COngratulations 2024 Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic Winners!
Open: Tobias Wernet/Tooli Wilkins
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Masters: Tim Burke/Jackie Sperling Hosseini
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Grand Masters: Doug Matuska/Linnea Benson
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17U: Caleb Kennel/Keely Ryder
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15U: Santi Sanchez/Olivia McDonald
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13U: Sofia Livingston/Joshua LaTour
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11U: Vera Scheglowski/Natan Belenky
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Congratulations to our 2024 Champions and EVERYONE who was a part of the 2024 Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic!
Tooli Wilkins and Tobias Wernet both won their second Pine Tree titles, but first as partners in a thrilling 4-6, 6-3, 12-10 win over Sonya Das and Chase Johnson. Wilkins/Wernet were ahead 9-3 in the third-set match tiebreaker before Das and Johnson soon tied the match at 9-all. Wilkins/Wernet had two more match points, before finally winning it on the ninth match point.
In the Masters Division, Jackie Sperling-Hosseini and Tim Burke won their third consecutive championship with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Chris Arena and Sierra Krebsbach. Arena and Krebsbach were married last weekend and spent their honeymoon playing in Pine Tree.
#3-seed Linnea Benson and Doug Matuska won their first Pine Tree title in the Grand Masters with a 6-3, 7-6 (6) win over two-time champions Leslie Gale and Bryan Biever.
In the Junior Division, Sofia Livingston and Joshua LaTour won their third straight title, this time in the 13U division, while Keely Ryder and Caleb Kennel won their second Pine Tree championship, this time in the 17U division. Olivia McDonald and Santi Sanchez won the 15U Division marking the second win for McDonald and the first for Sanchez, while Vera Scheglowski and Natan Belenky won their first-ever Pine Tree championship.
Adult Pine Tree Champions
Open: #2 Tooli Wilkins/Tobias Wernet def. Sonya Das/Chase Johnson 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10)
Masters: #1 Jackie Sperling Hosseini/Tim Burke def. Sierra Krebsbach/Chris Arena 6-0, 7-5
Grand Masters: #3 Linnea Benson/Doug Matuska def. #2 Leslie Gale/Bryan Biever 6-3, 7-6 (8)
Junior Pine Tree Champions
17U: #1 Keely Ryder/Caleb Kennel def. #2 Maddie Larson/Oliver Walseth 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (8)
15U: #1 Olivia McDonald/Santi Sanchez def. #2 Varin Tangeti/Lucky Selvakumar 6-4, 6-0
13U: #1 Sofia Livingston/Joshua LaTour def. #2 Anil Harshith Bharadwaj/Reese Ellingson 6-4, 4-6, 1-0(5)
11U: Vera Scheglowski/Natan Belenky - Won round robin bracket with 2-0 record
Off the court, we are at almost $400,000 already and have a lot of big-ticket items still to count in hopes of surpassing of 2023 fundraising goal of $430,000! More to come on that, but we thank everyone for their incredible support of the event.
Game, Set, Cure!
Tooli Wilkins and Tobias Wernet both won their second Pine Tree titles, but first as partners in a thrilling 4-6, 6-3, 12-10 win over Sonya Das and Chase Johnson. Wilkins/Wernet were ahead 9-3 in the third-set match tiebreaker before Das and Johnson soon tied the match at 9-all. Wilkins/Wernet had two more match points, before finally winning it on the ninth match point.
In the Masters Division, Jackie Sperling-Hosseini and Tim Burke won their third consecutive championship with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Chris Arena and Sierra Krebsbach. Arena and Krebsbach were married last weekend and spent their honeymoon playing in Pine Tree.
#3-seed Linnea Benson and Doug Matuska won their first Pine Tree title in the Grand Masters with a 6-3, 7-6 (6) win over two-time champions Leslie Gale and Bryan Biever.
In the Junior Division, Sofia Livingston and Joshua LaTour won their third straight title, this time in the 13U division, while Keely Ryder and Caleb Kennel won their second Pine Tree championship, this time in the 17U division. Olivia McDonald and Santi Sanchez won the 15U Division marking the second win for McDonald and the first for Sanchez, while Vera Scheglowski and Natan Belenky won their first-ever Pine Tree championship.
Adult Pine Tree Champions
Open: #2 Tooli Wilkins/Tobias Wernet def. Sonya Das/Chase Johnson 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10)
Masters: #1 Jackie Sperling Hosseini/Tim Burke def. Sierra Krebsbach/Chris Arena 6-0, 7-5
Grand Masters: #3 Linnea Benson/Doug Matuska def. #2 Leslie Gale/Bryan Biever 6-3, 7-6 (8)
Junior Pine Tree Champions
17U: #1 Keely Ryder/Caleb Kennel def. #2 Maddie Larson/Oliver Walseth 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (8)
15U: #1 Olivia McDonald/Santi Sanchez def. #2 Varin Tangeti/Lucky Selvakumar 6-4, 6-0
13U: #1 Sofia Livingston/Joshua LaTour def. #2 Anil Harshith Bharadwaj/Reese Ellingson 6-4, 4-6, 1-0(5)
11U: Vera Scheglowski/Natan Belenky - Won round robin bracket with 2-0 record
Off the court, we are at almost $400,000 already and have a lot of big-ticket items still to count in hopes of surpassing of 2023 fundraising goal of $430,000! More to come on that, but we thank everyone for their incredible support of the event.
Game, Set, Cure!
2024 Final TOurnament Results &
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We Reached Our 2024 Goal
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Paul Kolenich Wins 2024 SportsManship Award
Congratulations to Paul Kolenich - the 2024 Sportsmanship Award winner.
Since 2000, a Sportsmanship Award has been awarded each year to a player who has demonstrated qualities of good sportsmanship and who has significantly demonstrated his or her commitment to the cause of the Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic. Paul is committed on so many levels to the cause. He has participated in this event for over 10 years. He is consistently one of the top fundraisers for the event, including raising over $4,700 this year. He volunteers his time before, during and after the tournament and organizes his White Bear Lake Boys team to volunteer at the event as well. Paul always has a smile on his face, and beer in his hand, and is what the Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic is all about. Thank you, Paul!
Since 2000, a Sportsmanship Award has been awarded each year to a player who has demonstrated qualities of good sportsmanship and who has significantly demonstrated his or her commitment to the cause of the Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic. Paul is committed on so many levels to the cause. He has participated in this event for over 10 years. He is consistently one of the top fundraisers for the event, including raising over $4,700 this year. He volunteers his time before, during and after the tournament and organizes his White Bear Lake Boys team to volunteer at the event as well. Paul always has a smile on his face, and beer in his hand, and is what the Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic is all about. Thank you, Paul!
2024 Pine Tree Hall of Fame Inductees - The Donley Family
The Donley Kids from 2006: Erik, Kristin, Meghan & Anne
The Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic Fund Board also honors an individual or family who has made an outstanding and long-term contribution to the tournament with the Hall of Fame award. This year’s award was presented on Friday to the Donley Family of Duluth, Minn.
Erik, Meghan, Anne and Kristin have played in over 40 Pine Tree’s and at least one has played since 2000. They have a combined 7 titles between them and 2 sportsmanship awards. Matriarch Liz is always in the crowd watching her kids play while watching the seven grandkids at the same time. Now in 2024, four of their children played in the junior tournament to keep the tradition going. Congratulations to them!
Learn more about the Donley Family here!
Erik, Meghan, Anne and Kristin have played in over 40 Pine Tree’s and at least one has played since 2000. They have a combined 7 titles between them and 2 sportsmanship awards. Matriarch Liz is always in the crowd watching her kids play while watching the seven grandkids at the same time. Now in 2024, four of their children played in the junior tournament to keep the tradition going. Congratulations to them!
Learn more about the Donley Family here!
Basketball Hall of Famer Lindsay Whalen plays Pine Tree
Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Lindsay Whalen became the latest member of the Pine Tree family, playing in the Masters Division of the 2024 Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic with her partner Clay Sollenberger on Thursday night. Lindsay and Clay lost a close match 6-4, 7-5 to Nathalie Odryzynski and Dean Hlushko, but a good time was had by all and many of her loyal fans were able to meet their idol and receive autographs from her.
Lindsay is no stranger to tennis as she played during her time at Hutchinson High School but was later “sidetracked” by basketball. As we know, basketball became more than a hobby for her. She went on to become a three-time All-American at the University of Minnesota, a five-time All-WNBA player, a four-time WNBA champion, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist before transitioning to coaching. After retiring from basketball last year, she dusted off her tennis racquet and found herself back in the game once again playing USTA League Tennis.
Lindsay is no stranger to tennis as she played during her time at Hutchinson High School but was later “sidetracked” by basketball. As we know, basketball became more than a hobby for her. She went on to become a three-time All-American at the University of Minnesota, a five-time All-WNBA player, a four-time WNBA champion, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist before transitioning to coaching. After retiring from basketball last year, she dusted off her tennis racquet and found herself back in the game once again playing USTA League Tennis.