The Bonita National Golf & Country Club’s Women 65-plus 6.0 team punched its ticket to the United States Tennis Association Nationals after finishing runner-up at the Orlando Sectionals.
The team, in their second and most likely final year together, is looking to represent Southwest Florida on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
“I’m not sure we had expectations of ever getting that far,” said co-captain Ellen DiChiara. “But all of the sudden we won down here in our local area and we got to go [to sectionals] and were absolutely ecstatic because that was a once-in-a-lifetime deal. … We worked really hard to get to sectionals, and we did exceptionally well.”
After falling in the finals in Orlando by two points, the Bonita Springs Golf & Country Club team received word that the winning team bowed out of the USTA League 65 & Over 6.0/9.0 National Invitational, so they were invited to take their place at the Surprise (Ariz.) Tennis & Racquet Complex.
“I will tell you that once we saw how well we played in sectionals, we are going in with a much more positive attitude,” DiChiara said. “I think it has boosted our confidence. Again, we do know what we’re up against. But we know we have just as much of a chance as anyone to do well.”