Third Annual Florida One-On-One Doubles Championships Returns to St. Petersburg
After being televised on Bally Sports Florida and Bally Sports Sun last summer, One-On-One Doubles returns to the historic St. Petersburg Tennis Center, to host its 3rd Annual Florida One-On-One Doubles Championships on Saturday, November 4.
Entering its 20th year of sanctioned tournament competitions, One-On-One Doubles is the crosscourt serve-and-volley Singles game that includes the Doubles alley. Serve and Volley excitement is guaranteed as all competing players are required to serve-and-volley, on both serves, or there is a loss of point; half-volleys are allowed. Players earn the game’s two- point bonus for winning volleys and overheads-hit out of the air-the opponent cannot touch. One-On-One Doubles is the first game of tennis to Singles and Doubles since the inception of tennis in the 1870s One-On-One Doubles is widely considered as the Third Game of Tennis.
Ed Krass is the tournament founder and director. Ed coached the Harvard Women’s Team for 4 consecutive Ivy League Titles from 1986-1990. He helped coach the Clemson Men’s Team to two ACC Team Titles from 1984-1986 as the Assistant Coach. Ed got his start in college coaching at the University of Central Florida where he coached the Men’s Team to a #6 NCAA Division 2 National Team ranking in 1983 with wins over Wake Forest and Vanderbilt. In 1990, Ed started his College Tennis Exposure Camp, taught exclusively by all head college coaches, and is now entering his 35th year of directing the camp which was hosts 6 different camps throughout the country.
This year’s tournament will host an Open draw with players from top area colleges, USF, FSC and Saint Leo all slated to send players. The tournament’s marquee event will be its 40 & over division headlined by Ashley Fisher, who was 2006 US Open Doubles Semifinalist and 2006 Australian Open Doubles Quarterfinalist. Another Challenger to Fisher will be Tamer El-Sawai, former #1 player from Egypt and formerly ranked as high as #126 on the ATP Tour.
“The Men’s 60 & over Division looks to be wide open this year. We had some of the World’s top seniors all battle for the title at our last event”, stated Krass. Each division will crown its winner with a check for $700 and runner-up check for $300. “The One-On-One Doubles Tournament is always the highlight of my year. The event combines high quality competition and excellent live music entertainment. One-On-One Doubles should be played at the highest echelon of professional tennis”, said Ashley Fisher, Head Men’s Coach at the University of South Florida.
What also makes the four- hour One-On-One Doubles Tournament stand out, within the tennis industry, is the live music component. The Nov. 4th event will host Tampa Bay’s T-Bone Hamilton Band, with members who have played with many of the world’s blues greats. The band performs a FREE concert, at the Tennis Center, from Noon to 2:15, during its round robin portion of the tournament. Food, Beer, Wine and soft drinks will be available for purchase.
This year’s tournament sponsors include The Hangar Restaurant & Flight Lounge, The St. Petersburg Tennis Center, Blind and Shutter Gallery, The Treehouse Gallery, The Young Foundational Health Center and Hardwood Specialists, Dr. Gerald Gallentine and Dr. Michael Coleman.
The tournament is sanctioned by Universal Tennis and players wanting to register before tournament deadline of November 2 can enter at Universal Tennis | $3000 FLORIDA ONE-ON-ONE DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIPS & LIVE CONCERT EVENT.
For more information about One-On-One Doubles Tennis or this event, visit http://www.oneononedoubles.com or contact tournament founder, Coach Ed Krass, at 813-478-3384 or at oneononedoubles@yahoo.com.
