For the first time in recent memory, no USTA Southern state won more than one championship at a USTA League sectional.
Each of the section’s states – except for Kentucky – won a title at the 2019 USTA League Adult 40 & Over Southern Sectional Championships. Adding to the equality, each of the eight finals were decided by a tight 3-2 score. Georgia, Louisiana and Tennessee also had two finalists.
USTA Southern crowned eight champions 40 & Over Southern Sectional Championships, played July 26-29. The annual championships were played at the Copeland-Cox Mobile (Ala.) Tennis Center. There were more than 80 men’s and women’s teams with more than 900 players from nine states.
In years past, teams played round robins to determine two finalists. Starting this year, teams in most levels played to determine semifinalists, giving more teams a chance to win a Southern championship.
High-resolution photos of champions and finalists are in a Facebook gallery and are available for download.
| Level | Champion Hometown - Captain/s | Finalist Hometown – Captain/s | Score in final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 3.0 | Booneville, Miss. Danny Thompson | Pelham, Ala. Jesse Crowley | 3-2 |
| Men's 3.5 | Jonesboro, Ark. Jeff Carpenter/ Robby Patterson | Alpharetta, Ga. Gregory Jones | 3-2 |
| Men's 4.0 | Hoover, Ala. Patrick Mills | Mandeville/Covington, La. (A) Bentley Harvey | 3-2 |
| Men's 4.5+ | Denver, N.C. Kane Haynes | Shreveport, La. Jeffrey Goodman | 3-2 |
| Women's 3.0 | Rock Hill, S.C. Hillary Toon | Memphis, Tenn. Lisa Edwards/ Tracy Pope | 3-2 |
| Women's 3.5 | Brentwood, Tenn. Jenny Burton/ Jennifer McNabb | Valdosta, Ga. Betsy Backe | 3-2 |
| Women's 4.0 | Roswell, Ga. Laurie Schmidt | Charlotte, N.C. Jean Little | 3-2 |
| Women's 4.5+ | New Orleans, La. Nancy Marcello/ Barbara Fitz-Hugh | Nashville, Tenn. Adrienne Simmons/ Sue Falkner | 3-2 |