MONROE - The 39th annual city doubles tournament was more than just a chance to compete. It was also a chance to celebrate Jim and Geri Bartholf's contributions to tennis following their retirement.
Jim Bartholf, who coached tennis at Monroe High School for 44 years and was inducted into the Wisconsin Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame, retired in June 2009. On Saturday, 90 former tennis players and supporters gathered at Recreation Park for Bartholf's retirement party.
"He (Bartholf) has been the face of Monroe tennis," Joe Soddy said after he teamed with Bartholf's son, Dan Bartholf, to win their fourth Class A men's doubles championship in the last five years. "He will be forever."
Soddy and Dan Bartholf won a grueling title match by defeating Al Schroeder and Chris Garrow 7-5, 2-6, 7-5 Sunday at Recreation Park.
"There were a lot of good teams here," Dan Bartholf said. "We were fortunate to get it at the end. My job was to get it in and Joe's job was to put it away."
Soddy and Dan Bartholf defeated Brad Saugstad and Jakob Baertschi 6-4, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Soddy and Dan Bartholf pulled out a three-set win over Carson Root and Patrick Gellings 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.
Jim Bartholf seemed overwhelmed with the turnout for his retirement party.
"I didn't want it," he said. "After a while you just have to go along with it. I have had a lot of kids over the years. It was fun to see them. I haven't seen some of those kids in quite a few years."
In addition to the celebration of Jim Bartholf's career, the weekend tournament also provided plenty of tennis action.
Kevin Monahan and Steve Flanagan rebounded from a three-set loss to Schroeder and Garrow to take third place. Monahan and Flanagan defeated Root and Gellings in the third place match 6-4, 7-6.
Tom Cox and Chuck Cox defeated Christian Noriega and Kevin Kohlstedt 6-1, 6-4 to win the Class B men's championship.
Jeremy Miller and Matt Miller who will both be eighth graders at Monroe Middle School in the fall, won their fourth straight 14-and-younger city doubles title. The Miller teammates, who are not related, defeated Matt Monahan and Desmond Ford 5-3, 5-2. Jeremy Miller and Matt Miller advanced to the championship match by defeating Erin Gellings and Jessica Inman 6-4, 5-0 in the semifinals.
"I like being up at the net smashing it," Jeremy Miller said.
Matt Miller said the best part of doubles is someone is there as back-up.
"You just have to have good teamwork," he said.
In the women's open bracket, Monroe alums Kate Jahnke and Jonna Buse survived to win two tiebreakers to capture the championship. Jahnke and Buse, who both live in the Des Moines metro area, wanted to make it back for Bartholf.
"We came back for Bart's retirement party," Jahnke said, a 2003 Monroe graduate who played No. 1 singles. "He (Bartholf) always had a good sense of humor and made tennis fun."
Jahnke and Buse defeated Kelsey Erickson and Emily Grossen in the title match 7-6, 3-6 (10-4).
"We thought we would get some exercise," Buse said, a 1999 Monroe graduate who played No. 1 doubles.
Jahnke and Buse beat Taylor Weis and Rachel Root 3-6, 6-2, (10-4) to get to the title match. It's the first time that Jahnke and Buse have played competitively together.
"We just wanted to come out and hit the ball around," Buse said.
Jim Bartholf, who coached tennis at Monroe High School for 44 years and was inducted into the Wisconsin Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame, retired in June 2009. On Saturday, 90 former tennis players and supporters gathered at Recreation Park for Bartholf's retirement party.
"He (Bartholf) has been the face of Monroe tennis," Joe Soddy said after he teamed with Bartholf's son, Dan Bartholf, to win their fourth Class A men's doubles championship in the last five years. "He will be forever."
Soddy and Dan Bartholf won a grueling title match by defeating Al Schroeder and Chris Garrow 7-5, 2-6, 7-5 Sunday at Recreation Park.
"There were a lot of good teams here," Dan Bartholf said. "We were fortunate to get it at the end. My job was to get it in and Joe's job was to put it away."
Soddy and Dan Bartholf defeated Brad Saugstad and Jakob Baertschi 6-4, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Soddy and Dan Bartholf pulled out a three-set win over Carson Root and Patrick Gellings 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.
Jim Bartholf seemed overwhelmed with the turnout for his retirement party.
"I didn't want it," he said. "After a while you just have to go along with it. I have had a lot of kids over the years. It was fun to see them. I haven't seen some of those kids in quite a few years."
In addition to the celebration of Jim Bartholf's career, the weekend tournament also provided plenty of tennis action.
Kevin Monahan and Steve Flanagan rebounded from a three-set loss to Schroeder and Garrow to take third place. Monahan and Flanagan defeated Root and Gellings in the third place match 6-4, 7-6.
Tom Cox and Chuck Cox defeated Christian Noriega and Kevin Kohlstedt 6-1, 6-4 to win the Class B men's championship.
Jeremy Miller and Matt Miller who will both be eighth graders at Monroe Middle School in the fall, won their fourth straight 14-and-younger city doubles title. The Miller teammates, who are not related, defeated Matt Monahan and Desmond Ford 5-3, 5-2. Jeremy Miller and Matt Miller advanced to the championship match by defeating Erin Gellings and Jessica Inman 6-4, 5-0 in the semifinals.
"I like being up at the net smashing it," Jeremy Miller said.
Matt Miller said the best part of doubles is someone is there as back-up.
"You just have to have good teamwork," he said.
In the women's open bracket, Monroe alums Kate Jahnke and Jonna Buse survived to win two tiebreakers to capture the championship. Jahnke and Buse, who both live in the Des Moines metro area, wanted to make it back for Bartholf.
"We came back for Bart's retirement party," Jahnke said, a 2003 Monroe graduate who played No. 1 singles. "He (Bartholf) always had a good sense of humor and made tennis fun."
Jahnke and Buse defeated Kelsey Erickson and Emily Grossen in the title match 7-6, 3-6 (10-4).
"We thought we would get some exercise," Buse said, a 1999 Monroe graduate who played No. 1 doubles.
Jahnke and Buse beat Taylor Weis and Rachel Root 3-6, 6-2, (10-4) to get to the title match. It's the first time that Jahnke and Buse have played competitively together.
"We just wanted to come out and hit the ball around," Buse said.
