Profile of the East Division 2021
Past Champs: Varun 2018
Past Runner Ups: Varun 2019
Killar Grinders–Will Millar
PE Teachers: Eric Fredlund
Top 4.5 USTA NW Players–Martin
Former College Player: Martin
Depth? Power? Long grinds? Handsy power net games? Players who make Physical Fitness plans for a living? Crafty Veteran who has battling Rahber and company for 15 years? This division has it ALL! In arguably the deepest division, the East may just stop and start at Varun and Martin…..
Varun may just be our steadiest player….he opted out last year, but for the previous 4 years in a row he posted: 3rd place, 3rd place, Champ and Runner UP finished. He owns one of the best Golden Ball lifetimes records, 3rd only to Rahber and Martin…..Martin returns for his 2nd season of the Golden Ball. He has the ground game, the net game, the serve, frankly one of the best overall games in this league. One of the higher ranked 4.5’s in the USTA Northwest rankings currently, Martin was a stalwart for the Pacific Lutheran University teams (along with teammate Boyd) of the early/mid 2000s. I coached/played against some of those guys in Olympia 2001-2005, VERY GOOD, VERY DEEP small college teams at PLU that went to Nationals. Good luck playing push tennis against Martin!
Would I bet my house on Varun and Martin being the favorites? No, I don’t gamble. And, one cannot forget about the rest of this division. Will the KILLAR Millar may grind you to death, no one will blow him of the court. Probably the steadiest “grinder” Will knows how to take the life out of opponents, be prepared to play for a long time 🙂 Similarly, my fellow teacher Eric Fredlund will grind, mix it up, charge, and create a lesson plan against you, all while running and running.
Next, Dhana possesses a very nice all-court game, sweet backhand, and frankly, is a great competitor and one of with his on-court sportmanship. And….. THE VET–Deron D…The Big D….he used his heady game and aggressive all around play YEARS AGO, in the 2008 Tennis Tour league, to make the final 8 in the league of 50 4.0s and 4.5s. Scrappy, and different in that he will go to the net! I am looking forward to see his game. Finally, no one, except Will knows about Nickolay. He is good is what we know. He grinds and hits with some power…..
Is the East best? Tune in soon, as the Varun/Martin rumble happens this week 3….