Doubles in the Desert Tennis Clinic
Anza Borrego Tennis Center

with Murphy Jensen, Gretchen Magers, Lee Whitwell, Jaroslav Medik

In between the morning and afternoon tennis clinics on this day, the tennis pros gave a demonstration of their abilities by playing a "Bobby Riggs vs. Billy Jean King" reenactment was the 1st set, where the girls, Lee and Gretchen, defeated Murphy and Jaroslav. Everyone played great, altho Murph's antics may have hurt the men's chances. For the 2nd set, a mixed doubles match was played. Murph and Lee came from behind to defeat Gretchen and Jaroslav 6-4. Before this match, Murph took requests from the audience, and a "tweener" was suggested. Well into the last set, Murph did have to chase down a ball hit behind him, and sure enough hit a between-the-legs return back to the other team. However, several points later, the other team did win that point. The crowd was not only entertained by Murph's antics, but at the high level of play. Jaroslav, Borrego's best player did fairly well in these exhibition matches, despite being 15 years older than the next older player.


Murphy Jensen
Murphy Jensen age 41 Summary from Wikipedia:

Jensen was unheard of until 1993 when he and his brother, Luke Jensen, won the men's doubles title at the French Open. In July 1995, he made headlines when failing to turn up for his mixed doubles match at Wimbledon. It later transpired that he had gone on a fishing trip. He was defaulted and fined $1,000. After his family and worried officials eventually traced the American, a spokesman for Wimbledon police said, "He has not behaved in the way you would expect of a tennis professional."

A later quote by his brother complained of the stuffy image of tennis, and both have fun at all their matches, often cracking jokes to the crowd. Luke likened him and his brother to football players on the court. A famous movie similarity of how these 2 play tennis is "Happy Gilmore", about a hockey player(played by Adam Sandler) taking up golf.


Gretchen Magers
Gretchen Magers age 44 Summary from Wikipedia:

Magers played tennis at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, from 1983 to 1986, where she was a four-time All-American. During her career, Magers reached the singles quarter-finals at Wimbledon, the US Open and the French Open. She won three top-level singles titles (Auckland in 1987, Schenectady in 1988, and Moscow in 1989), and reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 13. She was runner-up in the 1988 mixed doubles at Wimbledon, partnering Kelly Jones. Magers retired from the professional tour in 1992, but has continued to play in seniors events.


Lee Whitwell
Lee Whitwell Summary of her and Mary Hirst entry into the Francis Marion University hall of fame:

Although separated by one year in school, Hirst and Whitwell became synonymous with each other, as they teamed on the tennis court to win back-to-back NCAA Division II women's doubles national championships in 1993 and 1994. The first year, they entered the national tournament as unknowns, and the following year as unlikely repeat champions. It was only the third time in Division II history a doubles team had successfully defended its title. The individual singles and doubles championships were discontinued in 1995, thus not allowing the duo a chance to "three-peat."

Whitwell, a native of Gibraltar, earned a B.A. degree in English and Spanish in December 1996. She is currently the assistant women's tennis coach at Alliant International University (formerly United States International University) in San Diego.

In addition to lettering for four years (1993-96) on the FMU women's tennis team, she also played on the 1993 and 1995 Patriot volleyball teams. On the tennis court, she was a three-time All-American. She was an All-Peach Belt Conference selection three times, and was named the Peach Belt's "Player of the Year" for women's tennis in 1993 as a freshman. She was named the FMU team MVP in 1993, 1995, and 1996.

Her four-year record in singles competition was 67-24 and 63-20 in doubles. She helped guide Francis Marion to a four-year mark of 50-29 and two NCAA national tournament appearances.

As a senior, she compiled a 13-6 singles record (No. 11 national ranking) and a 13-5 doubles mark (No. 20) leading FMU to a school-record 14 wins (six defeats), a spot in the Division II South Region championship match, and a final national team ranking of No. 13.

As a freshman with an 18-2 singles record, she also played in the NCAA Division II singles championships in Industry, Calif.

Whitwell and Hirst also teamed to place second at the 1994 fall Rolex National Small College Championships, and sixth at the 1993 fall ITA/Rolex NCAA Division II National Tournament, both held in Edmond, Okla.


Jaroslav Medik
Jaroslav Medik Jaroslav played for the Czechoslovakian national soccer team (before separating into the Czech Republic and Slovakia). He took up tennis at age 40, and is considered to be the best tennis player living in the Borrego area. He used to be the tennis pro at the Borrego Springs Resort, but now teaches tennis part time in Temecula. He is currently only a part-timer in Borrego, working at the Vail Ranch near Temecula.
Exhibition game January 7, 2010


Gretchen serving (note ball on racquet, just at impact, Lee is in unusual position to receive, ready for cross court return


Just after Gretchen hit a backhand


Gretchen serving from deuce court - note the high toss


Note high toss on Murph's serve


Lee about to make contact on her serve


Gretchen's high toss


Jaroslav serving


Murph about to take a forehand -- Note: he's a lefty


Murph seems to be having fun going after an angle shot



3 different phases of 3 different serves by Murph



Jaroslav about to hit backhand


Jaroslav taking an off-balance forehand


Murph about to whack a backhand


Lee going for a forehand -- Note: she's a lefty


Lee about to hit a 2-handed backhand half-volley


Ball on it's way to Gretchen, as Lee watches


Murph about to hit easy forehand


Murph hitting backhand -- is this a ballet move?


Lee following thru on serve


Gretchen going for backhand lob


Murph bowing to a great shot from opponent


Gretchen about to hit an angle shot


Gretchen with another serve


Rest in between sets


Before hitting this serve, Lee is clearly foot-faulting -- no wonder the girls won!!


Lee did not foot-fault often -- here is ball just leaving her racquet


...serve further in trajectory


Note ball was hit at a slightly downward trajectory


Lee's ball toss


Congratulations after the sets


Experts leaving the court