Two Weekends of Doubles Action Crown Adult
League Sectionals Champions in the Desert
USTA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
USTA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Over the past month, Palm Desert played host to two weekends of Adult League Doubles Sectionals competition, welcoming nearly 1300 competitors from all 13 areas of the section. Matches took place at Omni Rancho Las Palmas Country Club, Westin Mission Hills Resort, College of the Desert, and Palm Valley Country Club.
Both weekends featured gender-based doubles across multiple NTRP levels. The first weekend, January 16-18, included men’s and women’s 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 divisions. In the 3.0 level, women played three unflighted matches with the top four advancing to the semifinals, while men played three unflighted matches with the winner determined by overall record. In the 4.0 divisions, women played three unflighted matches with the top four advancing, while men competed in three flighted matches with each flight winner and the best second-place team advancing to the semifinals. At the 5.0 level, both men and women played three unflighted matches, with the top two advancing to the finals.
Winners of the 5.0 divisions not only claimed a Sectionals title, but also earned the chance to compete at the USTA Open Nationals from September 18-20 at the Darling Tennis Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The second weekend, January 30 to February 1, featured 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 divisions. The 2.5 women competed in a round-robin format, while 3.5 men played three flighted matches with each flight winner and the best second-place team advancing to the semifinals, and the 3.5 women played three unflighted matches with the top four teams advancing. At the 4.5 level, men played three unflighted matches with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals, and the women played three flighted matches with each flight winner and the best second-place team advancing to the semifinals.
Weekend 1: January 16-18, 2026
> 3.0 WOMEN – Orange County’s “Dana Hills” squad set the tone early in the Women’s 3.0 division, delivering a flawless performance to claim the championship. Representing Dana Hills Tennis Center, the team dominated a field of 18 competitors, not dropping a single individual match all weekend.
Led by captains Trina Olsen and Judy Raubolt led their team through a perfect weekend, Dana Hills swept Bakersfield, Inland Empire, and San Gabriel Valley 3-0 in unflighted play, earning the No. 1 seed heading into the playoffs. Their momentum carried into the semifinals, where they again posted a 3-0 win over Beach Cities. In the championship match, Dana Hills capped off a dominant run with another 3-0 victory, this time over San Diego. The finalists from San Diego, captained by Hillary Kleiner and representing the San Diego Tennis and Racquet Club, entered the finals undefeated after wins over San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, San Diego North County, and Orange County.
> 3.0 MEN – In a tightly contested Men’s 3.0 division, Los Angeles’ “Queen Anne” emerged on top after a weekend that came down to tiebreakers. Captained by Max Mezger and Anthony Yoo and playing out of the Queen Anne Recreation Center, the team finished unflighted play with a 2-1 record, earning wins over San Gabriel Valley and San Fernando Valley while falling to another Los Angeles squad.
With three teams tied at 2-1, Queen Anne secured the Sectionals title by holding the tiebreaker edge in total sets and games won. Beach Cities’ finalists, led by Chris Alexander and Jeff Goldman out of Manhattan Country Club, also posted a 2-1 record, earning victories over San Diego and San Fernando Valley.
> 4.0 WOMEN – Undefeated from start to finish, Los Angeles’ “Unforced Terrors” powered their way through the Women’s 4.0 field to secure the Sectionals title. Based out of Westchester Park and captained by Vicky Trinh and Bryan Hudson, the squad opened unflighted play with wins over San Diego North County, San Diego, and Santa Barbara.
Entering the semifinals as the No. 1 seed, they continued their strong form with a 3-0 sweep of San Diego. In the finals, they repeated the scoreline against another San Diego North County team, sealing the championship without dropping a match all weekend. The finalists, “Yule Be Sorry” from San Diego North County, captained by Debbie Fitzgerald and playing out of Carmel Valley Tennis Club, also reached the finals undefeated after wins over Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, Bakersfield, and Beach Cities.
> 4.0 MEN – Riding momentum all weekend long, Coachella Valley’s “Cathedral Canyon” turned a flawless flight into a Men’s 4.0 championship run. Captained by Kurtis Magee and playing out of Cathedral Canyon Tennis Club, the team swept flighted play with wins over Orange County, Ventura County, and Beach Cities. Advancing to the playoffs as a flight winner, Cathedral Canyon carried those victories into a 3-0 semifinal win over Inland Empire. In the finals, they once again delivered a sweep, defeating Ventura County to secure the title.
Ventura County’s finalists, captained by David Hoffman and representing Westlake Athletic Club, entered the championship match after earning wins over San Fernando Valley, San Diego North County, and Beach Cities.
> 5.0 WOMEN – After navigating a competitive draw, San Diego’s “Miramar College” team rose to the occasion when it mattered most to win the Women’s 5.0 title. Led by captains Deborah Lee-Tep and Claudia Roehr, the team opened the weekend with unflighted wins over San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, and Orange County.
As one of two undefeated teams, San Diego advanced to the finals, where they edged Beach Cities 2-1 to claim the championship. Beach Cities’ finalists, captained by Michelle Hughes and playing out of Mira Costa High School, also entered the title match unbeaten after victories over Orange County, San Fernando Valley, and Los Angeles.
> 5.0 MEN – Capping off the opening weekend, San Diego’s “Peninsula TC” battled through a deep Men’s 5.0 field to clinch a Sectionals trophy. Captained by Oluwatobi Ojo and representing Peninsula Tennis Center, the team finished unflighted play at 2-1, earning wins over Orange County and Ventura County.
Advancing to the finals as one of the top two teams by record, Peninsula TC defeated Beach Cities 2-1 to secure the title. Beach Cities’ finalists from Alta Vista Racquet Center, led by captains Ruben Alberts and Charlie Franks, also went 2-1 prior to the championship match.
> SPIRIT AWARD WINNER – Displaying SoCal spirit all weekend long, San Diego North County’s “Yule Be Sorry,” captained by Debbie Fitzgerald, earned the first Spirit Award of 2026. The team was selected through a fan vote on USTA SoCal’s social media platforms in recognition of their colorful attire and exceptional camaraderie.
Weekend 2: January 30-February 1, 2026
> 2.5 WOMEN – Kicking off the second weekend, Los Angeles’ “Double The Fun” navigated a tight round-robin format to capture the Women’s 2.5 championship. Playing out of the Poinsettia Recreation Center and led by captains Doree Shafrir and Elizabeth Leiner, the team posted a 2-1 record with wins over San Diego and another Los Angeles squad.
Tied atop the standings, Los Angeles claimed the title via head-to-head tiebreaker. San Diego’s “Coronado Cays,” captained by Karina Contreras and playing out of Coronado Cays Tennis Courts, finished as finalists with a matching 2-1 record.
> 3.5 WOMEN – Highlighted by an undefeated performance, Orange County’s “Laguna Niguel Racquet Club” squad completed an undefeated run to the Women’s 3.5 title. Led by Beraeil Shen and Cassie Hadfield out of Laguna Niguel Racquet Club, the team went 3-0 in unflighted play before advancing to the playoffs as the No. 4 seed.
They defeated top-seeded Orange County 2-1 in the semifinals and followed with another 2-1 victory over Beach Cities in the finals. Beach Cities’ finalists, captained by Lesley Lyon and Sarah Sautot from Manhattan Country Club, entered the finals without dropping a match.
> 3.5 MEN – Orange County continued its strong showing at Sectionals as “Meta Legend” fought through flighted play to claim the Men’s 3.5 championship. Captained by Derek Lee and Nicholas Lau and playing out of David Sills Lower Peters Canyon Park, the team went 2-1 in flighted play before earning a playoff berth as the best non-flight winner.
In the semifinals, Meta Legend avenged an earlier loss to San Gabriel Valley with a 2-1 victory. They closed out the weekend by defeating previously unbeaten Central Coast in the finals. Central Coast’s finalists, captained by Bernie Cabiles and representing Santa Maria Country Club, entered the championship match undefeated.
> 4.5 WOMEN – Captains Mandi Collier and Yuri Nichelson guided Los Angeles’ “Griffith Park Country Club” to a Sectionals championship in the Women’s 4.5 division. Playing out of the Griffith-Riverside Tennis Courts, the team posted a 2-1 record in flighted play to finish atop their flight, earning wins over Central Coast and San Diego while dropping a match to San Fernando Valley.
In the semifinals, Los Angeles knocked off an unbeaten San Diego North County squad by a 2-1 score to advance to the championship match. There, in a rematch against the San Diego team they had defeated earlier, Griffith Park Country Club delivered a decisive 3-0 victory to secure the title. San Diego’s finalists, captained by Shelby Rubin and Amy Repetti and playing out of Barnes Tennis Center, earned wins over Central Coast and San Fernando Valley en route to the title match.
> 4.5 MEN – Closing out Sectionals, Los Angeles’ “Hitmen” delivered, earning the Men’s 4.5 championship on the final day. Captained by Tushar Sharma and Debbie C. Halim and representing Cheviot Hills Tennis Center, the team advanced to the playoffs as the No. 2 seed after a 2-1 unflighted record.
They swept Orange County 3-0 in the semifinals before edging San Diego 2-1 in the finals. San Diego’s “All (C U in) Court,” captained by Joe Udall and David Bracher from Tierrasanta Tennis Club, finished as finalists after a strong run through unflighted play and the semifinals.
> SPIRIT AWARD WINNER – Bakersfield’s “Checked In!” captured the spirit award during weekend two, turning heads in some of the event’s brightest and most creative SoCal-themed outfits. Led by captain Linette Holliday, the team secured the honor with strong support from fans across social media.
Draws & Match Results
> 2.5 WOMEN
> 3.0 WOMEN
> 3.0 MEN
> 3.5 WOMEN
> 3.5 MEN
> 4.0 WOMEN
> 4.0 MEN
> 4.5 WOMEN
> 4.5 MEN
> 5.0 WOMEN
> 5.0 MEN
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