The tennis program at Mesa Verde Country Club, like golf, has enjoyed an illustrious past. Under the direction of current Head Tennis Professional Randy Myers, members are offered a full schedule of leisure and competitive play together with enjoyable tournaments, social events, team play, private tennis instruction, group clinics, and summer tennis camps.
Mesa Verde has been the site of several major tennis events. In 1974, the club hosted the Aztel Classic, a Virginia Slims satellite tour tournament, and the very first Orange County Amateur Championship Tournament as well. The Seventh Annual UCI Anteater Marriott Classic, which featured sixteen of the top college tennis teams in the country was held at Mesa Verde in 1986. Finally, the club was the site for the First Junior League Singles Championship in 1991.
In addition to leisure and competitive singles, doubles, and round robins, players have enjoyed the camaraderie of team play and a series of great tournaments. The annual Oktoberfest Member-Guest Tournaments have been truly extraordinary, and favorite member tournaments have included Sadie Hawkins, President’s Cup, Adult-Junior, Valentine’s Sweethearts, Club Championships, and the fun and raucous Tim Tift Extravaganzas. The tennis program at MVCC joined the Grand Prix Tennis Circuit in 1985, which has afforded players the opportunity to compete in matches throughout Southern California. In addition, many of Mesa Verde’s own have played in prestigious area events such as the CHOC and Adoption Guild Tournaments, which draw top players from tennis clubs all over Orange County and the South Bay Area.
The Club’s junior tennis program has produced a number of notable players such as Michael Briggs, who was the National Indoor and Hard Court Junior Champion in 1980. Jim Snyder became an All American while playing for the University of California at Irvine, and Erin Hendricks won the NCAA Division III National Doubles when she was a junior at Pomona Pitzer College. Devin Bowen received the 1991 Player of the Year award for the Southwest Conference when he played at Texas Christian University and is currently ranked among the top 100 doubles players in the world. Several Mesa Verde Juniors have been awarded tennis scholarships and played on numerous university teams. These include Whitney Gilliam, Jeff Tomei, Brett VanLinge, and Audra Adams.
