Sarantos swings into 3rd sport

George Sarantos, tennis player, no artFormer basketball and volleyball player has found recent success wielding a racquet during his later years.George Sarantos has only been playing tennis for the last 16 years. But if you have seen his accomplishments, you would think he has been a lifelong player.

Sarantos and his doubles partner, Laguna Woods’ Henry Leichtfried, have a 14-1 record in 2005 and are ranked No. 1 in Southern California in their age division.

The Palisades Tennis Club member said his two proudest accomplishments are his two world doubles championships he won the last two years in the men’s 65s division.

In April, Sarantos and Leichtfried won the men’s 65 clay court championships in New Orleans.

In 2004, the pair won the grass super-seniors world championships in Philadelphia.

Tennis wasn’t the first sport for Sarantos, just his most recent.

The tennis standout said he has played sports all his life.

In his college days, he played point guard on two conference champion basketball teams at Fresno State.

After college, Sarantos turned his passion to volleyball.

He coached and played on the Fresno Volleyball Club, leading the teamto the 1967 national championship.

His volleyball prowess didn’t go unnoticed. Sarantos was named to the 1968 U.S. Olympic volleyball team as an alternate.

These days, Sarantos no longer plays volleyball. He focuses instead on tennis.

“I would say [tennis] is my favorite sport now,” Sarantos said. “It’s one of the few I’m able to play these days.”

In October, the Fresno native was a member of the U.S. national super-seniors team that finished second among 18 teams in the Britannia Cup in Antalya, Turkey.

Sarantos and Leichtfried won their four matches in team competition. The duo defeated teams from Ireland, Israel, Germany and Austria.

Though accomplished in doubles, Sarantos can also thrive playing solo.

Sarantos is ranked No. 16 internationally among players 65 and older. Nationally, he is ranked fifth.

And while Sarantos usually plays across the country, he did compete in the 79th Pacific Southwest Championships at the Palisades Tennis Club.

Sarantos moved to Newport Beach 2 1/2 years ago, and credits the improvement of his tennis game to the change of scenery. “There is better competition in Southern California,” he said. “It has elevated my level of play.”

Sarantos also has residences in Indian Wells and Fresno. The latter is where his business interests are: He is half-owner of two casinos, one in Fresno and one in Clovis.

When asked to describe his style of play in gaming terms, Sarantos chuckled.

“I’m probably more conservative,” he said.

“I don’t gamble too much on the court.”