When he organized the first “King of the Hill” tennis tournament to raise funds for Youth Guidance of Indian River County, Gigi Casapu could not have predicted he’d still be doing it two decades later.
“I remember saying at the first trophy ceremony, ‘I hope we’re still here to celebrate 10 years,'” Casapu said last weekend. “Nobody knew what would happen. Now, we’re getting ready for our 21st year.
“I can’t say I expected it, but I’m not really surprised, either,” he added. “The King of the Hill has become a tradition that everyone here looks forward to, especially the pros who play. There’s a history to it now.”
The annual, doubles-only tournament, which features local teaching pros and other top players from Melbourne to Jupiter competing for prize money, began in 1996 at The Moorings.
Casapu said the event, which through the years also has been played at what was then the Timber Ridge Tennis Club and The Boulevard Tennis Club before returning to the The Moorings, has raised $283,000 for the Youth Guidance Mentoring and Activities Program.
“We’ve actually raised way more than $300,000, but there is about $5,000 a year in prize money and expenses,” said Casapu, the tournament director and former Vero Beach teaching pro who now works as the tennis manager at Cascades in St. Lucie West.
“Over the years, some guys donate back the prize money,” he added. “But even when they don’t, they’re donating their time. Most of them have to cut short their teaching time on the court on the days they play. Some of them also have to travel here.
“These guys deserve a lot of credit for making the tournament what it is.”
This year’s tournament is scheduled for seven consecutive Tuesdays from Jan. 12 through Feb. 23 at The Moorings, where play will begin at 6 p.m. As has been the case the past three years, competition will be held in three divisions: Open, 40-and-over and 50-and-over.
The Open Division begins play on Jan. 12 with 16 players vying to advance to the eight-player semifinals. The players have been divided into four groups:
- Group Mardy Fish: Ronnie Hulewicz (Sailfish Point), Troy Harmon (Orchid Island), Alex Rupertus (John’s Island) and Erik Olliges (Vero Beach High School).
- Group Andy Roddick: Robert Kowalczyk (The Moorings), Milos Vasovic (Eau Gallie), Armando Notz (Twin Oaks) and Freddy Barton (Sailfish Point).
- Group Rafael Nadal: Colter DeCoste (Jensen Beach High School), Lennart Jonason (John’s Island), Eddie Majcher (Vero Beach) and Dan Stover (Willoughby).
- Group Andy Murray: Cullen DeWindt (Piper’s Landing), Michael Alford (Quail Valley), Victor Ponomarev (Jupiter Island) and Brad Tulenko (Hidden Palms).
The first semifinal of the 40s and 50s divisions is scheduled for Jan. 19:
- Group Andre Agassi (40s): Aldo Burga (Legacy), Ed Shanaphy (Ocean Trail), Michael Phelipa (Suntree) and Jason Wilks (Buttonwood).
- Group Ilie Nastase: (50s): Joe Biedenhard (John’s Island), Brad Leu (Sea Oaks), Emile DeCuba (Ocean Village) and Dan Caragata (Tesoro).
The first semifinal of the Open Division and second semifinal of the 50s division are scheduled for Jan. 26:
- Group Roger Federer (Open): Top two players from two of the four first-round groups.
- Group Rod Laver (50s): Henner Lenhardt (Sea Oaks), Tom Cutone (Orchid Island), John Koahou (PGA) and Stan Oley (Viera).
The second semifinals of the Open and 40s divisions are scheduled for Feb. 2:
- Group Novak Djokovic (Open): Top two players from the other two first-round groups.
- Group Pete Sampras (40s): Marco Osorio (Vero Beach TC), Christophe Delavaut (Grand Harbor), Mario Cobo (Mariner Sands) and Jony Leitenbauer (Windsor).
The 50s Division final is set for Feb. 9, with the 40s Division final on Feb. 16 and the Open Division final on Feb. 23.
“When we started, we had only an Open Division, but we had a chance to add a Senior Division in 2008,” Casapu said. “Then in 2013, we went to three divisions, dividing the Seniors into 40s and 50s. The thing is, you see great tennis in all three.”
Casapu, who is still seeking sponsors for the 2016 event, said he plans to continue the fundraising tournament “as long as the guys want to play, the sponsors keep supporting it and the people come out to enjoy it.”