| | |  News from Around Banderas Bay 
Raul and Jerry Lopez, Father and Son Win Canto Del Sol 26th Annual Pro-Am
 Bob Cohen - PVNN
February 01, 2010
| | Martin Parra on the left gives the "A" division singles plaque to a very happy Kosmas Mamadopouplos. | |
| | On the Left Jerry Lopez with his father Raul and partner with the winners plaque for the Canto Del Sol Pro-Am. | 
| | Prior to the Pro-Am finals, left to right, Jerry Lopez, Raul Lopez, Lindy Frakes and Pepe Carranza. | 
| | After their match, on the left Duncan Forbes and Kosmas Mamadopoulos. | 
| | Prior to the semifinal matchup, on the left is Leslie Horvard with partner Samuel Sanchez and Lindy Frakes with partner Pepe Carranza. | 
| | Prior to the second semifinal, on the left is Jerry Lopez with partner and father Raul Lopez and Polo Torres with partner Dr. Raul Meza. | |
The finals of the always popular Canto Del Sol 26th Annual Pro-Am came to a conclusion Saturday late afternoon as the father and son team of Raul and Jerry Lopez defeated the team of Lindy Frakes and Pepe Carranza in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.
Jerry, who is just 15 and has grown more than eight inches the past three years, has elevated his game from a "C" player to "AA" with practice, lessons and training, was the dominant player in the final, hitting crisp winners from the baseline, especially up the middle, which split both Frakes and Carranza at the net.
The match was tight and the straight set victory was no indication of dominance by the Lopez team. Frakes, a Chicago and Puerto Vallarta resident was the amateur on his team and played solid, consistent tennis and Carranza, an 18 year old with a powerful, strong solid game, was the pro on the team. Late in the second set, Carranza broke his racquet frame on a crucial point when the score was tied and the change of racquets clearly affected him.
Both teams were seeded #1 in each of their groups of four teams that played Tuesday - Thursday in a round robin format, with the winner of each group advancing to the semifinals, which were played Friday night.
Friday's results has Raul and Jerry Lopez, who won Group Four as the top seed play Canto Del Sol Pro Polo Torres and Dr. Raul Meza, who were the 4th seed in Group One. It was the fourth consecutive year the two have teamed up for the tournament. The Lopez team went 2-1 in their group but compiled the best win-loss record and advanced. Torres and Meza were 3-0 in their group. In a tough battle, the Lopez team won 6-4, 6-4.
Lindy Frakes and Pepe Carranza were the top seed in Group Three and won all their matches to advance to the semifinals and Group Two's 3rd seed of pro Samuel Sanchez and his amateur partner Leslie Horvard surprised everyone and went 3-0 in their group. The first set went to a tiebreak, won by Frakes/Carranza and then the Sanchez/Horvard team took the second set 6-3 to force a deciding third and final set. Frakes and Carranza took a big lead and won their ticket to the finals with a 6-1 third set.
In "A" singles, the final was played just an hour before the Pro-Am and pitted Greece's Kosmas Mamadopoulos, entertainer a winter resident of Puerto Vallarta against Duncan Forbes, who has the Prince Tennis distributorship in Mexico. The match was clearly contrasting styles as Kosmas plays an extremely effective baseline lob and long points and Duncan is a harder hitter that finishes points quickly. Kosmas is also a clay court specialist and was Greece's #1 ranked 55 year old two years ago and Duncan is strictly a hard court player.
The two agreed to play on the hard surface and there was a large crowd on hand for the earlier match to cheer on their friends. Kosmas opened a 4-0 lead in the opening set, but the persistent Forbes closed the lead to 5-4 before Mamadopoulos won the final game to take the opening set. The second set began the same way, with long points due to the lob tactics and also keeping the ball to Duncan's backhand as Kosmas again opened a 4-0 lead. This time however, there was no comeback and Mamadopoulos won the set 6-0 for the "A" championship.
Twenty six years of the traditional Pro-Am and it is still one of the most popular tournaments that Canto del Sol Tennis Director Martin Parra runs during the busy year round tennis schedule at the club. It is the only tournament that is played during the very busy high tourist season that sees the courts full daily. Congratulations to the winners and competitors as well for another successful event.
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