"Yeah, it's pretty competitive," said Jesperson after she beat Brown in three sets for the women's singles championship Saturday at the 37th annual Elk River Open.
That was apparent as the two Elk stars had their stern game faces on throughout the match and there were no smiles at the closing handshake either.
"They're like that on the court, and that's why they're so good. But a half hour later they'll be joking with each other," said Randy Ronning, tennis coach and tournament director.
While Jesperson, who hadn't played this tournament in three years, dethroned Brown, last year's winner, the men's side had a new champion.
Jesperson always wins, but Brown threw the first punches Saturday, taking the first set 6-3. Jesperson rebounded 6-1, then prevailed 10-6 in a tiebreaker.
"Cassandra came out really firing," said Jesperson. "I had to step it up."
Jesperson, who went 3-0 to win an eight-player open field, has been playing out-of-state in recent summers when the Elk River Open is held. She did win the women's singles once, while in junior high.
Brown was a close runner-up for the second straight day. She and Chris Odegard of St.Michael-Albertville lost on the mixed doubles finals 10-9 (7-2) to Stacy Schulz and Jeremy Thomson on Friday. Brown will team with her mom for doubles Sunday.
Scheevel went 4-0 to win a 16-man open field, cruising in straight sets each time and never giving up more than five games. He prevailed 6-0, 6-2 in the finals against Carlson.
Scheevel will play doubles on Sunday with his brother Nick, the Rogers high school coach.
Chris Scheevel, former St. Cloud Cathedral and Bethel College player (he graduated this spring) was the men's singles champion, defeating Gustavus Adolphus coach Jon Carlson. Scheevel was runner-up the last two years behind another college coach, Scott Larson, who wasn't here this year.
