MRL tennis finals: Sultans get the best of D'backs

HESPERIA -- The Sultans got their revenge.

Serrano beat Sultana to win the Mojave River League girls tennis championship earlier in the week, but the Sultans bounced back to claim individual titles in singles and doubles at the MRL finals on Friday.

See the rest of the story here.

HS tennis: Murrieta Mesa vs. Oak Hills

Final score: Oak Hills 14 Murrieta Mesa 4

Varsity Singles

Nicky King 6-2, 6-0 (Substitute) Stacy Henriquez (4-6)

Stephanie Thomas 7-5, 6-3, 6-3

Lauren Smith 3-6, 6-2, 6-2

Varsity Doubles

Taylor Tang and Theodora Turner 6-1, 6-3, 6-2

Vanessa Franco and Angelica Perea 7-5, 4-6, 6-1

Denise Rhoten and Sarah Olson 4-6, 6-2, 6-3

Oak Hills Overall Record: 11-6

DSL tennis finals: Cougars dominate

APPLE VALLEY -- Granite Hills dominated in both singles and doubles at the Desert Sky League girls tennis finals on Friday as sophomore Jasmine Kimbrough defended her singles title, and Kristina Dunkin and Olivia Tullier paired up to take the doubles title.

The Cougars had already won the team title earlier this season as they went undefeated in league play.

See the full story here.

HS tennis: Citrus Valley vs. Oak Hills

Final score: Oak Hills 12, Citrus Valley 6

Varsity Singles

Stephanie Thomas 4-6, 6-2, 6-2

Lauren Smith 4-6, 6-4, 6-0

Angelica Perea 6-2, 6-0, 6-1

(This is a very impressive win for Angelica: It was her first match as a singles player.)

Varsity Doubles

Taylor Tang and Theodora Turner 6-2, 6-3, 6-0

Vanessa Franco and Stacy Henriquez 5-7, 4-6, 6-2

Denise Rhoten and Sarah Olson 3-6, 3-6, 6-4

Oak Hills Overall Record: 10-6

HS tennis: Barstow vs. Oak Hills

Final score: Oak Hills 12 Barstow 6

Varsity Singles

Nicky King 6-1, 6-0, 6-0

Stephanie Thomas 3-6, 6-1, 6-2

Lauren Smith 1-6, 6-0, 6-2

Varsity Doubles

Taylor Tang and Theodora Turner 6-1, 6-2, 6-4

Angelica Perea and Vanessa Franco 1-6

Varsity Subs

Mallory Burton and Vanessa Gonzalez 7-5, 6-7(6-8)

Denise Rhoten and Sarah Olson 1-6, 6-1, 6-7(8-10)

Oak Hills Overall Record: 9-5

New on-line pro listing

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Gil Duran, we have the beginnings of a list of local tennis pros for the high desert. The list is still getting off the ground, but we're hoping that eventually we'll be able to provide contact information for each pro in the area, plus an information page (or link to the pro's site).

If you are a tennis pro, check to see if your information is there, and if it is complete and accurate.

If you are a consumer of professional tennis services, this list will make it much easier to find a teacher for yourself or your budding junior player.

Check out our High Desert Tennis Pros listing here.

Visit HDTA on Facebook

Attention all Facebook fiends: The High Desert Tennis Association now has a presence on this popular social networking site.

Visit the HDTA on Facebook now and become a fan!

Support HDTA on-line!

The High Desert Tennis Association (HDTA) website now offers visitors the ability to make tax-deductible donations online through Google Checkout and PayPal.

Your tax-deductible donations help support the import work of HDTA, including the upcoming junior tournament, court resurfacing, and tennis programs.

To donate, visit our donations page and click your choice of donation vehicles. Supporters' names will appear on the site in recognition of their commitment.

HDTA board members attend SCTA/USTA seminar

HTDA board members Tim Wallace and Rick Golden attended a two-day USTA seminar at Palm Springs this past weekend. There, they learned about "Quick Start" tennis for kids (Saturday) and about community organization and promotion of tennis (Sunday). The presentations were inspiring and helpful. Most impressive is extent of the help and committment from the USTA, and the practical, and age-appropriate technique that is Quick Start Tennis.