Tennis at La Jolla : Matthiessen Defeats de Vries in Hardcourt 50-Over Singles Final

Dorothy Matthiessen was in the midst of letting the 50-and-over singles title of the National Hardcourt Tennis Championships slip away.

Matthiessen was up one set and leading Doris de Vries, 3-1, in the second Sunday, when she’d become conservative and suddenly it was 5-all.

“She pressed me and I got back on my heels,” Matthiessen said. “I decided I had to get my feet moving. I had gotten awfully tentative. It was now-or-never.”

Facing double break-point in the 11th game, Matthiessen made sure it was “now” by getting aggressive and winning four points in rapid succession to hold service and take a 6-5 lead.

Moments later, she broke de Vries’ serve to win her second national hardcourt title in four years, 6-3, 7-5, at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.

“I think she (de Vries) moved forward very well and kept lots of pressure on and hit more good shots,” Matthiessen said, “but I played well when I was pressed.”

That was most obvious in the 11th game. But there were plenty of other instances when her tenacity may have made the difference.

In the second game of the first set de Vries led, 1-0, and had two break points, but Matthiessen refused to fold and held service.

Two games later, Matthiessen was called for foot faults three times, once resulting in a double fault, but held her serve.

And in the eighth game of the first set, Matthiessen again faced double-break point only to fight off the challenge.

Matthiessen uses a steady, patient game from the baseline, moving to the net only occasionally. In contrast, the left-handed de Vries hits hard but is prone to making unforced errors.

“She’s such a class player and has total concentration,” said de Vries, 51, the fourth-seeded player from Orangevale, Calif. “As much as anything, she has so many years of total dedication in comparison to myself. I’m still learning the steps to get to where she is.”

Matthiessen, 53, from Pasadena, began playing tennis as a teen-ager but then dropped the sport after high school. She began playing again in her late 30s and has been among the top senior players in the country since.

Last year she was ranked No. 3 in the 50s, and this year also won the indoor championship in February.

“It’s really fun to compete,” said Matthiessen, an interior designer. “It’s a good change of pace from working hard.”

Matthiessen teamed with Jane Crofford of Nashville, Tenn., to win the 50s doubles title, 6-3, 6-3. They defeated Audrey Folden of Claremont and Louella Parsons of Carpinteria.

In the 60-and-over final, defending champion June Gay of Piedmont, Calif. defeated 71-year-old Dorothy Cheney of Santa Monica, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).

Cheney was attempting to win her 181st national title.

“We go back and forth,” said Gay, 63. “It was my turn this time.”

The 60s doubles title went to Jeanne Dattan of San Diego and Peggy Landtroop of Dallas. They defeated Virginia Glass of San Diego and Pat Poiset of El Cajon, 7-6, 6-3.