Robbye Poole, pictured at right, an All American from Ole Miss, on Sunday won the 2010 USTA Freeman $10,000 Futures Men's Tournament at the Millennium Tennis & Fitness Club. He said it was his first tournament won in Joplin.
Seeded #830 in the USTA pro circuit, Robbye Poole of Charlotte, NC, defeated qualifier Joel Kielbowicz of Henderson, Nevada, 6-1, 6-4, in a tournament that saw several players retire due to the blistering heat and high humidity.
The mention of Poole's bounding topspin serve to his opponent's backhand brought a smile to Poole's face, attesting to how much players love when their serve is working. Poole also attributed his success to his agility on the court, and he credited his success returning serve to the hard hitters he plays with.
On his way to the finals Poole easily defeated #845 ranked Dovydas Sakinis of Lithuania, 6-1, 6-0 and # 4 seed Todd Paul of USA, 6-1, 6-4. In the quarter finals, qualifier Antonio Ruiz-Rosales of Mexico rolled over him in the first set but lost momentum after losing the second set in a tie-breaker (1-6, 7-6(1), 6-3).
In the semis Poole faced #8 seed Chang Yu of China. Yu knocked off #1 seed G. Ouellette in the quarters after playing a very consistent game against an opponent who probably wished he hadn't played that day, but Yu could not muster enough winners to defeat Poole who took the match in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Poole said he first picked up a racket when he was 9-years- old. He played tennis for the University of Mississippi and currently is being coached by Pat Harrison, the father of teen phenom Christian Harrison.
At left, Joel Kielbowicz, playing considerably behind the baseline, is in position to return one of the many topspin serves hit to his backhand side by his winning opponent Robbye Poole. At right, Kielbowicz takes a "time-out" after a frustrating mis-hit. Kielbowicz, who held the position of #1 singles at the University of Las Vegas, was the Futures doubles champion at Millennium four years ago.
Gary Duncan, CEO of Freeman Health Systems, at left, accepts a check representing the net proceeds for the Children's Miracle Network. Presenting it is David C. Humphreys, president and CEO of TAMKO Building Products and co-owner of the Millennium Tennis & Fitness Club. The volunteers and staff of the Children's Miracle Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children, helped make the tournament happen through sponsorships.
While the prize money in the $10K Futures may not cover expenses, it is the bottom rung in the USTA Men's Pro Circuit launched 31 years ago to provide players with the opportunity to gain the professional ranking points needed to compete on the major pro tours. Well-known players who completed the circuit include Andy Rodick, James Black, Sam Querrey and Andy Murray and on the women's circuit, Justine Henin, Maria Sharapova, Melanie Oudin and Caroline Wozniacki.
Comments