NETTster Eva Sandlin recently returned from a successful trip to the 2011 Senior League Mixed 8.0 National Invitational in San Antonio. Her team, captained by Ken Sumrow, got all the way to the final, falling, 2-1, to the team from the USTA’s Middle States Section.

Besides Sumrow, the beloved and talented pro from High Point Tennis Center in Dallas, Sandlin’s teammates included Bill and Linda Braswell, June Cliff, Duane Covell, Candi Crandell, Hiko Eilertson, Jim Hansen, Becky Griffith, Merrill Jones, Cliff Lazarine and Ellen Weaver.

Sandlin proudly pointed out that hers was the only Texas team to win its division in the 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 or 9.0 championships. That put Texas in the 8.0 semifinals, in which it beat Northern California, followed by the close final. The tournament went from March 30-April 1.

Congratulations to Sandlin and her teammates, who won Texas Sectionals last summer and had to wait until now for Nationals. But, as many elite local players know from having been to Nationals before, that’s just the way the thing works—and they say it’s worth the wait.