Kosal Chan

Trey Love/All American Imaging

Dress For Success

TEAM SPORTS 1970S WIMBLEDON WHITES FOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

By Michael Rardon/USTA Southern intern

Looks can be deceiving, especially when the Georgia Men’s 4.0 team took the court in their city championship match this summer. Dressed up in complete 1970’s retro tennis outfits, the team was hoping to use the comedic attire to their advantage by focusing their opponent’s attention on their outfits as opposed to the tennis.

The outfits appeared like a tribute to the all white Wimbledon dress code of the 1970s. They donned tight, white short shorts, tight white collared shirts, head and wrists bands, white shoes and white knee-high socks. The final touch was wooden racquets.

Apparently their unique clothing strategy was successful. They were able to win the city championship match and carry the momentum all the way through the state tournament.

This team is filled with fun-loving guys. They have all been playing together for the past two seasons, including a few who have been together since 2005. Over the years they have all become close friends who enjoy spending time together both on and off the court. For the state tournament, the team organized a team cookout and pool party that so all of their families could join in the team’s fun. The team regularly has team cookouts and dinners, but the state tournament party was definitely the headline party of the season.

Captain Rob Grove and his team not only won the city championship, but also secured an undefeated regular season and state tournament. Despite their dominance throughout the season, the team was down a match point early on in the state tournament before rallying back to win the match 13-11 in the third-set tiebreak. After their remarkable comeback in the early stages of the tournament, they carried their momentum through the rest of the tournament and clinched a spot in this weekend’s USTA League Southern Section Championships.

Since day one their team’s goal has been to make it to sectionals and possibly even further. Now that they have made it here and won their first match, they are looking to continue their season’s success all the way to a national championship. However, win or lose; Grove is already planning the year-end celebration party.