Tony Roberts

 Profile of a Champion

Anthony Roberts is a dedicated, strategic, and extremely modest handball player.  Known to all as “Tony”, he is truly respected amongst his peers and is often consulted in debates on official handball rules for both small ball and big blue.  Tony is one of the few handball players who is an “A” player in both realms of the one-wall handball, being able to compete in and many times dominate both small ball and big blue tournaments.

During the course of his, still going strong handball career, Tony has been fortunate enough to have won the Iron Horse in High School, The Mayor’s Cup Doubles, the USHA National Doubles three times and slam winning the European One-Wall Singles and Doubles.   His most prestigious title consist of Two-Time One-Wall Doubles World Champion a feat no one other than his partner can stack a claim to, and which he will be defending this year in Ireland.

Tony has also ventured to the four-wall world of handball.  One year he dominated every four-wall tournament in the North Eastern region at the B-level, winning both singles and doubles events.  He is currently considered an open player in four-wall and is trying to win some open tournaments to add to his experience.  One year he even won in the B-Doubles at the Three-Wall Nationals, which he still attends annually.

All in all Tony’s true love for the sport is as strong, if not stronger than when he first began playing.  There is no doubt he still has many more competitions to dominate and win.

Final Results: Men’s Pro Singles First Round: Raul Retian (NY) d. Frank Rivera (NY), 20, 19; Andy Rousseau (NY) d. Keith Vassall (Wheeling, IL), (13), 18, 5; Fred Torres (NY) d. Adam Berwitz (NY), 15, 16. Round of 16 :Pee Wee Castro (NY) d. Retian, 19, (18), 2; Tony Roberts (NY) d. David Rojas (NY), 13, 7; Satish Jagnandan (NY) d. John Wright (NY), (12), 19, 6; Robert Sostre (NY) d. Jonathan Lee (NY), 18, 12; Cesar Sala (NY), d. Rousseau, 8, 13; Kendell Lewis (NY) d. Willie Polanco (NY), 10, 9; Eddie Maisonet (NY) d. Joe Durso (NY), 14, (18), 3; Joe Kaplan (NY) d. Torres, 6, 14. Quarterfinals: Roberts d. Castro, (8), (18), 0; Sostre d. Jagnandan, 7, 19; Sala d. Lewis, 4, 11; Kaplan d. Maisonet, 10, (11), 8. Semifinals: Roberts d. Sostre, 16, 7; Sala d. Kaplan, 18, 15. Final: Roberts d. Sala, 11, 18. Men’s Open Doubles First Round: Paul Williams/Andy Rousseau (NY) d. Eddie Maisonet/Herman Mendez (NY), 15, 13; David Rojas/John Wright (NY) default; Kendell Lewis/Robert Sostre (NY) default; Satish Jagnandan/Carlos Lopez (NY) d. Pete Pellegrini/Raul Retian (NY), 19, 7; Tony Roberts/Fred Torres (NY) d. Jonathan Lee/Keith Vassall, 18, 13. Quarterfinals: Joe Kaplan/Cesar Sala (NY) d. Williams/Rousseau, 14, 17; Rojas/Wright d. Lewis/Sostre, 14, 17; d. Jagnandan/Lopez d. Albert Apuzzi/Willie Polanco (NY), 11, 11; Pee Wee Castro/Joe Durso (NY) d. Roberts/Torres, 15, 16. Semifinals: Rojas/Wright d. Kaplan/Sala, 18 (16), 5; Castro/Durso d. Jagnandan/Lopez, 8, 11. Final: Castro/Durso d. Rojas/Wright, 11, 18. Women’s Open Singles: First Round: Na Liu (NY) d. Kim Johnson (NY), 5, 5; Sydell Smith (NY) d. Bernice Torres (NY), (16), 15, 6; Veronica Figuroa (NY) d. Alethia Mendez (NY), 4, 5. Quarterfinals: Tracy Davis (NY) d. Liu, 4, 2; Brenda Pares (NY) d. Karen McConney (NY), 7, 15; Anna Calderon (NY) d. Smith, 18, 10; Figuroa d. Dori Ten (NY), 1, 6. Semifinals: Davis d. Pares, 13, 9; Calderon d. Figuroa, 17, 18. Final: Davis d. Calderon, 8, 2. Women’s Open Doubles: First Round: Karen McConney/Brenda Pares (NY) d. Veronica Figeroa/Bernice Torres (NY), 20, (12), 4. Semifinals: McConney/Pares d. Anna Calderon/Theresa McCourt (NY) d. McConney/Pares, 14, 20; Tracy Davis/Sydell Smith (NY) d. Dori Ten/Barbara Canton-Jackson (NY), 6, 12. Final: Davis/Smith d. Pares/McConney, 10, 19. Women’s B Singles Round Robin: First Place: Na Liu (NY) d. Emily Berliner (NY); 8, (17), 0; Christina Chai (NY), default. Second Place: Berliner d. Chai, 6, 11. B Singles: First Round: Armando Duchesne (NY) d. Adam Gittlitz (NY), 7, 9; Eliel Torres (NY) d. Kareem Wilkerson (NY), (18), 12, 2; Phat Kat Soriano (NY) d. Abe Mantell (MY), 12, 15; Paul Angel (NY) d. Jose Davila (NY), 8, inj. def.; Victor LoPierre (NY) d. Miguel Maldonado (NY), 7, 5; Dennis Boudereau (NY) d. Gene Geminez (NY), 8, 10; Milton Jones (NY) d. Sal Coticelli (NY), 14, 15; Michael Schneider (NY) d. Vatche Dostoumian (NY), 13, 17. Quarterfinals: Duchesne d. Torres, 20, (9), 6; Soriano d. Angel, 14, (8), 9; LoPierre d. Boudereau, 3, 0; Jones d. Schroeder, 18, 2. Semifinals: Soriano d. Duchesne, (20), 14, 4; Jones d. LoPierre, 10, (19), 7. Final: Jones d. Soriano, 6, 1. B Doubles: First Round: Rene Caraballo/Ramon Padilla (NY) d. Joe Brusca/Vatche Dostoumian (NY), 1, 3; Paul Angel/Milton Jones (NY) d. Elliot Nadel/Steve Rosenberg (NY), (13), 9, 7; John Baez/Aaron Velez (NY), def.; Mike Schneder/Kareem Wilkerson (NY), 19, 20. Semifinals: Caraballo/Padilla d. Angel/Jones, 8, 12; Schneider/Wilkerson d. Baez/Velez, (14), 4, 7. Final: Schneider/Wilkerson d. Caraballo/Padilla, (12), 6, 8. C Singles: First Round: John Roca (NY) d. Miguel Cano (NY), 2, 15; Anthony Grimm (NY) d. Chris Dudin (NY), 10, 9; Larry Tse (NY) d. Dave Gurman (Brentwood, CA), 5, 7; Jason Lee (NY) d. Frankie Rivera (Bayonne, NY), 15, (14), 6; Richard Barquero (NY) d. Kevin Ryan (NY), 16, 11; Leo Dudin (NY) d. Adam Gittlitz (NY), 13, (14), 5; Aaron Rodriguez (NY) d. Paul Crittenden (Staatsburg, NY), 3, 5; Robert Caime (NY) d. Ronald Derrick (NY), 2, 3; Han-Ching Lin (NY) d. Charlie Girkin (Houston), 13, 6; Shermund St. John (NY) d. Carlos Vazquez (Cleveland), 8, 15. Round of 16: Phat Kat Soriano (NY) d. Roca, 0, 2; Grimm d. Tse, 9, 12; Patrick Chiu (NY) d. Jason Lee, 1, 13; John Iglesias (NY) d. Barquero, 13, 6; Dennis Boudereau (NY) d. L. Dudin, 10, 3; Rodriguez d. Aaron Velez (NY), 20, 15; Lin d. Caime, 3, 10; John Lau (NY) d. St. John, 4, 9. Quarterfinals: Soriano d. Grimm, 3, 8; Iglesias d. Chiu, (4), 16, 7; Boudereau d. Rodriguez, 20, 7; Lau d. Lin, 4, 9. Semifinals: Soriano d. Iglesias, 12, 14; Boudereau d. Lau, 13, 20. Final: Soriano d. Boudereau, (11), 15, 5. C Doubles: First Round: Jason Lee/Larry Tse (NY) d. John Roca/Kevin Ward (NY), 10, (10), 1; Patrick Chiu/Han-Ching Lin (NY) d. Richard Barquero/Miguel Cano (NY), 1, (8), 0; Leo Dudin/Chris Dudin (NY) d. Robert Caime/James Inglese (NY), 10 (16), 10. Semifinals: John Iglesias/John Lau (NY) d.Lee/Tse, 8, 18; Chiu/Lin d. Dudin/Dudin, 10, (13), 6. Final: Lin/Chiu d. Iglesias/Lau, 16, 19. 40 Singles: First Round: Abe Mantell (NY) d. Joe Brusca (NY), 13, 12; Stu Kirzner (NY) d. Bo Bauer (Dayton, OH), 6, 14; Angel Maldonado (Bergenfield, NJ) d. Phil Simmons (NY), 13, 5; Mike Angley (NY) d. Juan Maldonado (Harrisburg, PA), (16), 12, 1; George Brandeburg (Fishkill, NY) d. Frankie Rivera (Bayonne, NJ), 10, 8. Quarterfinals: Vera d. Mantell, def.; Angel Maldonado d. Kirzner, 12, 3; Paul Williams (NY) d. Angley, (15), 8, 4; Al Torres d. Brandeburg, 4, 1. Semifinals: Vera d. Maldonado, 6, 7; Torres d. Williams, 7, 0. Final: Vera d. Torres, 17, 15. 40 Doubles: First Round: Mike Angley/Angel Maldonado (NY) d. Phil Simmons/Rob Golan (NY), 1, 5; Vern Roberts/Chris Roberts (AZ/IL) d. Ron Pescatore/Felix Zilberbrand (NY), 11, 9; Rene Caraballo/Pete Pellegrini (NY) d. Brian Callanan/George Lozaro (NJ), 7, 8. Semifinals: Angley/Maldonado d. Dan Vera/George Brandeburg (NY), (18), 4, 2; Caraballo/Pellegrini d. Roberts/Roberts, 18, (13), 3. Final: Caraballo/Pellegrini d. Angley/Maldonado, (12), 15, 9. 50 Singles: First Round: Steve Kraft (NY) d. Ron Frisina (NY), 14, 10; Ron Eaton (NY) d. Joe Dionisio (NY), 13, 3; Joe Agonsto (NY) d. Charles Girkin (Houston), 5, 3. Semifinals: Dan Maroney (NY) d. Kraft, 10, 12; Agosto d. Eaton, 1, 4. Final: Maroney d. Agosto, 11, 7. 50 Doubles: First Round: Joe Agosto/Abe Haiman (NY) d. Dan Flickstein/Pete Stefano (NY), 4, (11), 0; Glenn Hall/Al Torres (NY) d. Ray Clark/Dan Danilczyk (NY), 10, 5; Ron Eaton/Ray Reyes (NY) d. Ron Frisina/Larry Drago (NY), 13, 9. Semifinals: Sal Cataudella/Mike Grabowski (NY) d. Agosto/Haiman, 14, 14; Hall/Torres d. Eaton/Reyes, 3, 18. Final: Hall/Torres d. Cataudella/Grabowski, 4, 18. 60 Singles: First Round: Tom Hopkins (NY) d. Bernard Haynes (NJ), (14), 12, 7; Tom Vitale (NY) d. Dennis Uffer (NY), 15, 14; Al Tomba (NY) d. Max Forcht (NY), def. Semifinals: Graham Palmore (NY) d. Hopkins, def.; Vitale d. Tomba, 10, 13. Final: Palmore d. Vitale, 10, 13. 60 Doubles Round Robin: First Place: Graham Palmore/Dennis Uffer (NY) d. Tom Vitale/Arty Reyer (NY), 15, 18; Max Forcht/Dennis Sumner (NY), 2, 14; Bernard Haynes/Mike Ferber (NJ), 2, 4. Second Place: Reyer/Vitale d. Forcht/Sumner, 5, 6; Haynes/Ferber, def. Third: Forcht/Sumner d. Bernard Haynes/Mike Ferber (NY/NJ), (14), 17, 4. 65 Singles: First Round: Tommy Adams (NY) d. Terry Nolan (Brockton, MA), 10, 12; Ed Grossenbacher (Portland) d. Bill Fitzpatrick (River Forest, IL), def.; Karl Diamond (NY) d. Howie Solow (NY), 7, 6. Semifinals: Luciano Radoslovich (NY) d. Adams, 3, 15; Diamond d. Grossenbacher, 8, 17. Final: Radoslovich d. Diamond, 19, 15. 65 Doubles Round Robin: First Place: Ed Grossenbacher/Mike Ferber (OR/NJ) d. Al Green/Joe Amato (NJ), 17, 11; Nolan/Radoslovich, default. Second Place: Green/Amato d. Terry Nolan/Lucian Radoslovich (MA/NY), 18, 13. 70 Singles: First Round: Dennis Sumner (NY) d. Bob Ackerson (NH), 8, 10; Larry Shankweiler (Allentown, PA) d. Joe Amato (Emerson, NJ), 4, 0. Semifinals: Anver Suleiman (St. Pete Beach, FL) d. Sumner, def.; Shankweiler d. Sonny Schaefer (Queens, NY), 2, 4. Final: Shankweiler d. Suleiman, (18), 14, 10.

Men's Pro-Singles

by Ben Brettner

Two men took vastly different paths to meet in the finals that produced
one of the most startling results in tournament history. Sports has a
language all it's own with many expressions that have found their way
into ordinary use. "It's hard to win the first time, but harder to
repeat". "In order to be considered great you have to beat someone
great". Both of these sayings came into play as Tony Roberts began his
incredible journey through the draw. His first obstacle was Dave Rojas
former National doubles, World singles and current World doubles
champion. In workmanlike fashion Tony won 21-12, 21-7. Current champion
PeeWee Castro was extended to a tie-breaker by Raul "monster" Retian.

Pre-game consensus was that PeeWee would dispatch Tony in two straight
games. When Castro won the first game 21-9, showing skills that brought
him to national prominence, spectators turned their attention to other
games. When word circulated that Roberts had rebounded to take game two
21-18, they wandered back for the tie-breaker. Surely the spectators
opined that the younger and faster Peewee would make the necessary
adjustments to keep his trek toward a second title in place. To the shock
of those in attendance Tony continued to vary his serve and killed
everything in sight. Castro wasn't able to score a single point as
Roberts burst to an 11-0 shutout.

PeeWee's failure to repeat just makes you appreciate that much more those
teams and athletes that have been able to sustain brilliance over a long
period of time. Another common saying in sports is "he has great hands".
In football that's used to describe a receiver who can "cradle" the ball
into his hands in traffic or a shortstop who can handle any difficult
ball hit at him and make it look easy. Well Tony Roberts has long held
the reputation of having perhaps the "best hands" in handball. The only
thing lacking, which all top singles players posses, was speed.

Surely that deficiency would cost him in his semi-final match against the
multi-talented and former champion Robert Sostre. Rob caught everyone off
guard by opening the game by serving an ace with his left hand. That was
pretty much the highlight for Sostre who feel 21-16, 21-7 much to the
disbelief of the crowd.

While all the drama was in the top of the draw, Cesar Sala was
methodically working his way through the bottom. Cesar has long been
acknowledged as one of the top one-wallers since the late 90s. But
despite a resume that includes National and World titles Sala hasn't
sustained a period of dominance that will stamp him with the label of
"greatness".

Wins over top 4-waller Kendell Lewis and former champion Ed Maisonet,
himself a victor over the legendary Joe Durso, pitted Cesar against his
partner Joe Kaplan. With a 21-18, 21-15 Sala was peaking at the right
time. The match featured many terrific rallies. Those who watch Sala
regularly have come to expect punch shots, retrieves, and sprinting to
all corners of the court.

As I watched Tony and Cesar warm up on Sunday morning, I compared Roberts
ascent to the finals to a video game player finding each level more
difficult than the previous ones. A succession of champions had fallen at
his hands and now lay his toughest task. Pre-game butterflies gave way to
periods of excellent play with long rallies often ending will a kill shot
by Roberts. A 21-11 first game victory was attributed to Sala being a slow
starter. In game two, Cesar took a nice lead and seemed to have matters
under control. The crowd was hoping for a tie-breaker, but Tony rebounded
and closed the match out 21-18 with a final winner.

While most modern athletes have an entourage tending to their every need,
Roberts has a nutritionist, trainer and cheerleader all in the person of
longtime girlfriend Melody Ruiz. While Cesar is left to contemplate how
to mold his immense physical talents into championship form, Tony took
the cheers of the crowd while a teary eyed Melody embraced him.