ZEPHYR COVE - An infusion of young local talent corresponded with the return of the Tahoe Classic doubles tournament over the weekend.
Masha Long, a former South Tahoe High tennis player now on the University of California-Santa Cruz club team, and Sacramento partner Chris Mueller won the mixed B division, while former Incline High star Wil Prim avenged a high school loss to former STHS standout Jimmy Roberts en route to capturing the men's division crown.
"It's cool to see the young blood. That's what we need to truly have another 20 years of competition," said Tahoe Classic co-director Sheryl Herschman.
Herschman and Hersh Herschman, her husband and co-tournament director, restarted the event after a one-year absence. The tournament's return demonstrated to them how much the event mean to so many people.
"It's a reunion for so many," Sheryl said. "Whole families come out and do a week's vacation around this tournament."
Long needed an extra year to defend her mixed B title and was excited about the tournament's comeback.
"It has great competition, and it has a nice atmosphere," she said.
Mueller and Long used power serves, drop shots and hard returns to dispatch tournament favorites Kayla and Kevin Whitmeyer of Palm Desert, 7-5, 6-4 in the finals.
Prim, a former Incline High student, moved to Palm Springs to improve his tennis game. He tuned up for his freshman tennis season at Sonoma State by knocking off Sacramento State sophomore Roberts, who once beat him a regional tournament match.
"These guys were really good. They had big serves," said Prim, who won the final 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) with his coach, Francois Castejon, of Venezuela.
"The whole match we made a lot of good returns, and Wil made a lot of good volleys," Castejon said. "We complemented each other really well."
Castejon is excited about Prim's continued progression as he prepares for a college career.
"He plays really well. He just needs the confidence that comes from playing those college matches," Castejon said. "He's going to increase his level of play."
Longtime South Shore resident Hersh Herschman, the all-time tournament title winner, added his 11th championship win on Sunday. Herschman paired with Hugh Thomson of Atlanta to claim the super century title. In the final, the duo downed Joaquin deMonet and Jackie Cooper, 6-2, 6-2.
"I'll keep making new divisions. The age requirements for the super century division will very likely change according to my current age," joked Hersh about his division, which required the partners' combined ages to equal 130 or more.
The final championship match of the day pitted a pair of local teams slugging it in a three-set battle. Dave Rittenhouse and John Hitchcock of South Lake Tahoe emerged the champions of the men's B division, defeating Gardnerville's Mike Rahman and Wally Murray, 6-0, 2-6, 6-2.
Isabella Kling of Sacramento won two titles. She teamed with Steve Fabela of Sacramento to claim mixed A title and also paired with Karla Hawe of Sacramento to capture the women's division.
