A rising high school senior and a Vanderbilt junior a year removed from hip surgery were at the top of their games Sunday at Manker Patten Tennis Club on Finals Sunday at the Tennessee Valley Open Tennis Championship.

 Seventeen-year-old Sydney Campbell played like a college veteran as she won the women’s open singles defeating Alabama sophomore and No. 4 seed Emily Zabor, 6-1, 6-1. Campbell beat No.1 seed Caroline Price (North Carolina) in three sets in the semis.

 On the men’s side, Ryan Lipman looked in top form as he defeated fellow Vandy tennis player Gonzales Austin, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 for the men’s crown.

Lipman sat out of varsity competition this spring after hip surgery a year ago.

Campbell was in three finals, placing second in the women’s open doubles and mixed open doubles.

Double Winners: Caroline Price won Women’s Open and Mixed Open doubles crowns … Ken Campbell won the Men’s 65s singles and doubles … Louise Schults won women’s 35s and 45s doubles …

Triple Winner: Donna McLaurin won three titles; Women’s 35s and 45s doubles with Louise Schults and Mixed 45s Doubles with Jim Robert

Amateur Pay Day: Tennis players who have not enrolled in college can take up to $10,000 in prize money in a year … Once the player is in college, he or she can take money only to cover expenses directly related to the tournament; hotel, meals, stringing of racquets, etc.

 For example, one college player this weekend earned $500 by reaching the semis or finals in three events and took money to cover her expenses this week … High school senior Sydney Campbell won one event and placed second in two others and is able to take the full amount ($1,150) of her winnings …

Seeds Held: No.1 seeds won titles including Ryan Lipman (Men’s Open), Francisco Rodriquez (Men’s 35s), Donna McLaurin-Louise Schults (Women’s 35s), Wes Cash-Scott Shepherd (Men’s 55s doubles), Caroline Price-Hunter Reese (Mixed Open Doubles), Caroline Price-Mary Jeremiah (Women’s Open Doubles)

Bracket Busters … In Women’s Open, No.3 Sydney Campbell eliminated No.1 Caroline Price in the semis before defeating No.4 Emily Zabor in the finals … In Men’s 65s singles, unseeded Ken Campbell defeated No.1 Frank Ringle in the semis and No.2 Tom Oliphint in the finals … In Men’s 55s singles, unseeded Dean Dunlavy defeated No.1 Hank Ream in the quarters on the way to the title.

Kudos to Tourney Workers: another well run event which makes it one of the best adult tournaments in the South … top level tennis from talented college players to age division players who have won national and world titles with national and world rankings … yet a tournament that also welcomes players at the local and state levels.

Sunday - Championship Finals

Women’s Open Singles

(3) Sydney Campbell (Christ Presbyterian) def. (4) Emily Zabor  (Alabama), 6-2, 6-1

Men’s Open Singles

(1) Ryan Lipman (Vanderbilt) def. (5) Austin Gonzales (Vanderbilt), 1-6, 6-4, 6-4

Women’s Open Doubles

(1) Mary Jeremiah-Caroline Price def. Sydney Campbell (Christ Presbyterian School)-Clare Mendell, 7-6 (5), 6-3

Men’s Open Doubles

(3) Eric Diaz-Casey Kay (Georgia) def. (1) Brandon Fickey-Hunter Reese (Tenn.), 5-7, 6-4, 11-9

Mixed Open Doubles

(1) Caroline Price-Hunter Reese def. (3) Sydney Campbell-Casey Kay, 6-1, 6-2

Men’s 35s Singles

(1) Francisco Rodriquez def. (2) Jeff Clark, 6-1, 6-1

Men’s 45s Singles

(2) Ken Koelling def. (1) Philip Johnson, 6-1, 7-6 (5)

Men’s 55s Singles

Dean Dunlavy def. Jonathan Hart, 6-2, 6-2

Men’s 65s Singles

Ken Campbell def. (2) Tom Oliphint, 6-7 (4), 6-2, 10-3

Men’s 75s Singles

Jack Myers def. Don Smith, 4-6, 6-2, 10-6

Men’s 35s Doubles

(2) Ned Caswell-Philip Johnson def. (1) Jeff Clark/Scott Micus, 3-6, 7-6, 10-6

Men’s 45s Doubles

(2) Milton Myers/Lonnie White def. (1) Ken Koelling/Scott Shepherd, 4-6, 6-2, 10-5

Men’s 55s Doubles

(1) Wes Cash/Scott Shepherd def. (2) DeWayne McCamish/Mike Parker, 6-1, 6-0

Men’s 65s Doubles

No.3 Ken Campbell/DeWayne McCamish def. (4) Bill Brown/James Owen, 6-1, 6-3

Women’s 75s Singles

Caroline Haynes def. Louise Cash, 6-2, 6-1

Women’s 35s Doubles

(1) Donna McLaurin-Louise Schults def. Caroline Bentley-Susan Bevil, 6-3, 6-3

Women’s 45s Doubles

Donna McLaurin-Louise Schults def. Carolyn Scruggs-Jane Sadrabadi, 7-6 (7-0), 6-3

Mixed 45s Doubles

Donna McLaurin-Jim Robert def. Tom Asebrook-Ann Flint, 6-3, 6-4

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net