Wimbley brings touchtennis with a British vibe to the Valley for weekend tournament

Touchtennis enthusiasts from across the country gathered in Pauls Valley this weekend for the Third Annual Wimbley in the Valley.

The Pauls Valley Tennis & Racquet Association and the All Valley Lawn Tennis Club hosted the tournament Saturday on the grass at Wacker Park.

Scheduled to coincide with the last Saturday of the famed Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, the PVTRA version offers it’s own not-so-subtle nod to the famous London tournament.

“I love being here,” said Meaghan Ocanas of Rowlett, Texas. “It’s so unique, and they put a lot of work into it.”

In addition to the tournament itself, the day included British-inspired snacks, all-white outfits and fake British accents.

“We’re excited that the royal family once again came out. They were a little rigid, but that was expected,” said PVTRA President Matt Hamilton about the cardboard King Charles, and the Prince and Princess of Wales that sat at the top of the stands.

There were 63 total entries among several brackets of play, including singles and doubles for men and women and mixed doubles. Players came from Kentucky, Iowa, Texas, Owasso, Atoka, Chickasha, Norman, and several other local communities.

Ocanas won the women’s singles and doubles brackets.

“It’s nice to win, but I like being able to support racquet sports in a small town,” she said. “It’s so nice that so many people want to play.”

For the second year in a row, Wimbley in the Valley featured sanctioned divisions through touchtennis.com, so players competed for prize money and ranking points.

Neal Molitor of Iowa returned to play for a second year in a row. He is a nationally ranked player who has also played in tournaments in Iowa, Michigan and North Carolina.

“It was a lot of fun last year, with a great community and great people. So I was excited to come back for this edition,” Molitor said.

Grant Hammons from Kentucky is a varsity tennis coach who uses touch tennis to train junior players. He came to Pauls Valley not just to play, but to see how he could replicate this type of event in Kentucky and elsewhere.

“Few people will get to play in a grass tennis tournament,” Hammonds said. “That’s the intention - Open this up to everyone.”

Touchtennis differs from regular tennis in that everything is sized down and a foam ball is used. Hammons is looking to grow the sport across the country, especially because of how accessible it is to play.

“The margins in tennis are very thin,” Hammons said. “Touchtennis has a competitive advantage similar to pickleball where varying levels of players are able to play against each other and have fun.”

Results from Wimbley in the Valley

Gentlemen's Singles:

First place - Neal Molitor (Iowa)

Second place - Jacob Medina (PV)

Third place - Isaac Green (PV)

Fourth place - Grant Hammons (Kentucky)

Ladies' Singles

First place - Meaghan Ocanas (Texas)

Second place - Holley Sanders (PV)

Third place - Anna Hamilton (Owasso)

Fourth place - Lesley Rennie (PV)

Senior Gentlemen's Singles