Tony Larson (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), Megan Falcon (Baton Rouge, La.) and the doubles team of Erik Donley (Duluth, Minn.) and Imke Reimers (Minneapolis, Minn.) took home the titles Sunday at the 2011 US Open National Qualifying Tournament at the Baseline Tennis Center on the University of Minnesota campus. Today’s winners now qualify for the US Open Section Tournaments in New Haven, Conn., in mid-August, with the winners of those events qualifying for the US Open.
Larson defended his 2010 title with a convincing 6-2, 6-4 win over Nelson Vick of Stillwater. The 27-year-old Larson, who is a teaching pro at Life Time Fitness – Fridley, overpowered the star-studded field with victories over Tobias Wernet, the Gophers #1 player this year, former professional player Tyler Cleveland and Vick, who will be a sophomore at Ohio State, en route to the championship. Larson will be making his first trip to the Section Championship as last year a scheduling conflict prevented him from playing.
Falcon, a former All-American at Louisiana State who is ranked in the top 500 of the world, defeated former Minnesota state champion and incoming Gopher freshman Aria Lambert (Excelsior, Minn.) 6-4, 6-0. This was the second straight year Falcon won a Section Qualifying Tournament taking the crown in Joplin, Mo., last year.
Donley, who played for the Gophers, and Reimers, who is a volunteer assistant coach currently at the U, defeated Wernet and former Gopher player Dana Young in the finals 6-2, 7-5.This is the first year mixed doubles has been offered as part of the US Open National Qualifying Tournament.
US Open Northern Section Qualifying Tournament
Baseline Tennis Center
Minneapolis, Minn.
Final Results
Men's Singles
Tony Larson d. Nelson Vick 6-2, 6-4
Women's Results
Megan Falcon d. Aria Lambert 6-4, 6-0
Mixed Doubles
Imke Reimers/Eric Donley def. Tobias Wernet/Dana Young 6-2, 7-5.