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mike rahaley

Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Takes Over Management Of Vero Beach, Florida USTA Pro Circuit Event

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The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation today announced it has taken over the management of the $10,000 “Futures” tennis tournament – one of the longest-running and best attended events on the U.S. Tennis Association Pro Circuit. The tournament – to be called The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships – will now benefit the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, the non-profit tennis foundation benefiting children, named for Vero Beach native son Mardy Fish, a former top 10 tennis star, U.S. Davis Cup hero and silver medalist at the 2004 Olympic Games.

The event was managed for 20 years by Vero Beach tennis teaching professional Mike Rahaley, who made the annual Vero Beach stop one of the crown jewels on the USTA Pro Circuit. The 2016 tournament will be held April 22 through May 1 at The Boulevard tennis club.

“This announcement is all about the future of Vero Beach – to continue this important event and keep it in this community that is so passionate about tennis and to use the tournament to help raise funds for the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation which serves as an investment in the future of our community through the kids,” said Tom Fish, Chairman of the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation. “We salute Mike Rahaley for the amazing job he has done with this event that last 20 years and we look forward to continuing his legacy for years to come as the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships.”

Tom Fish, Mike Rahaley, Mardy Fish
Tom Fish, Mike Rahaley, Mardy Fish

Founded in 2007, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.mffkids.org and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) currently supports over 2,100 children in 15 elementary schools and six middle schools in Indian River County, Florida by providing after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily, Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.” Mardy Fish recently completed his ATP professional tennis career at the 2015 U.S. Open, highlighted by a career-high ranking of No. 7, six ATP singles titles, eight ATP doubles titles and an Olympic silver medal in singles at the 2004 Olympics. He reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and was a mainstay on the U.S. Davis Cup team from 2002 to 2012.

“We are so appreciative to the USTA and Mike Rahaley for allowing the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation to take over this tournament and keeping it in Vero Beach,” said Mardy Fish. “Vero Beach is one of the most enthusiastic and sophisticated tennis communities in the country and we are looking forward to seeing this event continue to grow in the years to come. Most importantly, we are excited that the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation can use this event as a promotional and fundraising platform to benefit children in Vero Beach, Indian River County and beyond.”

The annual USTA Vero Beach Futures has an economic impact of approximately $500,000 per year on the Vero Beach local economy. Approximately 3,000 fans annually attend the event, which is seen as one of the best-attended events in the world on the “Futures” level of professional tennis tournaments.

Mardy Fish Children's Foundation Tennis Championships
Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships

Some of the past competitors in Vero Beach have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007 competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Australian Open semifinalist Milos Raonic among others. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Six former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young and Ryan Harrison.

Tickets for the qualifying rounds of the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships from April 22 – April 25 will cost $10, while tickets for the main draw of singles and doubles from April 26 – May 1 will be $20. Season tickets that include both the qualifying and main draw events cost $100. Advance tickets can be purchased at www.VeroBeachTennisTickets.com. Admission for children 18 and under is free. Fans can follow news and developments on the tournament on Facebook and on Twitter at @VeroFutures.

Mardy Fish Children's Foundation Press Conference
Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Press Conference

Vero Beach hopes to never see Mexican Davis Cupper again

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“We hope we never see you here again,” was the refrain to Mexico’s Daniel Garza from Mike Rahaley, tournament director of the $10,000 Warren Insurance Vero Beach USTA Futures at The Boulevard.

While sounding quite rude and harsh, it’s meant to be a positive.

Daniel Garza with Tournament Director Mike Rahaley

Rahaley hopes that the Mexican Davis Cupper – and all players in his tournament – will no longer need to play in events like the USTA Futures event in Vero Beach as they hopefully progress from the lowest level of professional tennis up to potentially the ATP Tour level.

After three years playing at the USTA Futures event in Vero Beach, Garza was able to net the singles title Sunday with a 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-1 victory over high school senior Mitchell Frank of Annandale, Virginia.

Garza, seeded No. 4, earned $1,300 and ranking points that will move him from his singles ranking of No. 444 to inside the top 400.

“I played really well today,” said the 26-year-old Garza in broken English. “I am very happy.”

The first set was highlighted by many jerking baseline rallies as the scrappy Frank withstood the slices, drop shots – and even a between-the-legs “tweener” from Garza. After an early exchange of service breaks, a tie-breaker decided the first stanza. Garza jumped to a 5-1 lead and held on to take the tie-breaker 7-3.

In the second set, a most unusual circumstance caused for a major shift in momentum. Serving at 1-2, 0-30, Garza benefitted from Frank breaking a string in his racquet, which forced an error. On the very next point at 15-30, Frank again broke a string in his new racquet, but sliced a few balls back into play and was able to hit a forehand slice passing shot to remarkably win the point and give him two break points. Losing the point flustered Garza – compounded by losing the next point to lose serve after Frank put away a forehand volley to take a 3-1 lead. A discouraged Garza more or less tanked the rest of the set to draw the match even at one set apiece.

Frank continued his momentum – and could have taken full control of the match – by breaking Garza to open the third set, and taking a 30-0 lead in the second game. However, the 18-year-old seemed to lose concentration after Garza took a long time inbetween points dusting the clay off of his legs and clothes. Two unforced errors and two double-faults later and Garza broke back for 1-1. From there, Garza took full control of the match as Frank began to tire and wilt under the Florida sun, Garza rolling through the last six games of the match.

Frank, who will attend the University of Virginia next fall, won eight singles matches in ten days, including four matches in the qualifying tournament.