Edwardsville Open features top-notch tennis action, Kovacevic crowned champion

EDWARDSVILLE - It was a perfect weekend Saturday and Sunday for the Edwardsville Open in regard to competition on the court and weather.

The Edwardsville Open tennis tourney featured talent from not only the region, but some nationally ranked players who worked for a spot in the upcoming Edwardsville Futures tournament.

TheBANK of Edwardsville was the presenting sponsor and made the tourney and its success possible, said Edwardsville Open Tournament Director Dave Lipe, also the head Edwardsville boys and girls tennis coach.

Men’s and women’s singles action opened Friday night, then continued Saturday and Sunday and several of the top players were showcased. Goodsports, The Market Basket and Annie’s Frozen Custard were other sponsors.

“Everything went great, it was super busy, a lot of great tennis,” Lipe said. “It was relatively cool weather. It was great to have Callaghan here and Paul Stuart and a lot of solid Edwardsville players and stars from University of Illinois, Blake Strode won our Futures tournament first year had it, great to have him here.

“It was great to have our sponsor TheBANK of Edwardsville aboard and have their support for this tournament to make it possible and the other sponsors. It was a great weekend, overall.”

Here are the results from Sunday's finals at the Edwardsville Open:

Aleksander Kovacevic defeated defending Open champion Carson Haskins 6-0, 6-2 for the men's singles title and a berth in the Edwardsville Futures tournament beginning Aug. 7; Haskins will have a spot in the Futures qualifying tournament Aug. 5-6.

In the men's doubles final, Haskins teamed up with Strode to take the title over Kovacevic and Vuk Bidic 6-2, 6-2; Kovacevic and Bidic earned a spot in the Futures doubles qualifiers prior to the start of the tournament.

Strode teamed with Haskins to win the men’s doubles title and said he loves playing at the Edwardsville tournament. He is a previous Edwardsville Futures champion.

“I have some good memories here,” he said. “This is the first time I have been back since I won the Futures tournament. I enjoy playing with Carson (Haskins), he is the future of St. Louis tennis. This is a great facility and is about the nicest high school facility I have played on.”

Shannon Carney won the women's singles crown by defeating Ashley Bonine 6-3, 6-3 while Morgan Colbert and Grace Desse won the women's doubles crown. Emily Cimarolli, Edwardsville High's assistant tennis coach, teamed up with Kirk Schlueter to win the mixed doubles crown over Callaghan Adams and Paul Stuart.

Erik Weller and Logan Pursell took the men's doubles consolation title over Riley Muren and Drake Schrieber 6-2, 6-1 while Cameron Randall won the men's singles consolation crown 7-5, 6-3 over K.J. Stewart.

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