Kathie Marshall
SaddleBrooke, our sister community to the south, provided a beautiful backdrop for the second Battle for the Saddle tennis tournament. The three-day event featured men’s and women’s doubles, mixed doubles, POP tennis, and exhibition matches with both the SaddleBrooke and SaddleBrooke Ranch Tennis Associations engaged in friendly competition to vie for the Battle for the Saddle trophy. One hundred and twenty-seven (127) club members of all skill levels participated in the event, and all had a terrific time! Carol Mihal, a SaddleBrooke Ranch Tennis Association (SBRTA) member and participant, thoroughly enjoyed her time on court. “The Battle for the Saddle is a fun and friendly competitive tennis tournament between two sister communities. It was such a fantastic opportunity to get to know and play tennis with our neighbors down the road. There was much laughter and camaraderie among those who love and appreciate the wonderful sport of tennis.”
Following the last match of the event, SaddleBrooke hosted SBRTA players for a dinner and award presentation on the club patio. Anne Williams, the SaddleBrooke event organizer and Mark Adamson, the SBRTA president, recounted the tale of how the annual Battle of the Saddle Event was created. Anne and Mark went on to thank all those who worked tirelessly to make this year’s event an enormous success and gave special recognition to the SBRTA event planners, Debbie Argabright and Jill Stark. After thanks to all, Anne and Mark announced the results: SaddleBrooke Ranch was the 2024 winner of the coveted Battle for the Saddle Trophy! Anne graciously acknowledged SBRTA players with this comment, “A sincere congratulations to SaddleBrooke Ranch Tennis Club members. You came prepared and you came determined! We appreciate the positive sportsmanship and good grace demonstrated by all. We will be back next year hoping to be able to claim that trophy! A sincere appreciation to Debbie Argabright for hundreds of hours put into scheduling and coordination of the Ranch players.”
Thanks to Anne Williams and her SaddleBrooke team, the 2024 Battle for the Saddle tournament was a memorable and marvelous event for players and spectators alike. Both clubs look forward to next year when the exciting Battle for the Saddle challenge continues!
The Friends and Family Doubles Tournament Sponsored by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) is Saturday, May 11 here at SaddleBrooke Ranch!
