The Martha's Vineyard Times

Vineyard tennis team posts two wins at Indian Wells Tournament

By Tony Omer
March 15, 2013

Photo courtesy of Mollee Lewis

Mollee Lewis (left) and Julie Lively posed in front of the women's scoreboard at the 2013 BNP Paribas Open Tri-Level Championships in Indian Wells, California on Friday at the start of tournament play. [More Photos]

Friday 4:30 pm

The doubles team of Mollee Lewis of Vineyard Haven and Julie Lively of Edgartown won their first round match, 7-5, 6-0, today at the prestigious 2013 BNP Paribas Open Tri-Level Championships in Indian Wells, California.

They are part of the tri-level team representing the New England section, one of 17 different USTA sections from around the country in the tournament.

Friday 6:15 pm

The Lively-Lewis team lost their second round match to a young team of college students from Puerto Rico, representing the Caribbean section, 6-0, 6-2.

Saturday

In 96 degree desert heat the Vineyard team beat the team from the Northern section, 6-4, 6-3 in their final round robin match, but it was not enough to out flank the undefeated Caribbean team which advanced to the semi-finals and went on to win the tournament on Sunday.

The tri-level tournaments include teams playing at 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 levels. A minimum of 12 players, six men and six women, comprise the teams, one doubles team per gender in the 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 ability levels, to a maximum of 24 players.

The team earned entry into the tournament by winning the women's 3.5 doubles United States Tennis Association (USTA) New England sectional championship in Springfield in January.