For the second year in a row, N.E.O. will host the best of the 3.0 (and sometimes 3.5) best as posh Chagrin Valley Athletic Club as the tropical Cleveland month of February, 2022 comes to an end. The entire weekend will be the single greatest thing to happen to Cleveland all winter long and CVAC will be home to some of the best (or worst) 3.0 (or 3.5) tennis around!
And who are these amazing athletes? Some are former tournament champions. Some are former NTRP champions. AND SOME ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS! Indeed, athletes from around the Midwest will travel far and wide (and sometimes not at all) to ply their 3.0 trade. Who will play? Who will win? Who will win but choose not to play?! Find out ... here!
Singles
(Click on a name to be taken to the advanced (!) scouting, i.e., TennisRecord.Com)
Group 1
Singles Record - 4-3
Overall Record - 5-6
Tournament Highlights - First event!
Notes - A second year player, Matt is entering his first ever tournament experience, so one would think that his 3.0 nerves will be an issue. However, this tournament newbie enjoys most of his play at the near-professional 3.5 level, showing he's got the nerves necessary to make a deep tournament run!
Fun Fact - Defeated Travis in his first ever 3.0 match!
Singles Record - 81-35
Overall Record - 103-47
Tournament Highlights - Six-time singles champion, including Akron Open ('21, '18), Wooster Aspen Championships ('19-20), Green Open ('20), Paramount Winter Championships ('20).
Notes - The most traveled tournament player in 3.0 history, Travis is back for one last shot at 3.0 glory (which is both impressive and sad ... or impressively sad)! With the most experience of any player willing to attend, and a "unique" style of play, he has the chance to end his 3.0 career at the top one more (pathetic) time. But, he's never won an event with more than eight humans in attendance, making one wonder exactly what you're wondering ... WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING!!!
Fun Fact - Lost to Matt in league season but pulled out a win versus George in the 2020 Akron Open!
Singles Record - 3-6
Overall Record - 3-9
Tournament Highlights - 2022 NWO District NTRP Fast Four Champion!
Notes - Hailing from the tennis rich land of NWO tennis, Tony brings a youthful exuberance that will no doubt energize his 3.0 play and that of the massive amount of tennis fans in attendance! Plus, he just wrapped up a successful Fast Four event, showing he has the experience necessary to play in the fastest of all 3.0 events!
Fun Fact - Tony not only won the opening singles tournament of the 2022 campaign but won the NWO NTRP event as well!
Singles Record - 36-33
Overall Record - 65-49
Tournament Highlights - A two-time singles champion, including the '10 Western Reserve Challenge and the '11 Paramount Fall Class, he is entering his 20th tournament event!
Notes - One of the most experienced tournament players of the last decade, Ron has the second most 3.0 tournament wins in 3.0 tournament history! A two-time title-holder, Ron's experience on the tournament courts shows he has the experienced needed to make an experienced run at this event! Plus, add in the fact that he's the only event participant who has scaled the mountain that is 3.5 NTRP tennis - AND HAS LIVED TO TELL THE TALE! - shows he has the skill necessary as well! Add it all up, and Ron looks to add to his already illustrious career!
Group 2
Singles Record - 10-16
Overall Record - 19-29
Tournament Highlights - Two, including Vice-Championship at Wynlakes Adult NTRP Fall Clay Court Challenge!
Notes - Hailing from Michigan, Damon brings something to the event that few others have experience with - clay court coverage! As the runner-up at the Wynlakes Clay Court Challenge, Damon is no stranger to tournament play, tournament conditions, or clay court conditions ... which could come into play IF CVAC plays outside. Which they won't. BUT IF THEY DO...!
Singles Record - 8-4
Overall Record - 11-9
Tournament Highlights - 2021 Wooster Aspen Champion, Green Open Semi-Finalist.
Notes - Another second year player, Nicholas looks to be the odds on favorite to take home NTRP Gold (or plastic gold, but still) as he enjoys one of the best singles records of all the entries. Moreover, Nicholas also enjoys tournament experience - and success - as his WAC Championship conspicuously indicates! Also playing in the doubles event, can Nicholas bring home not one but two shiny plastic trophies?!
Fun Fact - Has played both Brandon and George, defeating the former in two hard sets and falling to the later in three grueling sets!
Singles Record -13-8
Overall Record - 18-21
Tournament Highlights - None, first event!
Notes - One of the most experienced singles players in the event, John also brings experience against numerous top-notch 3.0ers to the event as well! Playing 3.0 legends like Robert Corts, Roderick Yamat, and John Consilio over his career, he won't be intimidated upon the 3.0 courts of CVAC!
Singles Record - 9-8
Overall Record - 32-43
Tournament Highlights - 2021 Green Open Champion, four tournaments overall.
Notes - Bringing some of the most extensive tournament experience in the event, George looks to continue his winning ways and add even more hardware to his 3.0 trophy case! His tournament experience, combined with his doubles acumen, makes George one of the 3.0 players to watch when it comes to this star-studded event!
Fun Fact - Defeated Nicholas in the 2021 G.O.C. semi's and barely fell to Travis in a first-to-five games Akron Open!
Group 3
Singles Record - 4-8
Overall Record - 32-64
Tournament Highlights - 2021 NTRP Semi-Finalist, Wooster Aspen Semi-Finalist
Notes - A long-time doubles player with nearly 100 total matches to his name, Brandon is also a tournament-tested singles player as well. In fact, finishing in the semifinals in both his tournament appearances in 2021, Brandon returns to the NTRP Championships courts in back-to-back seasons! Moreover, the only thing that kept Brandon from the finals last season is the fact he took on the eventual champion! Will this be the year Brandon is the eventual champion?!
Fun Fact - Played against Nicholas and Scott in the 2021 Wooster Aspen Championships, falling to the former in two hard fought, laser-blasting sets!
Singles Record - 0-1
Overall Record - 9-6
Tournament Highlights - First event!
Notes - One of the newest players in the field entering his second year of 3.0 play, Mark brings an extensive array of doubles experience to the event, noted by the fact that he's doubling up and playing doubles as well!
Fun Fact - Is teaming up with Nicholas ... could they face off against one another?!
Singles Record - 1-2
Overall Record - 1-2
Tournament Highlights - 2021 Wooster Aspen Semi-Finalist
Notes - While Scott has played but one event, it was the premier event in all of Wooster, Ohio! Indeed, the final tournament event of the calendar season, the WAC, saw Scott make a semi-finalist run in his first ever tournament run. Will this be the event where Scott turns that 3.0 experience into - ahem - 3.0 gold?!
Fun Fact - Has played Brandon!
Singles Record - 3-6
Overall Record - 3-9
Tournament Highlights - NWO District NTRP Mens/Womens Singles Fast Four 3.0/3.5/4.0 Closed Tournament Champion!
Notes - Hailing from the tennis rich land of NWO tennis, Tony brings a youthful exuberance that will no doubt energize his 3.0 play and that of the massive amount of tennis fans in attendance!
Doubles
Scott Limestoll & John Olenik
Record - 0-2
Notes - While their record may not speak it, their overall play screams it - these are two very good doubles players with more than 50 combined matches of tennis playing experience. Not only that, but they've mixed it up in their careers, playing both singles and doubles, so look for this flexible duo to put a scare into the bracket come matchday!
- versus -
James Peterson & Chao Wang
Record - 0-1
Notes - While they may have the least experience on the courts together, veteran James and second-year player Chao, have the longest drive to the event as both hail all the way from Illinois! How could this possibly be an advantage, you ask? Hours and hours and hours of mental preparation! Advantage Illinois!
Steve Constantino & Douglas Dempsey
Record - 7-1
Notes - Not only are Steve and Doug one of the most winningest tandems entering this event, they have some of the most experience as well, as their career tag-teaming dates all the way back to last decade - the long-forgotten 2010s! Not only that, but Steve and Doug have not only played pressure-packed league matches together, but also pressure packed playoff matches together! Add in Doug's experience on these very courts at this very event and the fact he was not only the winner of this very tournament two years ago but also a 2019 USTA NTRP National Doubles Championships Finalist in the 18+ division, it'll surprise no one if Steve and Doug continue the NTRP good times by adding the 40+ trophy to their trophy-packed trophy case!
- versus -
Mark Casey & Nicholas Fasola
Record - 1-0
Notes - Undefeated! What more is there to say?! The only knock on these two is that they're both playing singles as well. Will they be tired? Will there be animosity if they face off against one another?! Other than that, look for this pairing to make a dent in someone's NTRP Championship dreams!
Timothy Booher & Matthew Johnston
Record - 1-3
Notes - One of the more experienced tandems of the event, Timothy and Matthew both hail from the same courts as well, North Canton Racquet Club (not to be confused with the South, East, or West Canton Racquet Clubs)! Moreover, Timothy and Matthew's record belies the fact that despite their sub-.500 record, they're currently undefeated in their most previous match together. Will that streak continue at CVAC?!
- versus -
John Consilio & Craig Warner
Record - 16-6
Notes - When it comes to experience, John and Craig are the class of the event as their more than 20 tag-team ventures clearly illustrate! Not only that, but they've played in league and playoff play together, winning big match after big match, showing they've got the 3.0 moxie needed to make a big 3.0 run at this event. Which wouldn't be a surprise, for they are two of the winningest 3.0 players in 3.0 history! Indeed, Craig wrapped up a stellar 2021 season by not only going to nationals, but by being named one of Ohio's first ever NATIONAL CHAMPIONS! With a winning pedigree like that, it's no wonder the oddsmakers are looking at John and Craig to be making a trip to the NTRP finals when all is said and done!
Travis Haselswerdt & Scott Mellino
Record - 3-1
Notes - Undefeated in their first two matches, this pair doesn't exactly bring an impressive amount of court experience to this event. Or, actually, an impressive amount of anything to the court. However, their two wins were at the highest level - Midwest and Nationals play, and they were so good at Midwest that their opponents literally didn't score a single point! Or show up. Or ... exist. Now, that's intimidation! Add in the fact that both are wearing matching polo's and that's gotta count for something, eh?!
- versus -
Jay Nickels & Lawrence Wayne
Record - 6-1
Notes - Hailing all the way from Michigan, this pairing looks to repeat Michigan's recent dominance of the NTRP Championships! And indeed, they just may, as not only do they enjoy some of the most court experience of any tandem in said event but they also enjoy the most success at the near-professional 3.5 level as well!
Brackets
Singles
Singles will see three round robin pools that will go head-to-head-to-head (and in the case of two the groups to-head one more time!) with the two players from each pool advancing to the single-elimination winner's bracket while the bottom two advance to the single-elimination consolation bracket. WOW!
Doubles
Doubles will be a Compass Draw in which the winner's will advance to play one another while the loser's will advance to play against one another as well. DOUBLE WOW!
Predictions
In singles, look for Matt to take Group 1 honors and repeat his 2021 win over Travis while Travis and Ron, two of the most tournament tested players in 3.0 history with five D.F.O. Player of the Year awards between them, battle it out to join Matt in the Winner's Bracket! Group 2 looks to be the "Group of 3.0 Death" as Nicholas, George, and John all enjoy extensive 3.0 experience! In the end though, Nicholas looks to avenge his 2021 G.O.C. loss to George to lead the group, but he and George will have to not only deal with veteran John, but also Michigan's favorite son Damon! Group 3 is the ultimate wild-card, as it hosts three tournament tested players in hard-hitting Brandon and hard-hitting Scott combined with N.W.O. champion Tony! In a too-close to call group, Brandon's experience looks sharp while newbie Mark looks to make a deep NTRP run!
In the Winner's Bracket, it's anyone's game (because, quite literally, no one has played at the publication of this post)! The veteran experience of Travis, Ron, and George could pay dividends, but in the end new-guard 3.0ers Matt and Nicholas look on a collision course for first place glory!
In doubles, it's even more difficult to predict the unpredictable! In the top half of the bracket, the experience of Scott and John could see them move on while the same could be said for Steve and Douglas on their side of the bracket, leading to a semi-final match between two of the more experienced 3.0 tandems around! In the bottom half of the bracket, it's impossible to pick against National Champion Craig and John while at the very, very, very bottom of the bracket the 3.5 experience of Jay and Lawrence may prove the difference in their opening 3.0 foray.
In the finals, look for the experience of Craig and John to face off versus the NTRP experience of Douglas and Steve in an end-all-be-all showdown of all 3.0 showdowns!
Former 3.0ers of Note
Sanjay Beach ... a three-year 3.0er with 17 3.0 wins to his name, he also has a tournament title to his name! Good luck at 3.5 doubles and the near professional 4.0 singles, Sanjay!
Michael Kramer ... a four-year 3.0er who made four trips to the Nationals mountaintop and who was recently honored as a Hall of 3.0 Famer, Michael is teaming up for some 3.5 doubles action!
H. Michael Wiant ... a brief one-year 3.0 career was like a comet of 3.0 glory as H. Michael took home an Akron Open title before making the rare 3.0 to 3.5 to 4.0 move in less than one calendar year! Break a leg in 4.0 singles, Mike!
Everyone Else ... good luck! All the other brackets can be found here! Good luck to all this weekend!
Unless it's too icy to actually play this weekend. In that case, stay warm, 3.0ers!
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