Rossmoor Men's Tennis Team Triumphs over Blackhawk

Rossmoor Men’s Tennis Team hosted Blackhawk on July 8. Blackhawk usually fields four strong teams but it only could field three teams. Rossmoor won two matches and the third resulted in a tie.

Match Results:
Line 1: Chris Slee and Bob Benz engaged in a marathon match of 2 hours, 15 minutes. The players decided to call it after two sets, 5-7,7-5.
Line 2: Richard Schulman and John Poon played well and won, 6-1, 6-3.
Line 3: Irwin Cohen and newcomer Brian Bailey dominated the match, 6-0, 6-2.

This was the last match of the season, and SMIL (Senior Men's Interclub League) play now takes a summer break until September.

Eugenio Ovalle, who has taught tennis clinics in Rossmoor for many years, was asked to share a few of his favorite tennis tips:

• Attack the middle of the court – This creates confusion for your opponents, reduces the angles available for their return shots, and provides the highest-percentage hit because the net is lowest in the center.
• Move in on the second serve – Take the return early and approach the net. This puts immediate pressure on your opponents and often makes them uncomfortable.

Men's Tennis Team members are from left, Bob Benz, Chris Slee, John Poon, Irwin Cohen, Brian Bailey, and Richard Schulman.

Rossmoor Men's Tennis Team Falls to Walnut Creek #1

The Rossmoor Men's Tennis Team had a challenging match against Walnut Creek #1 on June 24.  Five lines of play resulted in Walnut Creek #1 winning four of them.  

Rossmoor Men's Tennis Team Prevails over Walnut Creek #2

Rossmoor Men’s Tennis Team  had a solid victory over Walnut Creek #2 on June 17. This match had been postponed for one week due to extreme heat but both teams eagerly awaited makeup play.

Against Walnut Creek #2, Rossmoor won four of the five matches.

Match Results:
Line 1: Yoshi Fukamaya and Richard Schulman lost to a strong team, 2-6, 4-6.
Line 2: Barry Brian and Aric Ludwig were triumphant, 6-2, 6-2.
Line 3: Larry Barclay and Stuart Coffey cruised to victory, 6-2, 6-1.
Line 4: Irwin Cohen and Paul Chasin won convincingly but were challenged in the second set, 6-2, 7-5.
Line 5: Dave Kern and newcomer Henry Rosen prevailed in the closest match of the day, 6-7, 6-1, 10-7 (third-set tiebreak).

As a follow-up to the match, Larry Barclay, who recently captured the Men’s 85-and-over Doubles title at the prestigious Pacific Coast Senior & Family Championships at the Berkeley Tennis Club, was asked how he maintains his focus during competition. He replied that a player must “concentrate on the point at hand. Don’t dwell on the last point, or future points, or future games.” His philosophy closely reflects the principles of mindful meditation: staying fully present in the moment.

Men's Tennis Team members are from left, first row, Paul Chasin, Richard Schulman, Yoshi Fukamaya, Stuart Coffey, and Henry Rosen. Second row from left, Larry Barclay, Irwin Cohen, Barry Brian, Aric Ludwig, and Dave Kern.


 

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.

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.

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.

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 Men's Tennis Team Stumbles against Walnut Creek #1

Walnut Creek #1 visited the Rossmoor Men’s Team on March 18 for the second of three matchups in the Senior Men’s Interclub League season, which runs from September 2025 through July 2026. As one of the strongest teams in the league, Walnut Creek #1 once again proved to be a formidable opponent, winning three of the four matches. Rossmoor was pleased to welcome new team member Paul Chasin, who made his debut in the match. Chasin played at the Oakland Hills Club for many years.

Match Results:

Line 1: John Radebold and Chris Slee fell in a highly competitive match, 5–7, 2–6.
Line 2: Bob Benz and Al Peters delivered a near-perfect performance, cruising to a 6–1, 6–1 victory.
Line 3: Bert Sebilia and Bernie Wolf were defeated, 2–6, 2–6.
Line 4: Newcomer Paul Chasin teamed with veteran Larry Barclay but came up short, 2–6, 2–6.

Rossmoor Men's Tennis Team members are from left, front row, John Radebold, Bob Benz, Al Peters, and Bert Sebilia; back row, Larry Barclay, Captain Bernie Wolf, Chris Slee, and Paul Chasin.