Great Place to Play

PHOTO BY JEFF LACHER

NET WORK. Men’s singles champion Roman Borvanov lets loose on a forehand.

When Roman Borvanov and Suzanne Matzenauer captured the singles titles at the Pacific Northwest Open Tennis Championships (PNW) last weekend at the Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club, it was not just the culmination of a week of good play on their parts, but of six months of planning and preparation on the part of the staff, members and volunteers at the venerable club that made it possible.

This has become an event on the tennis tour that players say they love to play.

“The people here are just so great. That’s why I keep coming back,” said Borvanov to the overflow crowd at his trophy presentation, echoing the feelings of any player you’d talk to.

Wonderful hospitality and remarkable competence at every level of the operation – from the head pro to the club manager to the volunteers – is what does the trick for this tournament year after year.

For the past 119 years, the club has been home to the PNW, with the exception of a one-year hiatus during WWII. Throughout the years, the tournament has grown to offer the biggest purse of all six tournaments in the Pacific Northwest circuit, but this year marks a new milestone for the PNW. The tournament will not only be giving away $20,000 in prize money in five open events, but it will also award a scholarship to a worthy local athlete this fall.

“We’re always looking for new ways to promote tennis, and I’m proud of our ability to raise enough money for the tournament, while also giving back to the community through our scholarship fund this year,” said Mike Politeo, tournament co-director and club member.

For the past six years, Politeo has been responsible for securing sponsorships and raising the required $70,000 to run the event. The remaining funds are reinvested in capital improvement projects for the club.

“Last year, we gave $25,000 back to the facilities in the form of improvements such as new grandstands,” Politeo remarked. “We have great support coming from volunteers, sponsors and the community.”

In spite of a slow economy, sponsorship support this year is as strong as ever. The three primary sponsors, Bruce Titus Automotive Group, Heineken and Heritage Bank provide the prize money, and dedicated volunteers help the tournament run smoothly.

Longtime volunteers Georgia Howell, Alice Wilhyde and Colleen Barta have worked in court control for as many as 30 years. “This has always been a fun event to participate in every year,” Barta said. “We make sure all the matches start on time, and the players come to us if they need anything. We’re basically the moms of the tournament.”

When Howell joined the club more than 30 years ago, the PNW was “the social event of the year,” she said. “The tournament has grown since then, but it’s always been about promoting tennis and getting the community involved.”  

Only approximately 10 percent of the players this year are local, and the majority of the others stay with volunteers for the week. The PNW is one of the few tournaments on the circuit that provides housing for players, keeping athletes coming back year after year.

“Players love coming out here, because they’re treated very well,” said Tom Peterson, tournament co-director and Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club general manager. “They not only stay with our members, but these volunteers come out and support them at the matches. Most tournaments on the circuit do not have this much of a crowd.”

Among the families hosting players was Matzenauer’s. They had 10 players staying with them.

The facilities at the club offer the ideal viewing atmosphere, and with food and beverage tents, players and spectators can stay on site all day. “Our members look forward to this tournament every year,” Peterson said. “Many of them even take the week off of work to support the players and have fun.”

Each year, the tournament also hosts a Metro Parks kids’ clinic to promote tennis and encourage community involvement. “This clinic has been a great way to get people involved from all over,” Peterson said.

Co-director and resident tennis pro Mark Hanson says the PNW tournament encourages community involvement, and also offers events for players throughout the week, as well. “At most tournaments, players show up, play, and leave,” Hanson said. “Here, we have events at night such as our pro/am match, where players are matched with a sponsor, and other parties at night. In other tournaments, when the match is over, it’s over. Here, it’s a week-long party, and players love coming back and competing at our tournament.”

Tournament Notes:

Borvanov and Matzenauer both had won the tournament before. Borvanov won it last year and Matzenauer, a Bellarmine Prep graduate from Tacoma, won it in 2007.

They both scored easy victories in the finals. Borvanov, the men’s top seed, defeated Clancy Shields (6-4, 6-1), who was battling a sore back; Matzenauer, the women’s third seed, topped Stephany Chang (6-3, 6-1).

“Suzanne is really striking the ball well, probably as good as I have seen her,” said Kelcy McKenna, the top-seeded women’s player and defending champion, who lost in the semifinals to Matzenauer.

The two players teamed up to win the 2010 tournament’s women’s doubles title.

“We have played and practiced a lot together,” said McKenna. “I think she is playing at the top of her game right now. She is improving with age,” she said of her 22-year-old friend, who just graduated from college.

Rick Walter contributed to this story.

Commenting rules