What started out as a fun, social way to get some exercise turned into a national championship for a local tennis team.
The nine women, including six Andoverites, began playing together in May at the Willows racquet club in North Andover, competing in the U.S. Tennis Association's 2.5 women's league. Four months and hundreds of games later, the teammates found themselves in Las Vegas at the USTA's national championships in October, sweeping a team from Florida to win the championship title.
The women are the first team ever from New England to win a USTA league championship.
"More than any team I've worked with, they are really committed and motivated to make themselves better," said Coach Igor Korik, who has coached tennis for five years at the Willows. "They would get together four, five times a week (to practice). Sometimes playing two times a day, playing anywhere they could, even setting up games with teams from New Hampshire."
All nine team members have been playing tennis seriously for less than four years. They have careers, children and families, and say they play tennis for enjoyment and exercise.
"We just wanted to have fun," said team member Liz Morin. "Just to go to the championship was a big win for us."
Meeting last week at the Willows club, the players agreed the win came from a number of factors: expert guidance from Korik, perseverance, long hours of practice and support from friends and family.
At the Las Vegas tournament, the Willows team had the largest — and loudest — fan base of any team, they said. More than 20 friends and family members flew in to cheer them on, some from as far away as Australia.
"I don't think New England has ever out-cheered Puerto Rico (at the championships)," Korik said with a laugh.
Because a New England team had never won a championship, the Willows team "flew under the radar" at the Las Vegas competition, said players, surprising some teams that expected to beat them. Adding to their underdog image, the Willows players were the only team at the national competition without matching, customized uniforms and gear, they said, and played in over 90-degree heat against teams from warm-weather climates that practice outdoors all year.
Team member Jacki Santini summed up the win succinctly: "We wanted it more," she said.
Natalie Bojas served as the unofficial team captain, keeping the team organized, setting up practice matches via e-mail and giving a motivational "pep talk" before each competition.
In peak training before the championship, each player was spending more than 10 hours a week on the tennis court, she said.
"We gave it our all," Bojas said.
In competition, the team reminded each other that winning comes one game, one point at a time, said player Juliann Murphy.
In league play, teams play two doubles and one singles tennis game simultaneously, using five players. Throughout competition, the Willows team rotated their nine players, each with a different playing style and strengths.
The 2.5 league has 11,500 participants around the country. USTA leagues are ranked by ability, and the 2.5 Willows team is about halfway between the beginner rank of 2.0 and top league players at 5.0, said Korik.
The Willows team beat out 500 players on 53 teams to represent New England at the national championships, said team manager Gary Barros.
Besides Andover, players on the Willows 2.5 women's team are from Wilmington and North Andover. This fall, the Willows team was bumped up to the 3.0 level, and is looking forward to league competition next year, members agreed.
U.S. Tennis Association's women 2.5 league national champions
A team of mostly Andover residents based at the Willows racquet club in North Andover clinched the USTA's championship tournament, held in Las Vegas this fall.
Team members are Madeline Kelly, Juliann Murphy, Janet Nork, Sheryl Rose, Lyuba Michel, and Merritt Clancy, all of Andover; also Natalie Bojas, Jacki Santini, Liz Morin, coach Igor Korik and manager was Gary Barros.
