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Saratoga Sampler
Sisters make quite a splash in the tennis world
by Mary Ann Cook
TENNIS CHAMPS: Here are a couple of Saratoga girls who are acing all the rest in their tennis categories these days, riding mighty high. The current listings appeared last week and both girls show up as #1 in the Norcal tennis standings in their division.
Ashley Lipton is 14 so her division is 14-and-under and Alexandra (Allie) Lipton is 11, which puts her in the 12-and-under category. This may be the first and only time two youngsters from one family are listed as #1.
The Lipton girls are from a tennis playing family: Dad Doug played competitive tennis, was on the freshman Cal team, and ranked fifth a few years back when he was in the 11-and-under category. Their uncle was a touring pro and their grandfather is a ranked player in the over-75 division.
Mother Kelly does not play at all. But she must know plenty about the game, since the two parents often have to split up to take each girl to a different tournament in one place. Both youngsters take lessons at West Valley College from Sylvano Simon, of Sylvano's Championship Tennis Academy.
Dad Doug appraises his daughters' play thusly. "Ashley is quick, with exceptional foot speed, plays smart tennis, quickly adjusting her game according to what she's facing. Allie is extremely strong, dominates her opponents physically, is a tough competitor."
The girls practice three to four hours daily and are good students, along with being tennis stand-outs. The Liptons will be spending most of their time this summer following the tournament circuit. Ashley is destined to be a nationally ranked player by the end of the season.
The Williams sisters are in the limelight these days as earlier the McEnroe brothers chalked up plenty of points and praise. Now the sports world may be hearing about the Lipton sisters. They certainly look to be in strong position to start racking up a string of tennis titles.
ORCHARDIST LOOKOUT: The Orchard Heritage folks are on the lookout for valley families who have been in the orchard business for 50 years or more. Orchard Heritage Park Interpretive Exhibit will host a Blossom Faire and barbecue May 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Orchard Heritage Park at the Sunnyvale Community Center to celebrate orchard history.
Call 738-0846 if you qualify as a longtime orchard valley family and would like to attend the doings. The deadline has been extended to May 10. Clowns, music, plus the authors and illustrators of Valley of Heart's Delight --all will be featured attractions. Armadillo Willy's and Baskin Robbins are the food purveyors.
Orchard Heritage also plans to erect a permanent tribute to these valley families at the Sunnyvale locale. The deadline for inclusion on the permanent honor roll is Dec. 31, 1999. Joe Guterriez is OHPIE Alliance chair, and Paul Bernal is chairman of the Santa Clara County Historical Heritage Commission and host of the May 22 celebration. He himself is a descendant of one of the oldest families.
GOLF EMMY: Golf pros at the top of their game win lots of things--money, endorsements, equipment, cars, but here's a new one, an Emmy. That's what pro golfer Roger Maltbie, who lives in Los Gatos, won recently. Maltbie is part of the golf commentary team that won an Emmy, a first for golf. The award was for the category live, continuing series, so he competed against the formidable football commentary.
Others on the honored team are Johnny Miller, Gary Koch, Dan Hicks, and Dick Enberg, the anchor. Maltbie was a touring pro fro more than 20 years, then signed on as commentator with NBC in 1992. Early on, Maltbie set his sights on being a golfer, relates wife Donna. He was 7. Obviously an exceptionally motivated and dedicated 7-year-old. The Maltbies have two boys--Spencer, 12, and Parker, 9.
WRITING MUSIC: Steve Enders, assistant editor of the Saratoga News, is a musician as well as journalist. He plays the tenor sax. Others in the group, tentatively called "Carpoolio," are Chris Wilder, guitar, who is assistant director of the Vanished Children's Alliance in San Jose. On drums is Todd Wilder, the former lead singer with the reggae band Inka Inka; and Ray Galang who plays bass.
LODGE CONTRIBUTES: Freja Rebe-kah Lodge #284 at the Odd Fellows Home in Saratoga contributed $150 to the Saratoga Fire District to honor the California Odd Fellows Sesquicentennial year. "Not bad for a bunch of old ladies," says Fritz Porter, who is in charge of publicity for the Frejas.
In addition, the Freja lodge recently initiated three new members at a ceremony in Cupertino which included five different lodges. The three initiates were Darlene Frazier, Josephine Wright and Charlotte Vukelich, and 11 Frejas witnessed the ceremony.
SHORT STORY: Molly Giles will teach a six-week class in short-story writing at Montalvo beginning May 6. Giles, who teaches at San Francisco State, won the Small Press Award for Best Fiction in '97, was nominated for a Pulitzer for Rough Translations. For more: 961-5858.
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Saratoga, California Since 1975
