Rossmoor Men’s Tennis Team Falls to Bay Crow Canyon Five teams from the Rossmoor Tennis Club Men’s Division traveled to Bay Crow Canyon on May 27 for a Senior Men's Interleague (SMIL) return match. After sweeping all five lines in February, Rossmoor faced much tougher competition this time and managed to come away with one victory. Match results: Line 1: Chris Slee and Al Peters faced strong opponents and were defeated, 2-6, 2-6. Line 2: Aric Ludwig and Richard Schulman played a competitive first set before falling in straight sets, 5-7, 1-6. Line 3: Irwin Cohen and Rick Sterling dropped the first three games but completely turned the match around, rallying for a convincing 6-4, 6-2 victory. Line 4: John Corwin and Roger Emanuel teamed up together for the first time and lost, 2-6, 2-6. Line 5: Tim Walker and Jerry Quinlan encountered stiff competition and went down, 3-6, 2-6. While the results favored Crow Canyon, the match once again highlighted the lighthearted atmosphere, camaraderie, and sportsmanship shared by both clubs. Players enjoyed a wide assortment of snacks and refreshments afterward on the beautiful Crow Canyon grounds. Following the match, several players shared key words and phrases they use to stay focused during competition. One of Rick Sterling’s favorites is “beat the bounce." When receiving a serve, quickly decide to stay, move left, or move right. Start and possibly complete the move before the serve bounces in the service box.  Irwin Cohen's mantra is "see the ball".

Rossmoor Men's Tennis Team members are from left, Roger Emanuel, John Corwin, Al Peters, Richard Schulman, Rick Sterling, Jerry Quinlan, Tim Walker, Irwin Cohen, Chris Slee, and Aric Ludwig.

Calendar of Events...

June 6, 9:00 a.m.	Wild Card Tournament
June 17, 4:00 p.m.	Board Meeting

Season Kickoff Barbecue — A Wonderful Evening Featuring French Onion Soup!

The first barbecue of the season got off to a fantastic start last Saturday evening. Members enjoyed optional social tennis matches before gathering for a delicious spread of pizza, salad, and hamburgers not to mention fabulous Onion Soup to honor the French Open.

The barbecue grill was declared out of order, but Lenny stepped up and saved the day — firing it up and cooking fabulous hamburgers for the entire crowd. Over 63 members turned out to enjoy perfect weather and great company, making it a truly memorable evening.

A big thank-you to Shrey for organizing such a terrific event. We can’t wait for the next one!

Rossmoor Tennis Club’s May 9 Wildcard Tournament

On a beautiful Saturday in May, Bert and Carol Sebilia coordinated another successful Wildcard Tournament for the Rossmoor Tennis Club. Twenty players competed in six rounds of doubles play, moving up or down the ladder from one round to the next based on results. Partners changed after every round, so a teammate in one match often became an opponent in the next. This popular format keeps the competition lively, social, and fun for players of all levels.

The tournament concluded with an exciting championship match on Court 6, where Larry Barclay and Paul Chasin defeated Pauline Hanley and John Corwin in the final round. Throughout the day, players enjoyed spirited competition, sportsmanship, and plenty of laughter both on and off the courts.

More men than women participated this time, and several players, including Barclay, stepped in as substitutes to help balance the teams and keep the tournament running smoothly.

Like many tennis players, participants often rely on short sayings or mantras to stay focused during matches. Bert Sebilia shared that when he becomes anxious during play, he tends to rush his shots, so he reminds himself: “Deep breath, slow down.” Carol Sebilia’s personal mantra is really on point and applies both on and off the court: “Focus, focus, focus.”Rossmoor Tennis Club’s May 9 Wildcard Tournament

Paul Chasin, Larry Barclay, Pauline Hanley and John Corwin

SAY HI TO OUR

NEW MEMBERS  

CHECK YOUR PHONE AP FOR INFORMATION 

Brian Bailey	Derek Lang
Pat Baughman	Won (Peter) Park
Julie Brewer	Malcom Pordes
Stefano Cadoppi	Marina Spohn
John Chrostek	Jean Strauss
Eric Kaniut	Al Webster
Kaoutar Lahlali	Rick Wien
	Brenda Zwas

Women’s Teams Celebrate with Fun, Games & Potluck

On Friday, May 19, the women’s 65+ and 50+ teams came together for a delightful afternoon of friendly competition and a potluck lunch.

Pictured below are three of the day’s standout players. Guita Baharami took top honors in both the volley contest against the backboard and the knock-the-can serve contest. Brenda Zwas also claimed victory in the knock-the-can serve contest and impressed everyone with 78 consecutive successful rallies against the backboard. Rounding out the winners, Lily Chao won the knock-the-can serve contest — not once, but twice!

Congratulations to all three on their impressive performances, and a big thank-you to everyone who brought a dish and made the afternoon such a fun occasion!

Guita, Brenda and Lily

In the Lost & Found . .. .

The President's Corner.   

We are happy to share that Eugenio is planning to return to teaching the Skills Clinic on Wednesday, June 17th, pending his doctor’s release. We look forward to having him back!

In the meantime, Ron Wyman has graciously volunteered to lead the clinic on June 3rd — thank you, Ron!   We are still searching for an instructor for June 10th, so if you are interested in volunteering, please reach out and we will spread the word to club members.

Clinic members are warmly encouraged to come out on any of these dates and use the time to practice the skills and techniques they’ve been working on recently. Keep that momentum going!

Mary Benin, President 

Rossmoor Men's Tennis Team Clipped by Round Hill Country Club On May 13 eight men from the Rossmoor Men's Tennis Team traveled to Round Hill Country Club for a match in the Senior Men's Interclub League (SMIL) competition.  Round Hill always fields strong teams and that condition didn't change. Match results: Line 1: Bob Benz and Al Peters were dominant in this match and won, 6-0, 6-4. Line 2: Larry Barclay and Bernie Wolf fell in a close match, 5-7, 4-6. Line 3: John Corwin and Tim Walker had trouble gaining traction and were defeated: 0-6, 1-6. Line 4: Irwin Cohen and Roger Emanuel played a marathon match that went over 2 hours before Roundhill squeaked by in a third-set tiebreak, 6-4, 3-6, 8-10. Three of the top players in California USTA for men's competition at 85 years and older participated today, with Peters and Barclay on Rossmoor and Colin Armitage playing for Round Hill. One of the players in today's match, Roger Emanuel, shared short reminders that he uses to stay alert during play. His sayings are: "Contact point" for watching the ball and "Move your feet."

Rossmoor Men's Tennis Team members are from left, John Corwin, Larry Barclay, Irwin Cohen, Roger Emanuel, Bob Benz, Tim Walker, Captain Bernie Wolf, and Al Peters.

Rossmoor Men’s Tennis Team Challenges Moraga in Close Loss The Rossmoor Men’s Tennis Team traveled to Moraga on April 29 for a closely contested match at a pristine and picturesque facility that continues to be a favorite venue for players. Despite a strong showing by Rossmoor, Moraga prevailed, winning two of the three matches. The scores reflect the highly competitive nature of each contest. Match Results Line 1: Bob Benz and Al Peters combined power and precision to secure a hard-fought victory, winning in a third-set tiebreak, 6–3, 3–6, 10–6. Line 2: Rick Sterling teamed with new member Paul Chasin in a tightly contested match. After splitting the first two sets, they fell in the tiebreak, 2–6, 6–3, 2–10. Line 3: John Corwin and Irwin Cohen battled in straight sets but came up short, 3–6, 5–7.   Player Spotlight: Paul Chasin Paul Chasin recently joined the Men’s Tennis Team, bringing years of experience from his time playing at Oakland Hills. He began playing tennis  around age 10 and continued through high school competition. Chasin later competed successfully on USTA teams, eventually stepping away around age 45 as the challenge of facing much younger opponents grew.  He maintains his fitness through regular workouts, including cycling, upper-body and back conditioning at the Fitness Center, and swimming. Tennis remains an important contributor to both his physical health and mental well-being.  In addition to tennis, Chasin stays active in Rossmoor through pickleball and swimming. He also enjoys the first-run movies shown on Thursdays and Fridays, which have become a popular attraction.

Rossmoor Men's Tennis Team members are from left, front row, Paul Chasin, John Corwin, and Irwin Cohen; back row, Bob Benz, Al Peters, and Rick Sterling.

Wildcard-            May 9, 9:00 a.m.
Board Meeting- May 20, 4:00 p.m.

Summer BBQ-   May 23,  time?

Rossmoor Tennis Club May, 2026 Newsletter 

Bi-weekly BBQs start this month    

Join the Substitute List for Social Tennis at Buckeye Courts!

We're launching a new and improved substitute system — and we'd love for you to be part of it!  We've created a sign-up event called "Substitute List" on the Wildcard app and club website at rtc.wildapricot.org. Simply sign up for this event and your name and contact information will automatically be added to the list.

Why you'll love this system:

• Sign yourself up anytime it's convenient
• Remove yourself when you're injured or traveling
• Add yourself back whenever you're ready to play
• The list stays current — always

How to access the Substitute List:

• Phone app: Open the Wildcard app, find the Substitute List event, and tap on the registrants
• Website: Sign in at rtc.wildapricot.org, then go to Events >> Substitute List
• Paper copy: Printed lists will be available at the kiosk for those who prefer them

Even if you were on the previous list, please sign up again — we're starting fresh with this new system.

Questions? Don't hesitate to reach out. We look forward to seeing you on the courts! 

Tennis Club Members Give Back Through Food Drive Effort

A dedicated group of about ten Tennis Club members has been making a real difference in the community through a monthly food collection and delivery program. The team gathers donations from local sources — including the Democratic Club and Costco — and delivers them to the Neighbor to Neighbor Pantry through the Keller House Pantry in Concord.

The project was initiated by David Besenfelder and includes a wonderful group of volunteers: Gayl Westendorf, Bart Ostro, Roger Emanuel, Bernie Wolf, Tim Walker, Richard Schulman, Marc Passen, Al Peters, Bert Sebilia, Dave Kern, and Yoshi Fukamiya.

A big thank you to all of them for their time, energy, and generosity!  ❤️

The President’s Corner:

I am writing this column the day after the marvelous Curry Fest that Shrey and his many volunteers put together.  It was a wonderful evening as almost 90 of you know, because you were there. Shrey designed a thoughtful menu that gave people opportunities to taste many different dishes, and he included non-spicy, spicy, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. Not only was the food delicious, but there were so many nice touches, such as a flute player who played Indian music and wonderful table decorations, featuring puppets and small colorful bags that Shrey collected on his most recent visit to India.  Everyone who came seemed to have a wonderful time as you can see from the pictures. All the members that I talked to really enjoyed the evening and appreciated Shrey putting together a new and different club social event.

Left to right, Roger Artley, Shrey Trivedi, and Jan Artley

Another wonderful event in April was the beginning doubles strategy clinics that Bert and Carol Sebilia put together. Each clinic had two sessions, one week apart, with the second session building on the groundwork from the first session.  Before the clinic even started, attendees were emailed some videos to watch on doubles strategy. The clinics then worked on helping the participants to implement the strategies into their games.  There were 8 spots in the clinic and the clinic participants each spent one hour on a court with Carol and one on a court with Bert.  They were teaching the same strategies, but using different drills and explanations.  Everyone that I talked to felt like they learned a lot, and that their time was well-spent in the clinic. The clinic participants each received some useful handouts to help them remember what they learned so that they can incorporate the skills into their games.  The two-week class was so popular that they offered a second two- week session to accommodate all the people who signed up. Bert and Carol are going on a trip soon,  but may offer a third session as they are already getting requests for it.  

Doubles Clinic- from left, front row, Carol Sebilia,  Jane Sacknowitz, Kerin Baker; back row, Bob Mayne, Barry DeVine, Jerry Quinlan, Bert Sebilia, and Kuni Kitajima.

Eugenio Orvalle, who runs the weekly skills clinic, seriously injured his back and has been unable to teach his class. We were fortunate that we had some volunteers step up and teach those clinics in Eugenio's absence.  A big thanks goes out to Sherry Endicott, Frank Haswell, Chris Slee, and Ron Wyman for covering those clinics in April.  Sherry Endicott has volunteered to teach all in clinics in May which will allow the clinic participants to build on what they learned the previous week all month.  Thank you Sherry for giving so much of you time to help our tennis club members to work on developing their games.

Coming up in May will be the start of the summer barbeques.  Shrey will be sending out separate emails with invitations about the barbeques, but the first one will be May 23rd.

The tennis court resurfacing is still out for bids, and Ann Mottola expects to have an update for the next RWC Planning Committee on May 14th. I plan to attend and will report in our next newsletter on the progress of our resurfacing project.

Villages Tournament

Saturday, April 25 Rossmoor Tennis Club hosted the semi-annual tournament with the San Jose Villages Retirement Community.  The Tournament resulted in the closest score ever between the teams.  In sets won the Villages and Rossmoor tied, and the Villages prevailed in the number of games won in the 24 sets by only 2 games!  Both clubs have won and lost in the past, but this was clearly the most evenly matched contest ever between the teams.

The tournament was also a huge success in the quantity, quality and variety of food that Rossmoor provided. The success was entirely attributable to our wonderful volunteers - there was no hired staff.  A big shout out to Bob Ades, Lenny Cook and Jerry Quinlan for spending over an hour working on the grill to get it functioning! The grill is 10 years old and on its last legs, so that was a big, and quite important, accomplishment. A huge thank you goes to Cinnamon Renvall for agreeing on Friday to grill on Saturday after Lenny broke his wrist on Friday.  She did a wonderful job, and we really appreciate her clearing her schedule at the last minute to come cook for us.  A large thank you also to Bert and Carol Sebilia for making a big Costco run to get the burgers, veggie burgers, buns, cheese, muffins and other essentials for the barbeque. Also, a big thanks to Shrey Trivedi for buying lots of soft tacos, which added a new, delicious option to our traditional barbeque. And I especially want to thank all of the volunteers who made the delicious appetizers, snacks, sides, and desserts.  All the variety and quality of that food made our buffet truly excellent.  Also, I want to thank all of the hard working volunteers who worked on the set up and clean up, getting coolers filled with ice, etc.  We could not have done it without you.

Finally, this could not have been accomplished without our wonderful Tournament Director, Richard Schulman. In addition to recruiting our players and making up the very competitive line-up, he had to coordinate frequently with the Villages regarding dates and times for our match.  It was a lot of work to put this tournament  together and we thank Richard for his excellent efforts.

While our opponents may have been the Villages, it was our village-like community of Rossmoor Tennis Club members that really made this a wonderful, fun, and delicious event.

Mary

Richard Schulman, Rossmoor Tournament Director hands the Tournament Plaque to Villages Tournament Director Gail Tuft.

On March 30, the B1 50-plus Rossmoor Women’s Tennis Team traveled to Diablo Country Club on a slightly overcast day which proved perfect weather for tennis.

Team members for this match were Guita Bahramipour, Sue Curtain, Lori Davis, Laura Kim, Yvonne Merrick, Terry Quinlan, Cinnamon Renvali, and Dako Urabe.

  Due to limited court availability, the lineup was split: Lines 1 and 2 began play at 9:30 a.m., while Lines 3 and 4 started at 10:30 a.m. or as courts became available. Diablo consistently fields strong teams, and Rossmoor played well, capturing one of the four matches contested.  The Diablo team also provided a beautifully catered lunch in the clubhouse and gazebo area, adding a gracious, hospitable finishing touch to the day.

Article by Yvonne Merrick

Rossmoor Men’s Tennis Team Finds Stiff Competition at Blackhawk The Rossmoor Men’s Tennis Team traveled to Blackhawk Country Club on April 7 for a makeup match, where they encountered both outstanding facilities and gracious hospitality. Blackhawk’s exceptional tennis complex provided an impressive setting for a day of spirited play. Rossmoor faced a formidable opponent, with challenging matches across all four lines. The team secured one hard-earned victory, demonstrating resilience against strong competition. Match Results: Line 1: Bob Benz and Rick Sterling faced a powerful duo and were defeated, 2–6, 1–6. Line 2: Al Peters and Richard Schulman earned Rossmoor’s lone win of the day, 6–4, 6–3. Line 3: David Hickey and Dave Kern encountered tough opposition and fell, 1–6, 2–6. Line 4: John Preston and Siva Sivasubramanian were defeated, 1–6, 0–6. Post-match hospitality provided an opportunity for players to connect and share stories beyond the court. During these conversations, Rossmoor players learned about Blackhawk player, David Hsieh. An early employee at Google, Hsieh later transitioned into theater as the founding and artistic director of ReAct Theatre in Seattle which he started over thirty years ago. More recently, Hsieh has produced Broadway plays.  Discussions like this greatly enrich the time the players have with each other.

Rossmoor Men's Tennis Team members are from left, Al Peters, David Hickey, Rick Sterling, Dave Kern, John Preston, Bob Benz, Siva Sivasubramanian, and Richard Schulman

Rossmoor Tennis Club's April 4 Wildcard Tournament  The Rossmoor Tennis Club held its second Wildcard Tournament of the year on April 4. Twelve men and twelve women competed in a series of matches determined by random selection, featuring a combination of mixed doubles, men’s doubles, and women’s doubles play. The format encourages players to meet and compete with a wide variety of partners, and the tournament is open to all Rossmoor residents. After six rounds of play, the winners were Paul Chasin and Irwin Cohen for the men, and Terry Quinlan and Yvonne Merrick for the women. The field also included three energetic nonagenarian participants—Chris Bang, Roger Artley, and Barry DeVine —who all move impressively on the court. Bang began playing tennis in the mid-1980s with co-workers and has enjoyed success in club events, including a past co-championship in the Wildcard Tournament of Champions. Beyond tennis, he has pursued a variety of interests, including autocross racing, and is both a certified flight instructor and scuba diver. Artley, who has played tennis for more than 80 years, still covers the court with remarkable quickness. While attending Purdue University, he was an all-campus tennis champion. He credits his continued fitness to regular workouts at the Fitness Center and hiking. He also values the camaraderie of his fellow players. DeVine, an exercise physiologist, has an extensive athletic background that includes competing in the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, running marathons, and playing and coaching rugby, in addition to many years of tennis. He lived in retirement in Mexico for fifteen years, where he played with a regular foursome three times a week. All three men remain highly active, proving they don’t let “moss grow under their shoes.”

Rossmoor Wildcard nonagenerians are from left, Chris Bang, Roger Artley, and Barry Devine. Ros

The Curry Fest. Game, Set, Masala – A Grand Slam of Flavor for Members

The Rossmoor Tennis Club is holding an April club activity, the Curry Fest, in the Fireside Room at the Gateway complex on April 21 at 5:30 PM. With the next leg of the Grand Slam season fast approaching, we’re hitting the court early with a burst of rich, traditional, and modern flavors. Members are invited to join for an evening of delicious, rich flavors, with a menu featuring both traditional and modern curry dishes. Whether your spice tolerance is a "soft serve" or "aggressive baseliner," we’ve made sure there are dishes for everyone, including those with specific dietary restrictions.

This event is open to club members and their invited guests. To participate in this and other April club functions, members must submit their $27 activity dues per person by April 18. The dues must be paid in advance; the club cannot accept any payments on the day of the event.

When registering online, please remember to select the number of guests from the drop-down menu. If the digital process gives you an unforced error or you have trouble paying online, get in touch and we’ll help.  If you want to be part of this celebration of flavors, contact the Tennis Club at mail@rossmoortennis.com.

Rossmoor Tennis Club's First Wildcard Tournament of 2026 March 7 marked the start of the Rossmoor Tennis Club’s Wildcard Tournament, held under beautiful skies and buoyed by high enthusiasm from participants. Tournament coordinator Richard Schulman ensured the event ran smoothly from start to finish. In the men’s division, John Radebold captured first place, while Todd Mangini and Irwin Cohen shared second. On the women’s side, Lori Davis edged out the competition to take first, followed by Becky Reiss in second, with Ray Riess and Lilly Chao tying for third. Open to all Rossmoor residents, the tournament drew a notable number of first-time participants, adding a nice touch to the competition. Schulman also expressed appreciation for the many volunteers whose efforts helped make the event a success.

Rossmoor Wildcard participant are from left, Irwin Cohen, Ray Riess, Todd Mangini, Lilly Chao, Richard Schulman, Becky Reiss, Lori Davis, and John Radebold.