The 2002 Doubles Tournament Men's A-Flight Finalists (left to right): Runner-Ups Rodger Hollenbeck and Bruce Harbeson with Champions Duane Jefts and John Ross.
Duane and John won in two sets, 7-6 (12-10), 6-3.
The 2002 Doubles Tournament Men's B-Flight Finalists (left to right): Runner-ups Karl Bloomberg (medal only, Karl had to leave early to attend a quilting show) and Vince Cowdry with Champions Curt Juergens and Tom DeLong. Curt and Tom won in two sets, 6-1, 6-4.
Possibly the best match and highlight of the entire tournament was played in the first round on Friday evening. Starting at 6:00 p.m. The "Match of the Century" lasted approximately two hours, with many fans begging for more when it finally ended.
A classic match-up of Sampson and Goliath, beauty and the beast, age and maturity versus youth and inexperience. No one gave the extremely humble and mild-mannered team of Tom DeLong and Curt Juergens much chance to win, due to their advanced ages and disabilities, especially when matched up with two quick, young, semi-pro tennis players. Tom and Curt battled valiantly, playing what can only be described by their peers as "brilliant tennis". This magnificant display of talent, however, could not overcome the many obstacles thrown at them that evening.
During the middle of the second set, when it looked like Curt and Tom had a chance to win and the Campeau team was trying to turn things around, tournament director, Rodger Hollenbeck (Uncle Rodger as CJ and Kyle call him) began sending a steady stream of hecklers out onto Court 2 to sit courtside and harass the veteran team into submission.
Rookies C.J. Campeau (19, center left) and Kyle Campeau (16, center right) narrowly outlasted veteran old-timers, Curt Juergens (77, far left) and Tom DeLong (85, far right) in three grueling sets 5-7, 7-5, 6-3.
Tom, who is legally blind at night (and we're not so sure about the day either) was not allowed to use his seeing-eye dog on court and had to use the sounds of the ball and racquets to follow the play. Surprisingly as it may seem, he played much better than normal (don't ask what his "normal" play looks like). Curt, the faster of the two, had this to say after the match, "We woulda had em in the second set if it tweren't for dem hecklers and the lights reflecting off this dang walker."
The 2002 Doubles Tournament Highlight match competitors (left to right): Veteran Old-Timer Curt Juergens, Rookies C.J. Campeau and Kyle Campeau and Veteran Old-Timer Tom DeLong with his dog Uranidiot. Curt and Tom lost in three sets to C.J. and Kyle, 7-5, 5-7, 3-6.
