By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

They defended their home courts in style.

A group of local tennis players representing the Chattahoochee Area Tennis Association teamed up to win the 18-and-over 2.5-3.5 United States Tennis Association tri-level state championship earlier this month.

The tournament was held at the C. Leon Pitts Tennis Center at the Ann and Doc McCluskey Tennis Complex, and the champions in the different divisions qualified for the sectional tournament that will be held in Louisville, Ky. in September.

The tournament, which was held over three days, featured 670 players and 57 teams.

Because of the large number of players, some matches were also played at Callaway Gardens.

There were seven teams in the 18-and-over 2.5.-3.5 division, and they played each other in a round-robin format.

When the final match had been played, there was little doubt as to the identity of the best team.

The CHATA team, which included 14 players, went 6-0 to capture top honors.

“We were really excited, because it was some tough competition,” said Karen Bryant, the team captain. “We ended up winning all six. The next team under us I think had two losses, so they were 3-2. There was a two-way tied for second.”

It’s the second straight year the CHATA team has won the division.

“It’s fun when you win,” Bryant said. “This team, some of us may have won state championships before, but not necessarily with this group, so it’s really fun.”

This is the sixth consecutive year the tournament has been held in LaGrange.

This year, the players were able to see the new-and-improved facility that has received a massive facelift.

There are new hard courts, new lights, as well as a new club-house with a wrap-around balcony.

“They love it, and they were very impressed with the new tennis center, and the building,” Bryant said. “We’d told them what we were doing, but I don’t think they fully realized what the changes were going to be until they got there. Considering what they saw last year, it’s a major change.”

USTA GEORGIA 

TRI-LEVEL 

STATE CHAMPIONS

TEAM MEMBERS: Cathy Arrington, Katie Brown, Jill Kemp, Missy Mizzell, Karen Bryant (captain), Debbie Cochran, Heather Graham, Katie Bryant, Suzie Cook, Lisa Skinner, Julie Smith, Tracey Stribling, Jeaneen Thompson and Angela McSpadden.