Bermuda Pickleball Players Compete In Florida
Bermudian pickleball players experienced a mix of triumphs and challenges at the Humana APP Fort Lauderdale Open, showcasing their skills in various age divisions.
In the mixed doubles UTR-P 4.0: 65+ group 2 category, Sue Chiappa and Michael J Burns faced tough competition, finishing with a 0-3 record. They fell to Victor Espinosa and Maria Ramos 15-2, Ron Schwenk and Patricia Astin 15-10, and Tinsley Dozier and Holly Hancock 15-6, ultimately placing 4th in their group.
However, there was success for Bermuda in the mixed doubles UTR-P 4.0: 70+ division. Danny Fox and Sarah Fox battled their way to a silver medal, demonstrating resilience and determination throughout the tournament.
The Fox duo finished the round-robin stage with a 3-1 record, defeating Scott Nicastro and Linda Nicastro 16-14, Melissa Vercillo and Arthur Vercillo 15-10, and Howard Weisbart and Lynne Weisbart 15-1, while suffering a 15-11 loss to Debi Dorne and Norm Dickman.
In the playoffs, they faced Dorne and Dickman again in the semi-finals, this time emerging victorious with a 15-9 win. The final proved to be a thrilling encounter against the Nicastros. Despite a strong start, the Fox pair ultimately fell short, losing 2-11, 11-7, 11-1 in a hard-fought three-set match.
