A Racquet Party Weekend That Lasted Seventy-Eight Years...
Monday December 15, 2008
What an amazing heritage for an intercity racquet competition! Court tennis's Payne Whitney Cup has been going strong since 1930, and the 78th competition was held this past weekend at the Racquet and Tennis Club in New York City. Held initially at the Whitney's estate called "Greentree", in Manhasset, Long Island, the Whitney Cup annually brings together amateur court tennis players from almost all the clubs in the United States.
Each club, or regional, team is comprised of five doubles teams, ordered by skill level. At least one team must be comprised of players who are age 55 or older. The other teams have no age limits. The level of play is always good, and the camaraderie quite warm since court tennis is a difficult game, and playing it well takes dedication. The players seem to appreciate seeing what others can do.
Similar in lineage to squash's Howe Cup, or perhaps the Fitzgerald Cup (the annual Baltimore/DC battle in squash), the Whitney Cup provides a fine tradition of sport, sportsmanship, and celebration of all the fun that swinging a racquet can bring.
For all those with inquiring minds, since you won't be able to read about it in your daily newspaper's sports section, the team representing New England bested the team from Washington, DC three matches to two in the finals on Sunday, December 14. The US Court Tennis Association has already posted a fine summary of this year's Whitney Cup. It was a hard-fought victory, and well-earned.
Each club, or regional, team is comprised of five doubles teams, ordered by skill level. At least one team must be comprised of players who are age 55 or older. The other teams have no age limits. The level of play is always good, and the camaraderie quite warm since court tennis is a difficult game, and playing it well takes dedication. The players seem to appreciate seeing what others can do.
Similar in lineage to squash's Howe Cup, or perhaps the Fitzgerald Cup (the annual Baltimore/DC battle in squash), the Whitney Cup provides a fine tradition of sport, sportsmanship, and celebration of all the fun that swinging a racquet can bring.
For all those with inquiring minds, since you won't be able to read about it in your daily newspaper's sports section, the team representing New England bested the team from Washington, DC three matches to two in the finals on Sunday, December 14. The US Court Tennis Association has already posted a fine summary of this year's Whitney Cup. It was a hard-fought victory, and well-earned.