Tribune-Star staff report
TERRE HAUTE — On Jeff Farmer’s good tennis days, it’s difficult to find a way to beat him, with the way he controls the baseline with consistency and a powerful forehand, and the net with his long reach.
Joel Modesitt found that out Sunday in Farmer’s 6-3, 6-1 victory in the championship match of the Earl Wood Greater Terre Haute Singles Tournament at Rea Park.
Farmer, 43, used his long strides to cover both front and back courts well, served about 10 winners and made few errors in taking his first Earl Wood title.
Modesitt, a junior at West Vigo High School, played in his first Earl Wood final and likely will return in the years ahead. The score belies the many long, engaging rallies in the match — 10- or 12-hit exchanges that tested both players’ court coverage.
“He’s a great kid with a good attitude and I knew I was going to have to come out and fight for every point,” Farmer said.
There were three service breaks in the first five games before Farmer held at 3-2 on two service winners, a forehand pass and a Modesitt error. Farmer did not lose serve again, using the heavy spinner to get three winners in the final game. He won the title on his second match point when Modesitt netted a forehand passing shot.
“He just moved me around everywhere, and kept me off guard with his serve,” Modesitt said. “He played a great match.”
Farmer joins his wife, Janet, and brother-in-law Mike Rourke as past winners of the Earl Wood tournament, which has been played annually since 1919.
Also on Sunday, Andrew Gregory won the men’s consolation final, 6-2, 6-4 over Todd Butwin. Janet Mace won the women’s final, played Saturday.
Past Men's Winners
1959 — Pierre Miller
1965 — Duane Klueh
1966 — Bob Denny
1967 — Darrell Johnson
1968 — Duane Klueh
1969 — Jim Rosenburgh
1970 — Joseph Thompson
1971 — Bob Denny
1972 — Dan Biggs
1973 — Dan Biggs
1974 — Duane Klueh
1975 — Randy Ross
1976 — Norman Turner
1977 — Glenn Gee
1978 — Curtis Williams
1979 — Glenn Gee
1980 — Alex Kor
1981 — Curtis Williams
1982 — John Burnett
1983 — John Whitehead
1984 — George Loesch
1985 — John Whitehead
1986 — Doug Rowe
1987 — Mike Rourke
1988 — Frank Reynolds
1989 — Frank Reynolds
1990 — Frank Reynolds
1991 — Mike Rourke
1992 — Ed Barksdale
1993 — Ed Barksdale
1994 — John Wright
1995 — Ed Barksdale
1996 — Doug Rowe
1997 — Mike Rourke
1998 — Mike Rourke
1999 — Tony Bresky
2000 — Nathan Crick
2001 — Mike Reynolds
2002 — Joel Robson
2003 — Aaron Gregory
2004 — Malik Tabet
2005 — Malik Tabet
2006 — Aaron Gregory
2007 — Jeff Farmer
