Tennis: Newport Beach seniors ready to rock in the desert

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - A team of seniors from Newport Beach Tennis Club

will play in the eighth annual Palm Desert Senior Cup March 26-29 at the

Marriott Desert Springs.

Teams from throughout California are playing in the tournament.

Gene Nalbandian of Peninsula Point will lead the Newport Beach team

that has won the prestigious Phoenix Challenge National and World

Championships.

Peter Finch and Leo Fracalosy will play No. 1 doubles for NBTC, while

Gene Rhodes, Bruce Malloy, Gary Adams, Chris Bowen, Ron Hextell, Jerry

Robinson and Nalbandian, the captain, will also play.

The NBTC squad is expected to compete in four other major tournaments

in 2001 and will return to international play in Perth, Australia, for

the Australian National Championships in January 2002. Last year, Newport

Beach played in the Australian National Championships and reached the

quarterfinals.