West Virginia Open Returns
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By CODY TOMER
Sports Writer
WHEELING -- Tennis is one sport that gave people the opportunity to play on during the COVID pandemic without having much contact with other competitors.
Although former Wheeling Central tennis standout and current junior at West Virginia University, David Agcaoili, doesn't play for the Mountaineers, he was still able to keep his game sharp over the last year.
"Tennis is, thankfully, a game where the two players are very far apart," Agcaoili said. "So, I actually played a lot during COVID and really had a chance to work on my serves a lot."
Agcaoili squared off with Roger Virden on Opening Day of the Bordas & Bordas West Virginia Open on Thursday in NTRP 4.0 men's 18 and over singles action.
The match was a marathon, starting at 4 p.m. at the Oglebay Tennis Courts, before it was briefly interrupted by rain and moved to The Bubble at Wheeling Park.
In all, the match lasted four hours and Virden outlasted Agcaoili 6-3, 5-7 and 6-3.
"I was just digging but I had nothing left in the tank in that last one," Agcaoili said. "The last time I played in a match like this was when I was right out of high school about two years ago, so it was hard to get my mannerisms and rituals back but that's alright. That's how it goes but, as always, I'll be back again next year."
As for Virden, 47, he just began playing the sport he loves again in November but it wasn't COVID that kept him off the courts.
"I wasn't playing during COVID because I had a right knee replacement and I had three bones in my right wrist taken out," Virden said. "I quit playing about five years ago after arthritis issues and I just got back to playing in November. I was still recovering last summer."
Virden, of Wintersville, was feeling the setback of his recently repaired knee but it didn't show.
"It was tough," he said of the four-hour match. "We had to start, stop and start again but it was just a great back-and-forth battle. I'm thankful I outlasted him."
Unlike Agcaoili, Virden did not play tennis in high school but it didn't take him long to fall in love with the sport.
"I taught myself to play," Virden said. "Me and a friend. When I was about 19 or 20 I started watching, learning and getting better and better. I started playing better people but then I had the arthritis issue. I had to adjust so much of my game. I had to completely change my stance and my swing. I never thought I'd play competitively again, so it's just a pleasure to be out there."
The tournament will get started today at 9 a.m. with men's open singles action.