2025 Playoffs - 18+ and 40+ State Championships!

The 3.0 championships are upon us, and by us, we mean the WORLD! The 18+ and 40+ events, both taking place in the NWO territory of Perrysburg Tennis Center, would see the culmination of some fantastic 2025 3.0 tennis! Who would win? And who would break 3.0 barriers? Read on! (or just look at the picture above!)

18+ - August 9th and 10th

Taking place over two days, three clubs from all over O-H-I-O travelled to the pristine courts of PTC to lay their 3.0 hands on 3.0 glory!

Elysium, taking their first ever Flight and District titles, were no doubt nervous now upon the big O-H-I-O stage, and, combined with the bad luck of having to play back-to-back on the same day, fell to two veteran squads, 1-4 in each match. Still, Captain Murthy's Elysium put on a good show, and despite falling to singles star, Captain Noah, and doubles starlets Michael and Jerome, from NCRC and then the Brother's Swick and doubles tandem Captain Kristopher and Mike from Two's, they could look back upon an historical first-ever championship season with much 3.0 glee!

Thus, the final was set, with two veteran squads going at it. Two's, the home team via their NWO status, enjoyed home Toledo-area cooking (which we are sure is amazing?) while NCRC enjoyed flexibility all over the courts. Captain Kristopher, trying to throw NCRC off balance, split up the Brother's Swick, throwing out one brother on singles and the other on doubles, immediately throwing NCRC off! However, Captain Noah countered with ... himself. Indeed, the odds on D.F.O. fav to take home one of the coveted little-known D.F.O. end of season awards did what he's done nearly 20 times this season - win! - to give NCRC the early lead, a lead that self-rated star Michael extended to 2-0 with his win on the adjoining singles court.

However, Two's leader, Captain Kristopher, countered with ... HIMSELF! And Mike. HIMSELF AND MIKE! And thanks to their dynamic relationship, a relationship that has seen them win 10+ times this season, they took down one of the best doubles tanden in the entire Midwest, a team that had gone 21-2 together, to see their beloved Two's take a 2-2 lead.

Meaning it would all come down to - as it always should - third doubles!

But NCRC had a trick up their sleeve, and that trick was flex player Michael, a singles and doubles all-arounder who could do it all ... if by all you mean singles and doubles!

WHICH WE DO!

Michael, 10-1 in doubles this season, was able to withstand the solo Swick brother (which probably isn't fair ... it's doubles after all!) to not only earn the victory, but give NCRC their 3.0-record-setting sixth State Championship!

40+ - August 8th

Taking place over one day - which doesn't really seem fair as these are the elder statesmen of 3.0 tennis - legendary NCRC, newcomer Virginia Hollinger, and hometown hero BGSU went at it for 3.0 40+ O-H-I-O glory despite the one day odds!

Similar to their 18+ brethren, the newbies, just excited to be there, exited early thanks to a 1-4 and 0-5 result, but the fact that OHVA's Virginia Hollinger enjoyed their first ever Flight and District trophies (or banners) - and their first ever State court win thanks to Rob getting the win on first doubles to earn win 10+ on the season - is enough to know that this up-and-coming club is on the up ... and on the coming!

Thus, it would all come down to two 40+ powerhouses, NCRC, a 40+ club with multiple O-H-I-O banners hanging in their pristine clubhouse and NGSU, one of the dominate NWO 40+ clubs that had been knocking on the title door but hadn't quite been able to open said door.

BGSU, returning to the State stage for the second year in a row, got off to a fast start thanks to singles star Ajay, he of over 10+ singles wins, earning yet another win, meaning he was over ... um ... 10. Again! But NCRC, led by Captain William, had one of the best tandems in all of O-H-I-O in Jerome and Michael, and with their 19th tag-team win on the season, the team scored was evened up at 1-1!

On Doubles Court #2, self-rated Tom gave NCRC the quick 2-1 lead with a big victory over NWO vet Roger, but thanks to BGSU Captain Jason's quick captaining decisions, BGSU got back in the game! Indeed, only three games would separate the final two doubles courts, with Noel and Darius evening the score with a 7-5, 7-5 win over NCRC's Captain William, meaning it would all come down to ... FOURTH DOUBLES!

NCRC got off to the fast start, with star Jason and vet Munir taking the first set. But powered on by their home crowd, Timothy, with the help of Paul, earned his 59th career victory thanks to a THIRD SET SUPER TIEBREAK victory!

WOW! As such, not only did BGSU take the match, but for the first time in BGSU - and NWO - history, a club from NWO took home the State 40+ championship!

Congrats to all the competing teams and the O-H-I-O champions (we can't spell "Ohio" without saying each letter individually, sorry) for a great season and a great tournament and good luck to veterans NCRC and newbies BGSU as they represent (wait for it) O-H-I-O in the sectional tournament in Indianapolis!