Greg Wicklund (Edina, Minn.) won the championship in the men’s 50s singles at the 2009 Pacific Southwest Championships – a Super Category II National Tournament – in Newport Beach, Calif.
Wicklund won five matches on his way to the title, including defeating the first- and second-seeded players in the draw. He opened the tournament with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Rodrigo Gabuya (Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.). He then beat John Hoisch (Westlake Village, Calif.) 6-0, 6-0, before defeating second seeded David Nowick in the quarters 6-1, 6-0. In the semis, Wicklund dispatched of Brian Biernat (Woodbury, Minn.) 6-3, 6-1 and then beat top-seeded Anthony Smith (Canyon Country, Calif.) in the finals 1-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Biernat, who is also the Treasurer of USTA Northern, also had a good tournament in advancing to the semifinals. He opened the tournament with a 6-7, 6-1, 7-5 win over Dan Oriza (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) and followed it with a 5-7, 7-5, 6-1 victory over seventh seeded Joseph Kennedy (Danville, Calif.). In the quarters, he handled Michael Curry (Jamaica, N.Y.) 6-4, 6-1, before losing to Wicklund.
Wicklund and Biernat also advanced to the semifinals in doubles before falling to eventual champions Nowick and Bruce Totten (Claremont, Calif.) 6-3, 6-4.