Friends, Partners Reach Women’s 50s Singles Final

Arlene Cohen and Sue Anawalt have been been friends for 15 years, tennis partners for almost as long.

Both think of themselves as underdogs in the women’s 50s singles and doubles of the U.S. National Hardcourt Tennis Championships at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.

Now, they find they’ll be playing each other in today’s 50s final. Later in the day, they’ll play together in the doubles final.

Cohen defeated top-seeded Dorothy Matthiessen of Pasadena, 6-0, 6-0, and Anawalt defeated Pat Cody of Whittier, 6-2, 6-2, in Saturday’s singles semifinals.

Cohen, from Orinda, and Anawalt, from Monte Serreno, usually meet a couple times a month to play, and both agree that the outcome today will just be “a matter of who’s playing well that day.”

“We’re the best of friends, and we have so much in common. We share the same (wedding) anniversary, same day, same year. We both have two kids, and our husbands get along,” Anawalt said with a laugh.

It has been two years since Cohen has played in a national tournament, 1 1/2 years for Anawalt. Cohen was suffering from a back injury and lack of desire. Anawalt found herself so involved with community projects that tennis was neglected.

Competing in a tournament after that long off has been so nerve-wracking for Cohen that during her first match, she said, she stepped on her own foot. But if she was nervous Saturday against Matthiessen, she concealed it well. She was in complete control with her shot selection and didn’t give up a game.

“I really had to concentrate,” Cohen said. “I’ve been very nervous because of lack of tournament play.”

Said Matthiessen: “She played awfully well. She was really focused.”

Anawalt, seeded second, said the last time she played Cody was in a tournament eight years ago. Cody won.

“I just tried to keep the ball in play,” Anawalt said. “Her game is power. She’s very strong.

“You have to respect all these players. Sometimes it’s your turn (to win), sometimes it’s theirs. It’s nice when it’s your turn.”

Anawalt said playing in the doubles final after the singles could be difficult for both her and Cohen because when they play against each other, they “usually tire each other out.”

They will play Matthiessen and Carol Wood of Rockville, Md., in the final.

Tennis Notes

In the 60s singles final, Nancy Neeld of Albuquerque will play Marjorie Kohler of Carmel. Kohler, seeded first, defeated Ellie McPhail, 7-5, 6-4, in the semifinals, and Neeld defeated Kathy Rothfels of Denver, 6-1, 6-2. . . . La Jolla’s Liz Harper, who lost to Kohler in the 60s quarterfinals, defeated Joyce Heck of Sun City, Ariz., 6-1, 6-1, in the consolation quarterfinals but lost to Elaine Mason of Fresno, 6-4, 6-4, in the semis.