Battisone brothers are trouble in Crestmont Doubles Tournament

Wednesday, March 12, 2008 7:12 PM PDT

Brian and Dann Battisone beat No.-1 seed Robert Yim and Travis Rettenmaier in close tennis contest Sunday.

By D.S. Perez, Peninsula News

Brian Battisone’s odd red-and-black two-handled tennis racket wasn’t the only thing eye-catching Sunday at the Peninsula Racquet Club.

His serve featured him tossing the ball with his right hand and then flipping his racket to that hand. The 6-foot-3 Battisone would then send his frame as high as it could leap — which definitely caught the gallery’s attention.

It also threw his opponents in the Crestmont Classic Doubles Tennis Tournament finals, Travis Rettenmaier and Robert Yim, way off.

“It was awkward,” Rettenmaier said after losing the close contest to brothers Brian and Dann Battisone 7-5, 7-6 (7-3). “The trajectory is odd and it was tough to pick up the ball. He served well.”

Brian, 28, who along with his older brother resides in Las Vegas but trains in the South Bay, said it was something he tried in order to get better elevation and a nontraditional angle.

Mission accomplished.

“He’s been serving like that for five years,” Dann, 31, said, comparing it to a volleyball serve.

Brian added he didn’t play volleyball while growing up and attending Palm Desert High School or Brigham Young University.

The serve also fell for the two. With Brian sending it in at awkward angles, if Rettenmaier or Yim got the ball, they would have their return sent immediately back by the 5-foot-8 Dann, who rushed the net.

“That’s my brother’s forte. He likes to close on the net unbelievably fast,” Brian said.

For winning the two-day, 16-player men’s open tournament, the brothers picked up $1,800.

Rettenmaier, 24, of Ojai, and the San Diego-area residing Yim, 23, pocketed $900 for making the finals.

On Saturday, Yim and Rettenmaier defeated Yusuke Kitao and Tsuyoshi Nagaoka 6-0, 6-1 and Oliver Messerli and Billy Lambon 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinals.

The Battisones beat Ian Ayler of El Segundo and Manhattan Beach’s Mark Woolridge 6-3, 6-2 and Pat Crow and Scott Spearman 6-1, 6-2 in the semis.

Rettenmaier, who has participated in a number of South Bay tournaments, is headed to compete in Canada this week, while the Battisones will trek to Italy to compete in pro tournaments in order to improve their doubles standings.

On the women’s side, No. 2 seeds Judy DeVera of Carson and Dianne Matias of Torrance defeated Christine Almeida and Julie Barrier 6-1, 6-0 Sunday.

DeVera and Matias pocketed $600 for the win and $250 went to the duo of Almeida and Barrier.

Tournament co-director Rob Fronauer said the event, in its second year, increased its draw size and prize money.

Last year, 65 players participated in the event; this year more than 80 signed up. There was no women’s competition in 2007, he added.

As for the money, $3,250 was issued to winners this year, an improvement from $2,000 last year, Fronauer said.

The event benefited the Salvation Army College for officer training at Crestmont.

dperez@pvnews.com

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