USCAK-East Tennis Tournament played on UNA resort's courts (07/17/05)

USCAK-East Tennis Tournament played on UNA resort's courts

by George Sawchak

KERHONKSON, N.Y. - During the Fourth of July weekend, Soyuzivka, the estate of the Ukrainian National Association again became the site of the Ukrainian Sports Federation of the U.S.A. and Canada (USCAK) East Tennis Tournament. The competition was conducted in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. As are all Ukrainian tennis tournaments in North America this year, the tournament was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of USCAK and the 50th year of competitive tennis played at Soyuzivka.

There were 43 entrants in the tournament, making it one of the most attended USCAK-East events in recent years. Especially noteworthy was a large presence in the junior groups, both boys and girls - most of them from Soyuzivka's Tennis Camp, which was held on site at the time of the tournament. Beautiful July weather throughout the weekend added to the enjoyment of the tennis competition.

The tournament was conducted in six groups: men's singles, senior men's singles, boys' and girls' singles and men's and mixed doubles. There were three groups of consolation play.

A young Californian, Gregory Sturman, became the 2005 Men's USCAK-East champion when in the finals against Dennis Chorny, his opponent pulled a hamstring muscle and could not continue the match. At the time of the injury, Chorny was ahead 4-2 in the first set of what would have been a classic tennis match between a gifted young player and a skilled veteran.

On his way to the finals, Sturman defeated Steve Sosiak and Marko Krasij, while Chorny received a default in the second round and won against Victor Krasij in the semi-finals.

In a large boys' group, Mykola Stroynyk, last year's champion, defeated Greg Serba in the finals 6-1, 6-1 to win the group again. On his way to the finals Stroynyk beat Andrew Klokiw in the second round 6-0, 6-2 and Vasyl Hereha 6-0, 6-0 in the semi-finals. Serba won against Julian Chernyk 6-0, 6-1 in the second round and Alexander Charchalis 6-2, 6-3 in the semi-finals.

Katrusia Charchalis repeated as a champion of the girls' group. She won the final match against Lana Denysyk 6-0, 6-2 to claim the title. In the semi-finals Charchalis defeated Larysa Boyko 6-0, 6-0, while Denysyk beat Alyssa Boyko in the first round 6-2, 6-2 and with the same score defeated Californian Andrea Kucina in the semi-finals.

Charchalis paired with her father, Andrij, to win the mixed doubles competition. In the finals they defeated the pair of Nusia Dubas and Richard Legeckis 6-1, 6-2. In the semis the Charchalises defeated another father-and-daughter team, Katrina and Ivan Durbak, 6-0, 6-1, while the Dubas-Legetzke team advanced when the husband-wife team of deVassals could not continue the match due to injury after splitting the first two sets.

Sosiak and Ihor Lukiw repeated as men's doubles champions, winning against the father-and-son team of Andrij and Alexander Charchalis in the finals 6-1, 6-4. In the semi-finals Sosiak-Lukiw team defeated George Hrabec and George Sawchak 7-5, 6-2, while in a long match the Charchalises won over two brothers, Marko and Victor Krasij 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

The winners of the consolation tournaments were Walter Dziwak in the men's group, Christopher Farion in the boys' group and Anissa Boyko in the girls' group.

The host club of the tournament was the Carpathian Ski Club (KLK) of New York, and the event was run by USCAK's Tennis Committee member George Hrabec and George Sawchak, tennis director.

Presenting the awards at the conclusion of the tournament were UNA Treasurer Roma Lisovich, Mr. Hrabec and Mr. Sawchak. Representing the Ukrainian National Association, Ms. Lisovich spoke briefly to the participants encouraging them to support Soyuzivka and UNA activities.

The next Ukrainian tennis tournament will be USCAK's Singles Championships held at Soyuzivka during the Labor Day weekend. Information about entry into this tournament will be published in The Ukrainian Weekly and Svoboda newspapers.

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