Tennis Competition at the Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiad – 2008
By George Sawchak

Horsham, PA. The fourth Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiad was held at Tryzubiwka, a sports complex of USO Tryzub, during the fourth of July weekend, 4-6 July 2008. Tennis was one of the sports contested during the Olympiad. Played on four recently technically repaired courts at Tryzubiwka, the competition was in men’s open, men’s 45, two junior girls and two junior boys’ groups, singles only.

Mykola Stroinick, recent USCAK-East men’s singles champion, won the gold medal in the open men’s group when, in the final round, Don Kopach, silver medal winner, had to retire with the score 6-0, 3-4 due to injury. To reach the finals, Stroinick defeated Andrew Wapowsky 6-1, 6-3 and Alex Charchalis by the same score. Kopach defeated Mykola Nalyvayko, Sr. in a close three setter 6-2, 2-6, 6-1. Nalyvayko took the bronze medal winning over Alex Charchalis 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.

In the men’s 45’s group George Walchuk won the gold medal when in the finals of the group, he defeated Jerry Tymkiw 6-3, 6-3. In the semi-finals, silver medalist Tymkiw, upset first seeded Ivan Durbak 2-6, 6-2, 7-5, while Walchuk overcame George Hrabec 6-1, 6-2. Durbak took the bronze medal winning from George Hrabec 6-0, 6-1. Another bronze medal was awarded in this group to Walter Dziwak, a 6-3, 7-6 (3) final feed-in winner over Orest Wasyluk.

Olenka Olesnycky took the gold medal in the girls’ 18’s group when in the finals, she defeated silver medalist, Marta Cherpak, 6-3, 6-3. In the semi-finals Olesnycky won from Anissa Boyko 6-3, 7-6 and Cherpak from Laryssa Boyko 6-4, 6-4. A battle for the bronze medal between the Boyko sisters was decided in favor of Anissa 6-0, 2-6, 6-4. The girls’ 14 gold medal was awarded to Marta Cherpak.

Alexander Charchalis won the boys’ 18 gold medal defeating in the finals silver medalist, Mykola Nalyvayko, Jr. 6-0, 6-0. In the semi-finals Charchalis overcame Greg Olesnycky 6-4, 6-3 and Nalyvayko, Adrian Charchalis 6-0, 6-0. Greg Olesnycky took the bronze medal by winning over Adrian Charchalis 6-0, 6-1. Olesnycky was also awarded a gold medal in the boys’ 14’s group with the silver going to Adrian Charchalis.

There were 28 individual matches contested in the tennis competition at the Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiad- 2008. The tournament ended late Sunday afternoon with the medal presentation ceremony. Presenting the medals were George Sawchak, tournament director, and George Hrabec, USCAK tennis committee member.

The next Ukrainian tennis tournament will be USCAK’s singles championships, which will be held on August 30-31, and September 1, 2008 at Soyuzivka, Kerhonkson, New York.