MOUNT GRETNA – Ben Clary knew he liked the Mount Gretna Men’s Club tennis tournament even before he entered it. The way things have unfolded, his intuition has been spot on.
Now they might be asking him to leave.
On a humid Thursday night, Clary captured his third straight Mount Gretna Men’s Club tournament championship with a rugged 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 triumph over Dylan Tull. After the dueling 18-year-olds split the first two sets, Clary won the final five games of the decisive third.
It was number-one seeded Clary’s third Mount Gretna title overall, in four tries. He first entered the event at the age of 16.
It was also a minor consolation prize for Clary – and for that matter Tull as well – who lost out on his senior year of scholastic tennis at Palmyra because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Certainly both Clary and the second-seeded Tull, a recent graduate of Cedar Crest, were ticketed for major hardcourt sucess with their respective schools this spring.
“One of the reasons I like this tournament is that it’s really close to home,” said Clary, who’s off to Bloommsburg to play college tennis. “I used to come out when I was 13 or 14, and I always wanted to play. The rule was you had to be 16 to play. I was just waiting.
“I’m glad I’ve won it three years in-a-row,” added Clary. “This is kind of becoming a streak. I’m going to see how long it can go. I want to win it again next year.”
“I love the atmosphere here,” said Tull, who’s headed to LaSalle to play college tennis. “Just seeing all the people I know. I don’t feel like an outsider. I’m happy how it went. I’m glad we got to have it.”
With momentum squarely on his side, Tull used an early service break to grab a 2-1 edge in the third set. But it was at that point that Clary’s relentless ground strokes began to wear on Tull, and it produced the last five games of the set – and the match.
“In that third set, I felt like I had a little more in the tank,” said Clary. “My cardio was the difference. On clay, I can get away with sitting back and spinning the ball. That’s my style.
“Coming in, I was trying to find out what would work,” continued Clary. “I didn’t want to make any mistakes. I really didn’t know what to expect.”
“He gets to every single shot,” said Tull of Clary. “You can’t get anything past him. His spin is crazy. This is my worst surface, and this is one of this best surfaces. We’re so evenly-matched.”
Clary also captured the first set, but in a somewhat different fashion. Thanks to a service break in the fourth game, Clary won three straight games in the middle of that opening set to establish a 4-1 advantage.
“He strikes the ball so well,” said Clary of Tull. “His forehand is very powerful. It’s hard to defend. When he gets the momentum, he’s tough to beat.”
“I played fine,” said Tull. “It was good to get a match against him. And to get that second set, that was impressive. He was serving for the match, but I’m glad I got it to a third set.”
After Tull had captured the initial two games of the middle set, it was Clary who was on the verge of victory, up 5-4 on serve. But Tull broke him, then proceeded to win the next two games.
“I knew it was going to be a battle coming in,” said Clary. “Being up 5-4, it was frustrating to lose that set. But I new the third set was going to be a new one.”
“I played a little better in the second set,” said Tull. “He was missing his serve. It seemed like there was a lot of service breaks in the second set.”
Mount Gretna Tennis Club Tournament
Past Singles’ Champions
2015- Mike Lesko
2014 – Dave Wolfe
2013 – Eric Weitzel
2012 – Eric Weitzel
2011 – Mike Rohrbach
2010 – Nick Bybel
2009 – Erik Vargo
2008 – Chris Heilman
2007 – Erik Vargo
2006 – Erik Vargo
2005 – Chris Heilman
2004 – Mike Rohrbach
2003 – Mike Rohrbach
2002 – Mike Rohrbach
2001 – Mike Rohrbach
200o – Mike Rohrbach
1999 – Cancelled, drought
1998 – Dave Wolfe
1997 – Dave Wolfe
1996 – Andy Folmer
1995 – Matt Garman
1994 – Cliff Meyers
1993 – Andy Folmer
1992 – Tom Brink
1991 – Andy Folmer
1990 – Tom Brink
1989 – Mark Moshos
1988 – Mark Moshos
1987 – Mark Moshos
1986 – Mark Moshos
1985 – Steve Hass
1984 – Steve Hass
1983 – Mark Moshos
1982 – Mark Moshos
1981 – Andy Folmer
1980 – Cliff Loercher
1979 – Cliff Loercher
1978 – Cliff Meyers
1977 – Cliff Meyers
1976 – Cliff Meyers
1975 – Cliff Meyers
1974 – Cliff Meyers
1973 – Sam Miller
1972 – Sam Miller
1971 – Sam Miller
1970 – Sam Miller
1969 – Sam Miller
1968 – Sam Miller
Mount Gretna Tennis Club
Past Doubles’ Champions
2015 – C. Muraika-G. McNaughton
2014 – A. Behney-T. Deimler
2013 – M. Rohrbach-R. Gallo
2012 – M. Rohrbach-R. Gallo
2011 – M. Rohrbach-R. Gallo
2010 – M. Rohrbach-M. Zimmerman
2009 – M. Rohrbach-E. Vargo
2008 – C. Heilman-M. Bender
2007 – M. Rohrbach-E. Vargo
2006 – E. Vargo-N. Slachta
2005 – M. Rohrbach-P. Rader
2004 – M. Rohrbach-P. Rader
2003 – A. Folmer-J. Montgomery
2002 – M. Rohrbach-T. Bixler
2001 – M. Rohrbach-T. Bixler
2000 – S. Miller-B. Hulme
1999 – Drought, cancelled
1998 – D. Wolfe-M. Garman
1997 – M. Garman-E. Provencio
1996 – M. Garman-E. Provencio
1995 – S. Miller-B. Hulme
1994 – S. Miller-B. Hulme
1993 – C. Meyers-A. Folmer
1992 – T. Brink-E. Weaver
1991 – T. Brink-E. Weaver
1990 – T. Brink-E. Weaver
1989 – C. Meyers-A. Folmer
1988 – T. Brink-E. Weaver
1987 – S. Hass-M. Moshos
1986 – S. Hass-M. Moshos
1985 – S. Hass-M. Moshos
1984 – C. Meyers-A. Folmer
1983 – S. Hass-M. Moshos
1982 – C. Meyers-A. Folmer
1981 – D. Royer-M. Moshos
1980 – R. Early-M. Moshos
1979 – D. Royer-B. Loercher
1978 – C. Meyers-L. Kreider
1977 – D. Royer-B. Loercher
1976 – D. Royer-J. Davis
1975 – S. Miller-L. Kreider
1974 – S. Miller-L. Kreider
1973 – S. Miller-B. Berman
1972 – S. Miller-B. Loercher
1971 – S. Miller-B. Loercher
1970 – S. Miller-B. Loercher
1969 – S. Miller-B. Loercher
1968 – S. Miller-B. Loercher
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