Buckmaster wins tough round robin match

Even though Brenda Dowling is unable to play, Joan Buckmaster's road to the Moose Jaw Tennis Club women's championship won't be all that easy.
Buckmaster defeated Dicky Scholten 6-1, 6-2 in the opening round robin match Friday at the club, which is having a mammoth championship weekend for adult and junior singles and doubles competitors.
The Buckmaster-Scholten match was a lot closer than the score indicated, and gave both competitors a mental and physical workout.
"If I didn't have my drop shot, I don't know what I would have done," said Buckmaster. "She never missed any of her ground strokes. And I don't normally play drop shots. I found out that I could.
"It wasn't an easy one."
In Friday's other matches, in men's singles. Drew Hager defeated John Kreutzwiser (6-0, 6-0); Gene Rizak defeated Regan Haider (6-1. 7-6); Kevin Carlson outlasted Reg Lavictoire (6-4. 6-4); Brian Swanson defeated Scott Sharpe (6-1, 6-2); Rob Parker knocked off Mark LeBere (6-2. 6-4) and Aaron Booth defeated Jerry Gieni (retired). In women's singles, Gina Parent defeated Brigitte Wiebe (6-1, 6-1) and in mixed doubles, LeBere and Wiebe defeated Mike and Gloria Pitzel (6-0, 6-0).
Dowling, still suffering from wounds acquired breaking up a dog fight, isn't able to defend the crown she has won eight of the last 10 women's titles. Buckmaster has the other two.
The four remaining women at the club are playing in a round robin format, with the top two teams off to a final.
"If you win your first one, the other way is better because you're into the final, but if you lose it, if gives you a chance to get back," Buckmaster said. "The (other two) gals are really good players."
Buckmaster had some difficulty early in the match with some of the play at the net but seemed to figure it out, as she often does.
Scholten, meanwhile, was happy with her game and wasn't dwelling on the loss.
"You learn from your opponents what to do and what not to do," Scholten said. "I really enjoyed the game, so for me, the outcome is not important. It's the process."
And the process was good, as Scholten worked some deep strokes well from right to left cross court.
"I've been watching the US Open and that's what they do constantly," she said. "Cross court or straight."
Matches get underway at the club at 9 a.m. Saturday with the final games scheduled for Sunday morning, weather permitting.

Corey Atkinson can be reached at 691-1260