Conrad Weiser Hits for Hope Tennis Tournament
The 14th edition of the renowned Conrad Weiser Hits for Hope Tennis Tournament concluded on Sunday, drawing a diverse crowd of 297 competitors spanning 35 different draws throughout the week.
Highlights of the Tournament
Among the highlights was the crowning of Tom Hagelauer from Toulouse, France, as the men’s singles champion; he triumphantly claimed the title after defeating Dominic Suwak with scores of 6-3 and 6-2. Suwak’s journey to the finals was impressive as he eliminated six-time Hits for Hope champion and former Wyomissing High School state victor, Andre Fick, in the semifinals.
Doubles Events
In the men’s doubles showdown, Suwak joined forces with his Shenandoah University teammate, Max Arkans, to secure the championship. Matt Muoio also had a successful tournament, partnering with Cami Townsend, a former Texas A&M-Corpus Christi player, to win the mixed doubles title against Kaushik Das and Alex Pancu.
Women’s and Family Events
The women’s singles event saw Yakoko Noi, assistant coach at the University of Pennsylvania, emerge victorious, overcoming Amy Reuther, a former standout at Schuylkill Valley High School and All-American at Muhlenberg College, in a closely contested final.
In family events, the brother duo of Rocco and Jozef Schkreli from Cedar Crest continued their dominance, clinching the brother/brother doubles championship for the fourth straight year by edging out their teammates Nathan and Viseth Meng in a nail-biting match that ended 7-6, 7-6. In mother/son doubles, coach Jody Wilson and her son Lance took home the title, while Chris and Olivia Von Nieda won in the father/daughter category. In the father/son doubles, Matt and Joe Muoio celebrated their sixth victory, tying the record for the most wins in this category.
Junior Division Achievements
The junior division saw Sophia Babar, a recent graduate of Lancaster Country Day, earn the Girls 18s singles title by defeating Jin Lin Chen, while Anthony Kirchner, who holds a national fifth-place ranking in boys’ 14s, captured the Boys 18s championship over state doubles winner Armaan Malik, finishing with scores of 6-3, 7-6. Additionally, Luke Robison, a soon-to-be seventh grader at Conrad Weiser, was recognized as the Junior MVP for his outstanding performance, which included winning the Boys 14U Mixed Doubles alongside Natalie Nelson and reaching the finals in both Boys 14U Doubles and Boys 12U singles competitions.
Award Winners
Matt Muoio was honored as the Adult MVP of the tournament, highlighted by his successes in the father/son and mixed doubles. This year’s tournament raised $4,300 for FaithCare, reflecting a commitment to community support and philanthropy.
Night of Champions
At the Night of Champions event held on Saturday, outstanding high school athletes Amelia Gassert from Hamburg and Chase Gerloff from Daniel Boone were acknowledged, alongside Katie McClain from Antietam and Armaan Malik from Conrad Weiser, who each received the BCTA Merv Heller Memorial Scholarship. Moreover, Twin Valley’s head coach Joe Alessandrini received the BCTA Community Aces award, and two new members were inducted into the Berks County Tennis Hall of Fame: Ryan Cuevas, a former star at Schuylkill Valley High School and Millersville University, and Susan Pollack-Esposito, a notable athlete from Wyomissing and the University of Delaware.
Event Impact
Ryan Knarr, president of the Conrad Weiser Tennis Association and tournament director, expressed enthusiasm for the event’s ongoing impact, stating:
“Hits for Hope remains a premier tennis event on the East Coast, fostering a communal spirit among tennis enthusiasts while supporting a noble cause.”
