Beach Tennis in Hermosa

We ran down the pros and cons of the new hybrid sport of Beach Tennis when it hit the Santa Monica shorelines last summer, and there's another local chance to see it played this weekend in Hermosa Beach when the "SoCal Series Slam" comes about a block south of the Hermosa pier for a stop.
The top pro division teams from across the country are competing for $10,000 in cash, and one of the favorite on the men's side has to be Hermosa Beach resident Joe Testa, who competes with partner Bertrand Coulet of France.
Testa won the 2007 "SoCal Series Slam" with Ozzie Osswald, while Coulet took the 2007 "Sunshine State Slam" in Miami with Matteo Marighella of Italy.
On the women's side, Laura and Lisa Maloney of San Diego are the favorites.
The premils start Saturday at 8:30 a.m., with elimination rounds Sunday starting at 9 a.m. The finals start at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
An amateur event starts Sunday at 9:30 a.m.
It's just too bad this event couldn't have been coordinated to run on the same weekend as the AVP played in Hermosa Beach back in early June. The built-in crowd would have been perfect for Beach Tennis spectators.
More info: www.beachtennisusa.net.