Chorny big winner at USCAK-East tennis tournament (07/30/06)

Chorny big winner at USCAK-East tennis tournament

by George Sawchak

KERHONKSON, N.Y. - Dennis Chorny scored a tennis hat trick, winning three events at the 50th annual USCAK-East Singles and Doubles Championship held at the Ukrainian National Association's Soyuzivka Estate on July 1-2. Winning the men's singles, the doubles and mixed doubles events, Chorny played seven matches, 16 sets in two days - a task not easily accomplished.

In the well-played men's singles final Chorny bested Marko Krasij in a long three-setter 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, coming back from a 5-2 deficit in the third set to emerge victorious. In the semi-finals of the group Krasij defeated Nick Nalywayko and Chorny beat Steve Sosiak.

The winner of the round was Mykola Stroynik, who beat Greg Serba in the first round and received a default in the final when his opponent could not play.

Playing with his brother Kornylo as a doubles' partner, Dennis Chorny won the men's doubles event, winning a close 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 match against the pair of Ihor Lukiw and Steve Sosiak, and in the finals besting another strong pair, Mark Hlushewsky and Peter Matkiwsky 7-6 (1), 6-2. In the semis, Hlushewsky and Matkiwsky defeated the young pair of Adam Ogonowski and Greg Serba.

In the round-robin format of the mixed doubles, Chorny and his partner, S. Mocherniuk, won both matches defeating a daughter/father pair, Larissa and George Hrabec 6-2, 6-4, and a wife-husband duo, Marta and Richard Legeckis 6-3, 6-3. The Hrabecs took second place winning against the Legeckis 6-2, 6-2.

In the senior group finals Ivan Durbak defeated George Hrabec 6-4, 6-3, adding this title to the many he already possesses. In the semis Durbak advanced when, with the score at 4-3 in the first set, George Walchuk retired. In the same round Hrabec won from Walter Dziwak, and Dziwak won the consolation final from Milan Obradovic.

The overall tournament was played in 10 contesting groups - four adult and six junior groups, with 40 participants, making this one of the best attended USCAK-East tournaments in recent years. Most of the junior players were from the Soyuzivka Tennis Camp then taking place at Soyuzivka.

The junior girls' singles competition was conducted in three age groups.

The winner of the youngest group was Natalia Hryhorowych, who in the finals of the group defeated Audrey Owens 6-1, 6-1. Third place went to Julie Goodfriend with a 6-2, 1-6, 7-5 win over Biata Gerasymenko.

The winner of the middle group was Victoria Kuritza, who bested Laryssa Boyko in the finals 6-4, 6-3. Third place in the group went to Ivanka Misilo, a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Alexia Blackhurst.

Adrienne Kowcz beat Anissa Boyko 6-4, 6-4 in the finals of the older group of girls thus winning the first place in that group. Lidia Kowinko defeated Larisa Farion 6-1, 6-3 to take third place in the group.

In the only Junior Boys' Group, the winner was Nick Nolywayko, who defeated Daniel Tylawsky 6-2, 6-4 in the finals. The consolation winner of the group was Adrian Ripeckyj.

The junior girls' and boys' doubles winners were Anissa Boyko and Lidia Kowinko and Daniel Tylawsky and Adrian Burke, respectively. Boyko and Kowinko won the group when their opponents, Larisa Farion and Laryssa Boyko, could not compete. In one of the best matches of the tournament, the final match by boys' doubles went to Tylawsky and Burke who defeated Nolywayko and Serhij Moshak 6-7, 6-3, 6-3.

During the closing ceremonies trophies were presented by Ivan Durbak, George Hrabec and George Sawchak, tournament director, as well as UNA Treasurer Roma Lisovich. Ms. Lisovich spoke briefly about the support that Soyuzivka needs from the community.

The next Ukrainian tennis tournament will be USCAK's National Tournament held yearly at Soyuzivka during the Labor Day weekend.

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