TEMPLETON, September 23, 2018 (by Steve Pratt)
Central Coast tennis fans will be happy to hear that young American’s Taylor Townsend and Jamie Loeb will return to play in the Central Coast Pro Tennis Open, a USTA $60,000 Women’s Pro Circuit event that will take place at the Templeton Tennis Ranch beginning with qualifying play Sunday and concluding with the finals on Sept. 30.
Those same fans could only hope for another memorable matchup between Townsend and Loeb like last year’s classic semifinal which saw the former NCAA singles champion Loeb pull out a 6-4, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (8) win over the former world No. 1 junior player Townsend in a dramatic three-hour match. A 22-year-old from Atlanta, Townsend is currently the highest seeded player in the draw and is ranked No. 64 in the WTA World Tour rankings. Like last year, she has been named a tournament wild card as a late entry and will be the No. 1 seed.
Townsend won both the singles and doubles Australian Open titles as a junior, and three of the four Grand Slam doubles events in 2012.
Recent US Open qualifier American Madison Brengle will be the No. 2-seeded player at the second-annual event that will award $9,119 to the singles winner, who will also receive 80 valuable WTA Tour rankings points. Currently ranked No. 105 in the world, Brengle qualified for the US Open a few weeks ago, losing to fellow American Sofia Kenin in the first round in a third-set tiebreak. She reached the quarterfinals at the WTA event in Auckland, defeating Serena Williams in the second round.
Another seeded American besides Loeb includes former Stanford University four-time All-American Kristie Ahn, who reached the final at the $60,000 event in Landisville, Pa., this year, losing to Brengle.
Others Americans in the main draw include: Lauren Davis, Ashley Kratzer, Grace Min, Asia Muhammad, Victoria Duval and Jessica Pegula, Maria Sanchez, Emina Bektas and Louisa Chirico.
Main-draw wild cards include former USC player Danielle Lao, 18-year-old rising American Ann Li and former Arroyo Grande High School star Sophie Whittle. Currently a Gonzaga University senior, Whittle received a wild card last year and won her first WTA point with an upset over the No. 3 seeded player.
The Central Coast Pro Tennis Open will attract more than 80 WTA players who are ranked from No. 100 to No. 350 in the world, along with their support teams and families.
Local tennis enthusiasts and the general public are invited to enjoy eight days of professional tennis. The tournament will include a free Kid’s Day; social events; public clinics and a pro-am event.
The Central Coast Pro Tennis Open launches “Templeton Crush”
Seeking to add a bit of refreshing flair to the upcoming Central Coast Pro Tennis Open, organizers of the second-year tournament will unveil a new signature drink once the event begins its eight-day run Sept. 23-30.
Templeton Crush
Ralph Goehring, Owner and President of Templeton Tennis Ranch (TTR) wanted local tennis fans to experience something similar to the US Open’s Honey Deuce and Wimbledon’s Pimm’s Cup, creating a unique tournament drink that represents the world-class wine region of the Central Coast.
To meet the request, Ali Carscaden, Owner and certified advanced Sommelier of 15C Wine Shop & Bar in downtown Templeton has created the“Templeton Crush”. “The Templeton Crush is a signature drink developed specifically for this tournament and its main ingredients are local Chardonnay, and fresh fruit puree in a refreshing slushy form,” Carscaden said. “The vibrant green color is of course reminiscent of tennis balls.”
Goehring added: “We decided on the name ‘Crush’ because of its dual meaning – crushing the grapes and because at times a tennis player can ‘crush’ the ball, usually an overhead slam. Additionally, we desire to brand the town of Templeton because that is our location and it is the heart of the Central Coast wine region. So enjoy some professional tennis and our new Templeton Crush!”
