Bob Stevens Tennis Tourney successful

Van Wert independent sports

The resurrected Bob Stevens Tennis Tournament produced a nice turnout for the first edition of the tourney in more than a decade.

Tournament director Chuck Rollins noted that the 2013 edition of the tournament had 44 participants in seven divisions, adding that that is nine more than the first tournament held in the late 1980s.

“We only had 35 players for that first tournament, so this was a nice turnout,” Rollins said.

The tournament was first started to honor Bob Stevens, an accomplished tennis player and former Van Wert High School tennis coach who died of cancer at a young age.

This year’s event, held at The Van Wert County Foundation Tennis Complex, also was successful as a fundraiser, with $1,000 raised for the American Cancer Society through entry fees and sponsors First Federal Savings & Loan and Lee Kinstle GM Sales and Service.

Rollins won the men’s singles division with a 6-2, 6-2 victory of Ken Kolakowski, while Rollins and doubles partner Luis Lorea defeated TJ Grimm and Lane Mansfield 6-1, 6-1 for the men’s doubles crown.

Eric Yeung won the boys’ 18 and under division over Mansfield, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

In the women’s side, Spencerville High School sophomore Kaylee Davis cleaned up, winning the women’s open division over Kathy Mansfield (no score listed) and also defeating Rachel Roberts 6-4, 6-2 to win the girls’ 18 and under division.

Katie Etter and Lindsey Smith defeated Rachel Chen and Katie Kline 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 to win the women’s doubles title.

The mixed doubles final was a family affair, with Kathy Mansfield and her son, Lane, defeating the brother-and-sister team of Katie and Nick Etter 6-3, 6-1 in a straight-set victory.