Army's Pauli, Malakoff Capture Tennis Titles

By Master Sgt. Stephen Barrett, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 1996 – Two Army officers grabbed open tennis titles at the 1996 Army invitational tennis tournament, held Sept. 12-18 at Fort Eustis, Va.
 
Although not a sanctioned armed forces event, the top four finishers in each category will advance to the 1996 Consiel du Sport Militaire tennis championships Nov. 10-19 in Moscow.
 
In the men's open final, 1st Lt. James Malakoff of Fort Hood, Texas, knocked off the 1995 defending championin winning the 1996 title. Losing the first set, Malakoff rallied to defeat Air Force 1st Lt. Jerry Ledzinski of Los Angeles Air Force Base, 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 in the finals.
 
Malakoff earned the finals by beating two other Air Force players. He defeated Tech. Sgt. Jose Rivera (Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii) 6-3, 7-5 in the quarterfinals, then easily handled 2nd Lt. Trace Thrulby (Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.) in the semifinals, 6-0, 6-2.
 
Ledzinski returned to the finals by beating two Air Force teammates. He earned a victory by retirement over Staff Sgt. Dave Hite of Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. He then battled through a three-set match with Capt. Scott Corey, defeating the Warner-Robbins Air Force Base, Ga., officer, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.
 
Army 1st Lt. Michele Pauli of Heidelberg, Germany, defended her 1995 armed forces women's open title with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over teammate 2nd Lt. Kristin Argus (Fort Hood).
 
Pauli earned her way to the finals with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph over the U.S. Air Force Academy's Capt. Kim Green. Argus earned her finals spot by beating Army 2nd Lt. Allyson Toce, also of Heidelberg, 6-0, 6-0.
 
In other tennis competition, Air Force Capt. Tom Barth, assigned in New York City, captured the men's junior veterans competition. He defeated Army Sgt. Robert Beckvall of Fort Carson, Colo., 6-4, 6-4 in the 35-to-45 age category. Army Lt. Col. Stanley Morris of Heidelberg took the men's senior title (ages 45 and above) with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Army Maj. Glen Anderson of Giebelstadt, Germany.
 
 In doubles play, Ledzinski and Corey defeated Air Force teammates 1st Lt. Bruce Ybarra (Andrews Air Force Base, Md.) and Rivera 6-2, 6-3 for the men's open title. Pauli and Argus took the women's open title with a 7-6, 6-4 win over Green and 1st Lt. Christine Rilovick (F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.).
 
In men's junior vets, Barth and Capt. Jim Schwenke of Washington captured the doubles title with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Navy's Lt. Cmdr. Brent Filbert and Cmdr. Brad Baylor, both assigned at Norfolk Naval Base, Va.
 
Morris and Master Sgt. Robert Richards of Fort Myer, Va., captured the men's senior doubles title. They defeated Anderson and Air Force Capt. Dave Cox of Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Men's Open Singles
First Round
 Tech. Sgt. Jose Rivera (AF), Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii def. Petty Officer 3rd Class James Lowes (N), USS Eisenhower, 6-0, 6-3.
 1st Lt. Bruce Ybrarra (AF), Andrews Air Force Base, Md., def. Capt. Richard Song (A), U.S. Army Korea, 6-1, 6-3.
 2nd Lt. Trace Thrulby (AF), Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., def. Spc. Christopher Lowery (A), Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, 6-3,6-4.
 Spc. Jeffrey Wood (A), Fort Hood, Texas, def. Capt. Jim Schwenke (AF), Washington, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6.
 Staff Sgt. Dave Hite (AF), Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., def. Capt. Christopher Waters (A), Fort Hood, Texas, 1-6, 4-1 (retirement).
 
Second Round
 1st Lt. James Malakoff (A), Fort Hood, Texas, def. Rivera 6-3, 7-5.
 Thrulby def. Ybarra 6-7, 5-4 (default).
 Capt. Scott Corey (AF), Warner-Robbins Air Force Base, Ga., def. Wood, 6-3, 6-0.
 2nd Lt. Jerry Ledzinski (AF), Los Angeles Air Force Base, def. Hite, 6-3, 6-1.

Third Round
 Malakoff def. Thrulby 6-0, 6-2.
 Ledzinski def. Corey 5-7, 6-1, 6-1

Championship
 Malakoff def. Ledzinski 4-6, 7-5, 6-0

Women's Open Singles
First Round
 2nd Lt. Allyson Toce (A), Heidelberg, Germany, def. 1st Lt. Christine Rilovick (AF), F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., 6-4, 6-2.

Second Round
 2nd Lt. Kristin Argus (A), Fort Hood, def. Toce 6-0, 6-0.
 1st Lt. Michele Pauli (A), Heidelberg, Germany, def. Capt. Kim Green (AF), U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo., 6-2, 6-1.

Championship
Pauli def. Argus 6-2, 6-3.

Men's Junior Vets Singles
First Round
 Capt. Tom Barth (AF), New York City, def. Capt. Jonathan Etterbeck (A), Fort Stewart, Ga., 6-1, 6-3.

Second Round
 Barth def. Staff Sgt. Cameron McBride (A), Heidelberg, Germany, 6-0, 6-3.
 Sgt. Robert Beckvall (A), Fort Carson, Colo., def. Lt. Cmdr. Brent Filbert (N), Norfolk Naval Base, Va., 6-0, 7-6.

Championship
 Barth def. Beckvall 6-4, 6-4.

Men's Seniors
First Round
 Maj. Glenn Anderson (A) Giebelstadt, Germmany, def. Master Sgt. Robert Richards (A) Fort Myer, Va., 3-6, 7-6, 1-0 (retirement).
 Lt. Col. Stanley Morris (A) Heidelberg, Germany, def. Capt. Dave Cox (AF), Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., 6-3, 6-0.

Championship
 Morris def. Anderson 6-3, 6-2.

Men's Open Doubles
First Round
 Wood and Lowry def. Hite and Thrulby 7-5, 3-6, 6-1.

Second Round
 Corey and Ledzinski def. Wood and Lowry by default.
 Rivera and Ybarra def. Malakoff and Waters 7-6, 6-4.

Championship
 Corey and Ledzinski def. Rivera and Ybarra 6-2, 6-3.

Women's Open Doubles
Championship
 Argus and Pauli def. Green and Rivolick 7-6, 6-4.

Men's Junior Vets Doubles
Semifinals
 Cmdr. Brad Baylor (N), Norfolk Naval Base, Va., and Filbert def. Beckvall and Etterbeek, 6-4, 7-5.
 Barth and Schwenke def. Anderson and McBride, 6-4, 7-6.

Championship
 Barth and Schwenke def. Baylor and Filbert, 6-2, 6-3. 

Mens Senior Doubles
Championship
 Morris and Richards def. Cox and Anderson, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.