his family left Vietnam when he was 3. He started playing tennis at age 7.

"I used to run around the courts here in Zephyrhills when I was a little kid," Thai said. "Only about 11/2 years ago did I get more serious about it. Now my goal is to get a tennis scholarship to college."

Some members of the Zephyrhills Tennis Association recognized Thai's talent, and John Zowolsky searched for ways to help Thai improve.

"I met Vu-Anh about three years ago at one of the Zephyrhills tournaments," Zowolsky said. "His mother, Anna, wanted me to meet him, and then she asked me if I could coach him or help coach him. My first impression was that Vu-Anh was a very bright youngster and quite charismatic."

With Zowolsky's help, Thai has been training with Steve Smith at the Tennis Smith Academy at Hillsborough Community College.

"Before I started training there, I relied on my basic talent and my ability to run around and hit a lot of balls," Thai said. "I now know the basic strokes and am incorporating them into an all-around game. I feel now I have even more potential to improve."

In this month's annual ZTA tournament, Thai won the singles title in straight sets and the doubles with Zowolsky. In the doubles final, Thai and Zowolsky beat Barry Herscovitch and Kenny Cheng 6-3, 6-4. In singles, Thai defeated Max Sumagtang 6-1, 6-0.

"I think a big difference for me in this year's tournament was my confidence level, which has grown," Thai said. "In doubles, I think John and I play best together on the big points. If one is down, the other picks him up."

Last weekend, Thai lost in the second round of the Sarmiento's Junior Championships to the No. 1 seed (who won the title). Thai said he came away feeling like he learned something.

"What I think I need the most now is experience in competition," Thai said. "A lot of times, when I play and lose to a player the first time, the next time I play them better so I may even beat them or at least do a lot better against them."

MORE ZTA RESULTS: Jean Stallcup was a double winner in the ZTA tournament. Stallcup won the women's doubles with Lani Prillman over Peggy Griffith and Carol Hatfield and the mixed doubles with Herscovitch over Griffith and Robert Avila. Art Higby and Roy Messink defeated Joe McGovern and Leo Forester in the men's 70-plus doubles.

NET SHOTS: Catch Wesley Chapel's Ashely Harkleroad and her cover story in the current issue of USTA Magazine, a supplement to Tennis.

Harkleroad, 17, discusses her early successes, the future and how she balances tennis with teenage life. Many believe she will be ranked in the top 50 in the world by the end of 2003.

Allegra Campos, tennis director at Cheval Golf and Country Club in Lutz, reached the semifinals of the women's 40-and-over singles division in last week's Les Grandes Dames Classic in Winter Park. The No. 4 seed lost to the tournament's top seed.

Liz Leigh of Tampa reached the semifinals in the 50 singles. St. Petersburg's Joan Malone won the 80 singles consolation.

Nicola Wellman of New Port Richey defeated top seed Carla McKight of Tampa 6-2, 6-3 to win the girls 12-and-under singles title in the Temple Terrace Junior Championships this month. Paul Polarczyk of Wesley Chapel finished second in the boys 12. Kimble McKay of Lutz rallied from a loss in the main draw of the boys 16 to win the consolation draw.

Champions from the American Cancer Society Tennis Classic at McMullen in Clearwater last month included: Sharon Gariboldi and Terri Schwieger (3.0), Janie Griffith and Liz Hopwood (3.5), Mickie Gelestor and Mary Jane Evertz (4.0), Mark Evans and Allen Sanchez (3.0), Mark Stewart and Bruce Insana (3.5), Jamie Vetter and Ron Bedlock (4.0) and Kippenberger and Stewart (4.5).

Mixed doubles winners included Sonya Thatch and Mark McConghey (3.0), Pam Rowan and Ed Hart (3.5) and Donna and Scott Monette (4.0).

The event raised $33,308.69.

St. Petersburg Tennis Center's 3.5 team clinched the South division title in the local USA Super Senior Men's League with a 3-0 victory against the Renaissance Vinoy last week.

SPTC will face North division champion Phil Green Tennis Academy this week to determine the team to represent the area in the state tournament in May in Daytona Beach.

At the Sarmiento's Annual Championships last weekend, fourth seed Polarczyk beat No. 2 Austin Kondor of Largo for the boys 12 title. Top seed Kosuke Hasegawa of Wesley Chapel won three straight-set matches for the boys 10 title.

COMING UP: The Clearwater Spring Classic begins Saturday at the McMullen Tennis Center. Call (727) 669-1919 today to enter the junior singles competition. ... The F.A.J. Super Series begins April 5 for juniors at the Cheval Golf and Country Club. Call (813) 948-2282 by March 31. ... The Suncoast Tennis Foundation Rookie Grand Circuit finale is April 5-6 at the Bardmoor Golf and Tennis Club. Call (727) 391-2205.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright