Submit information about your team by clicking on the photograph.
A Haverhill native took two titles during this past weekend’s annual Winnekenni Tennis Tournament.
Haverhill’s Miles Stapel swept two titles in both Men’s Singles and Doubles. In the singles final, Stapel defeated defending Champion and top seed Sam Jackson 6-4, 6-2. Stapel, who is entering his senior year at Haverhill High School, advanced to the final by defeating Alex McGovern and last year’s finalist John Murphy, also of Haverhill. Stapel, who is a multiple time Merrimack Valley Conference All Star, became the youngest Haverhill resident to win the title and the first to sweep both titles since 1966.
Tournament organizer Peter Lynch said “the quality of players this year was very good.” He told WHAV there’s been increased usage of the Ernie DiBurro Recreation Center tennis courts, crediting “word of mouth” for the growth.
“I think people are starting to realize that people don’t give up spots at the private clubs,” he added. Usage of the DiBurro courts costs $30 an hour with no club membership fee.
In the doubles final, Stapel teamed with Sheryas Saridana, of Governor’s Academy, to defeat the father-son team of Richard and Justin Ridzon of Lowell 6-4, 6-4. Stapel and Saradina were down 3-1 early in the match but battled back to win five out of six games to take the first set. In the second set, it was close until the end when Saradina took control and forced a service break to win the set and championship. In the semifinal, Stapel and Saradina beat Gary Benjamin and Jim Montanaro 6-3, 6-0.
Jackson, a resident of Darien, Conn., former collegiate star at Wheaton College and now a four-time finalist, used his veteran experience to fend off his younger competitors. In the final, however, he appeared to be lacking the energy he exhibited in earlier rounds. After a close 6-4 first set, Stapel rolled to a 6-2 second set win and took the title.
In the doubles semifinals, the Ridzans upset top seeds and defending champions Eric Allshouse, the Lowell High School boy’s tennis coach and two-time doubles champ, and Chen Chen, Lawrence High School boy’s tennis coach. Allshouse and Chen dropped the first set 6-2, and fell in the second 7-5 to the Ridzans.
Benjamin had success in the mixed doubles, winning the title with Shirley Ciccolo defeating Angelica Castro and Michael Willis of Lawrence.
In the Women’s doubles final, the team of Karen Leggett and Laura Ewing Mahoney defeated Barbara Costello and Maura Samaglia 12-10 to claim victory.
As WHAV previously reported, the tournament, sponsored by Haverhill Recreation Department, is one of the oldest municipal tournaments in the city, beginning in the 1930s. The tournament, which did not take placed from 2019-2024 due to poor court conditions, had a total of 32 entrants.